When is ";" used? (the comma with the period above it)

[Kaleva]

I see it on the keyboard and remember from school so many years ago that it does have a purpose but I don't recall how it's to be used.

[MrCoffee]

1. Wait, what?

The comma with the period above it?

[Shell Beau]

22. Other people call that a semi-colon!

:P

[DevonRex]

2. Here you go:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semicolon

[Forkboy]

3. It's for when you're not sure if you want to end a sentence or keep on going.

[DevonRex]

4. See the link above.

:spank:

:hi:

[Forkboy]

8. Tough room.

:D

[DevonRex]

9. ...

:rofl:

I just love it when I can get your goat a little bit.

And what does that MEAN, anyway? Get your goat? WTF?

[Forkboy]

13. The details are only hinted at.....

[alphafemale]

5. ok

If you really want an answer; just put it in at random.

Nobody really remembers these things; or maybe they never knew them at all.

And if you are trying to bluff your way and look smart; it might work. Or not.

:hide:

[DevonRex]

6. Ok. Now I'm starting to get pissed. From wiki:

Between closely-related independent clauses not conjoined with a coordinating conjunction
"I went to the swimming pool; I was told it was closed for routine maintenance."

Between independent clauses linked with a transitional phrase or a conjunctive adverb
"I like to eat crocodiles; however, I don't like to be eaten by them."

Between items in a series or listing containing internal punctuation, especially parenthetic commas, where the semicolons function as serial commas:
"She saw three men: Jamie, who came from New Zealand; John, the milkman's son; and George, a gaunt kind of man."

[carlyhippy]

28. I am not familiar with the serial semi-colons haha

that just doesn't look right at all. I would write.... She saw three men: Jamie, who came from NZ, the milkmans' son John, and a gaunt kind of man named George. :)

[mitchum]

7. Mrs mitchum has a semicolon tattoo

Honest

[DevonRex]

10. Better go add that to wikipedia, then. They don't have that listed.

:P

[SteppingRazor]

11. Here. This is all you need to know:

http://theoatmeal.com/comics/semicolon



But if you must know more, consider Kurt Vonnegut:
"Here is a lesson in creative writing. First rule: Do not use semicolons. They are transvestite hermaphrodites representing absolutely nothing. All they do is show you've been to college."

[Kaleva]

12. It appears to be nothing but a comma that has a haughty opinion of itself.

[SteppingRazor]

Generally, the only time I use them is in the "super-comma" instance.

As in "I went to London, England; Paris, France; and Madrid, Spain."

[alphafemale]

24. But not yet bold enough to be a period. nt

[RoyGBiv]

26. Do you happen to have the rest of that?

He ends up using a semi-colon. :)

[pokerfan]

27. The most feared punctuation on earth!

:rofl:

[WinkyDink]

14. The "period" takes the place of a conjunction in compound sentences. It also separates items in a

list following a colon: apples; peaches; and, finally, the piece de resistance, pumpkin pie.

[applegrove]

15. You can attach two full sentences together using it. I think you may need an and in between.

[nuxvomica]

16. I restrict its use to two occasions:

1) complex members of a list that follow a colon, especially when such members may, themselves, contain a comma; 2) conjoining logically related sentences when the use of an "and" may be confusing or tiresome for the reader. Other uses may be acceptable but they are unnecessary, IMHO.

[GreenPartyVoter]

17. Yes, #2 is what I recall from college. My freshman comp prof said something about how the

two sides should balance each other out.

[nuxvomica]

20. Yes. Exactly.

I was thinking "juxtaposition" but "balance" is the best way of describing it.

[Skittles]

23. I use it quite frequently in technical writing; yes INDEED

[Rabrrrrrr]

18. Your question is faulty; it is "when SHOULD the ';' be used"

Your question is "when IS the ';' used"? The answer to that question is: everywhere.

Which is to say, your question cannot result in a set of answers that, taken in toto, have any meaning.

[Duer 157099]

19. They are *great* for non-sequiturs

Which brings up: how come nobody ever talks about sequiturs? Non sequiturs get all the attention.

Perhaps it is sequiturs that they are more appropriate to; even so, DU is great.

[REP]

21. Use a semicolon when you've had part of your large intestine removed

I'll be here all week.

[rug]

25. Twice a month.

[hayu_lol]

29. You want to see what ALL the punctuation does...

Read Mark Twain's lengthy essays. He used every bit of punctuation he could beg, borrow or steal; he used, in other words, punctuation properly.

Much of his stuff is a riot.

[MiddleFingerMom]

30. I found a very funny and very informative website...

.
...on how to use the semicolon.
.
I have no more to say; the website says it all for me.
.
http://theoatmeal.com/comics/semicolon
.

[wickerwoman]

31. It's a semi-colon; you use it for two complete but connected thoughts.

[wickerwoman]

32. Also,

you can use it for complex lists where the division between the items might be ambiguous. For example:

"The team was divided into four groups: Alan, Ben and Cathy; David, Eric and Frank; George and Harry; and Ilene, Jen and Karen."

"Our study involved a detailed survey of the area; environmental, psychological and behavioural studies; extensive inquiry into the economic, political and social ramifications of the proposal; and extensive historical and morphological analysis."