4 ms·
A semicolon is different than a period in that it carries the connotation that the adjacent clause is a continuation or modification of the idea introduced by i
by cookiecaper 13y ago
A semicolon is different than a period in that it carries the connotation that the adjacent clause is a continuation or modification of the idea introduced by its immediate predecessor, not a separate thought (regarding the same topic, lest a new paragraph begin).
I don't think it has much to do with the commonality of the glyph in code, where ; usually represents a conclusion, not a continuation. It may simply be that coders and/or internet-savvy readers have more exposure to writing that utilizes semicolons and they obtain the habit by osmosis.
- beambot 13y ago"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." --Kurt Vonnegut
- cookiecaper 13y agoYes, I've heard this before. But I do find use for semicolons, and I appreciate their use in works by other authors. Kurt Vonnegut is (was) not obligated to use them. And I've never been to college.
- termain 13y agoHow can a hermaphrodite be a transvestite?