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Punctuation

 
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missdaredevil



Joined: 08 Dec 2004
Posts: 1670
Location: Ask me

PostPosted: Thu Apr 28, 2005 6:37 am    Post subject: Punctuation Reply with quote

You should rest first; we'll talk business later.

Why the *semi-colon*?

Thanks
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bud



Joined: 09 Mar 2003
Posts: 2111
Location: New Jersey, US

PostPosted: Thu Apr 28, 2005 11:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sometimes I think it's a matter of choice which (if any) punctuation to use. My own style is that I tend to put a comma wherever I would pause when speaking the sentence. Semi-colons, colons and dashes are more complicated.

In your example, I can see someone choosing a semi-colon, someone else choosing a dash, and a third person choosing a period. I don't think any of them would be wrong.

I think the persons choosing the semi-colon and dash would look upon the two clauses as two parts of a complete thought: We need to talk business but you also need to rest, so you rest first and then we'll be better able to talk business.

The person choosing the period is looking at them, although closely related, as two separate thoughts.

It's a good question but a fuzzy issue, MissD.
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river1974



Joined: 20 May 2003
Posts: 525
Location: Taiwan

PostPosted: Thu Apr 28, 2005 6:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

One more question, bud. How to distinguish a dash from a hyphen? A dash is longer than a hyphen? A hyphen is used for connecting two words while a dash is used for connecting two clauses?

Thanks.
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bud



Joined: 09 Mar 2003
Posts: 2111
Location: New Jersey, US

PostPosted: Fri Apr 29, 2005 11:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Correct!

In printing, a dash is longer than a hyphen. Of course, on computers we only have the one character to use as both. Another small difference is that a space is used on each side of the dash, while no spaces are used with the hyphen.
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river1974



Joined: 20 May 2003
Posts: 525
Location: Taiwan

PostPosted: Fri Apr 29, 2005 9:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks bud. Now that I realize I always used the wrong usage before since I didn't leave a space on each side of the dash...
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renecohrt



Joined: 22 Apr 2005
Posts: 20
Location: Virum, Denmark

PostPosted: Sat Apr 30, 2005 8:46 am    Post subject: Allow me a recommendation Reply with quote

You got problems with punctuation?

I recommend Cassell's Guide To punctuation by ioreto todd.
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advoca



Joined: 09 Oct 2003
Posts: 422
Location: Beijing

PostPosted: Sat Apr 30, 2005 3:45 pm    Post subject: Semicolon Reply with quote

Gee, Miss Daredevil,

The first sensible question for a long time; wow!



*You should rest first; we'll talk business later.*

Why the *semi-colon*?

The semicolon has only one major use. It is used to join two complete sentences into a single written sentence when any of the following conditions are met:

1. The two sentences are felt to be too closely related to be separated by a full stop (period);
2. There is no connecting word which would require a commas, such as and or but.
3. The special conditions requiring a colon are absent.

The classic quotation for explaining the use of the semicolon is from Charles *beep*, who wrote, *It was the best of times; it was the worst pf times.*

He might have written:
*It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.*
*It was the best of times, and it was the worst of times.*

However, the use of the semicolon suggests that the writer sees the two smaller sentences are closely related.

But note that both sentences are complete in themselves.
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asterix



Joined: 26 Jan 2003
Posts: 1654

PostPosted: Sun May 01, 2005 10:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It appears that D i c k e n s is a rude word where Nana and Corey live --- Give me a bleeding break!
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helen1



Joined: 24 Nov 2004
Posts: 115

PostPosted: Fri May 06, 2005 9:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I would disagree with Advoca's statement

Quote:
The semicolon has only one major use.


The semicolon has another use: e.g. All students were asked: to ensure they had switched their mobile phones off; to put all bags and coats at the side of the room; not to look at the paper on their desk; and not to talk during the exam.

As you can see the semicolong is used to divide a list of items.....

I must say this is my first day back in this site for a couple of months and I object strongly to Advoca's comment about Miss Daredevil's question.

This site is supposed to encourage students to ask questions and to be as helpful as possible in answering - comments such as that are likely to deter some students from asking questions - please think carefully before you write anything.
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bud



Joined: 09 Mar 2003
Posts: 2111
Location: New Jersey, US

PostPosted: Fri May 06, 2005 1:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Good point, Helen!

As pitiful as it is, I am convinced the only goal Advoca has as a teacher is to help his students see what a brilliant teacher they have. I've had a few like that along the way, but fortunately, just a few.
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