Stylin’

 

There are only two times in American English language usage when a writer uses a semi-colon, and both are optional, which is why your English teachers tell you not to use them. Make them and the editorial board of Bilkent News happy; just say no to semi-colons (we get to use them because we know how to: we are trained professionals; don’t try this at home).

First, use a semi-colon to avoid the dreaded comma splice and its evil twin, the run-on sentence. We addressed the comma splice in an earlier post, so we can deal with the run-on here (sometimes this is called a fused sentence, which doesn't make sense unless it is fused with something invisible; the whole point is the two clauses are not held together, by fusing or anything else). This author went to primary school in the 1970s, so let's go retro: run-on sentence it is.

If you have ever read William Faulkner (and you should do at least once), you must realize that a sentence, to be grammatically correct, need not be short. It need not be long, but with the proper punctuation, a sentence can go on for a very long time. Semi-colons help this process, which is another reason why the EFL student should avoid them. Let's call it the KISS principle: Keep It Short and Simple. Again, if you ever read Faulkner, you would understand why. The man was the master of the 26-page sentence (for the humor-challenged, a hyperbolic exaggeration) and kind of hard to follow.

Remember, two independent clauses are not going to let a weak-but-spunky comma hold them together, little-engine-that-could attitude notwithstanding. They need serious punctuation. Unless you have a really good reason to use a semi-colon, and that requires some Fred Astaire-level nuanced linguistic tap dancing, break it up into two sentences (I love synesthesia). If you simply omit the comma (because it shouldn't be there in the first place), voilà, you have a run-on sentence. Two independent clauses need punctuation. Use a full stop.

There is a very minor, very rare usage of a semi-colon involving lists of ideas that are themselves independent clauses or long descriptions of items. Again, when a comma can't do the job, call in the semi-colon enforcer to keep it all in order. Or just KISS it and make it better.