double semi colons

[Jo Zebedee]

Okay, I know I'm obsessed with them. But i read a sentence in GRRM which had a double semicolon in a sentence, divided by 5 words, and it's really annoyed me. think of the count I could have if I'm allowed to do such things.

I can't find the exact sentence, but is there any occasion when this is technically okay?

(BTW, it read very wrong to me.)

 

[11thCommandment]

i'm not a grammarian, but I think you probably could. man proposes:god disposes: satan encloses?

 

[Warren_Paul]

If it reads wrong to you then I'd probably avoid using them, but in some situations it could work - if used correctly.


EDIT: Welcome to the SFF Crons, 11Comandment.


Quick google search and pulled this off a post where somebody asked the same question:

-- Are double semicolons; used thusly (albeit incorrectly); acceptable?

You generally only use multiple semicolons when listing things and the use of a comma would be confusing:

Attending was George W. Bush, the president of the US; Tony Blair, the prime minister of the UK; and Saddam Hussein, the president of Iraq.

Otherwise, if you need to use double semicolons, there is probably something wrong with your sentence contruction. It's not grammatically incorrect, but it's stylistically awkward.

 

[11thCommandment]

Cheers Wiz. Good to be here!

 

[Jo Zebedee]

another eg of what you can get away with when you've made it? (although this was in game of thrones.)

 

[11thCommandment]

well, springs, do you know what always looks wrong to me, my marmite loving friend? the word 'that'

just kidding. you know i loves ya

 

[Warren_Paul]

well, springs, do you know what always looks wrong to me, my marmite loving friend? the word 'that'

just kidding. you know i loves ya

We all have our little things we hate. For me it is 'then', I detest 'then' used in a sentence.

That happened, and then this happened... *shudder*


of course there are situations where you just have to use the word.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

I have truly truly killed my that habit, and now pick it up in every else I read.

(Don't give WP ideas; he's hoping to keep me busy on my edit... ) - and will no doubt....

@WP. Oh dear. That's all I'm saying; enjoy the redpenning.

 

[11thCommandment]

just noticed you said 'semicolon' not 'colon'. i really do need to get new glasses

 

[Warren_Paul]

I have truly truly killed my that habit, and now pick it up in every else I read.

(Don't give WP ideas; he's hoping to keep me busy on my edit... ) - and will no doubt....

@WP. Oh dear. That's all I'm saying; enjoy the redpenning.

Don't worry Springs, I'm far more forgiving of it in other people's work, its just a personal taste thing.

 

[Abernovo]

Ah, I was going to say I use multiple semi-colons to list things, but not for anything else. A sentence would get too clumsy, at least to my mind.

 

[11thCommandment]

then or suddenly. suddenly, there was a crash, then suddenly, a boom...

i hear you WP

 

[Warren_Paul]

then or suddenly. suddenly, there was a crash, then suddenly, a boom...

i hear you WP

Yes! You know what happens when I read suddenly? I pause for effect. Why am I pausing when its a 'sudden act'? Shouldn't I be reading quicker, not pausing? But that is the effect 'suddenly' has on me.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

I think that's grammatically correct, Aber,

I have a lot of things I like in a book: good plot; good charaters; no that's; and lots of semi colons. But this wasn't a list it was prose.

 

[11thCommandment]

think it's one of those blind spot things we get whilst writing. once we read it, it becomes glaringly apparent. too many 'thats' ruin the flow

 

[Warren_Paul]

I think that's grammatically correct, Aber,

I have a lot of things I like in a book: good plot; good charaters; no that's; and lots of semi colons. But this wasn't a list it was prose.

*wanders away to check if he has "that's" in his writing*

 

[Jo Zebedee]

The curse of the Chrons; the inability to read a book afterwards without wanting to stamp on it and say that's just not blinking right! Or left.

@WP; I so should have this conversation before sending WIP....

 

[Abernovo]

Okay. Only two semi-colons? If the clauses were short, I suppose it might be acceptable. I don't think I'd find it comfortable to read, though.

Thanks, springs, I was considering reading GRRM. Now I'm wondering if I'll get annoyed with his writing style.

 

[Warren_Paul]

I wouldn't worry Aber, there might be some lines you don't agree with, but overall GRRM appears to break the rules to perfection - just not how we thought it should be done. I think we are just struggling understand why its okay in those situations.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Hmm, I'm not sure I'd endorse him just as highly. I think he has some really good bits; the intro of Jon snow is excellent, and he has Tyrion very well. But, it's still formulaic (but that's a criticism I find with a lot of fantasy), and padded. I kept reading, WP, but feast for crows is padding to the nth degree IMHO. I will get DWD, cos it seems to get better feedback, but I'm getting to the stage that, quite frankly, a jon snow and tyrion compilation would do me very nicely, and I'd skip the rest...

His writing is very good in places, he does show not tell very well, but he does repeat things he's already told you too often, and how many times do so many characters pound tables with fists when there's painful medical interventions? So far, i think every time.

Was he worth reading? Absolutely, especially to see how some areas of writing are done. Is he anywhere near as good as he's made out to be? Not in my opinion, but that's what makes the world so sweet.... we can't all like the same thing.
Oh, and I don't think he breaks the rules as well as some writers, Joyce and Burgess spring to mind, I think, whisper it, sometimes it's just not right....