double semi colons

[springs]

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!

[springs]

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]

Originally Posted by 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

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.

[springs]

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]

Originally Posted by springs1971

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]

Originally Posted by 11thCommandment

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.

[springs]

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