Easy solution: just don't use them.

That's what I mostly do.   

I can see you didn't, Mumble, so please don't take this the wrong way

I hope I don't really appear this fearsome. As far as I know I only blew up in one post out of 500 (well maybe two). I hope I don't have to post another 500 before I can live it down.   

I would also like to hope that I would never take something as innocent as this the wrong way. I want people to feel free to say whatever they want to me without having to worry that I might take it the wrong way. I'm sorry if I gave any other impression.   

So the answer is no, I don't take this the wrong way.   

I being offented hear. You attak for people trying hard too English. I am insult.

: colon
; semicolon

Here's the difference: a colon implies causality, like the words "therefore," or "because," or "in this case" or "so;" a colon can also introduce a list, an example, or a reason. What comes after a colon doesn't have to be a whole sentence; it can be a phrase: like this.

A semicolon is a more regular conjunction, very much like "and." When used in this way, the semicolon should join two sentences (independent clauses); it is a very neutral conjunction. It suggests much more of a link between ideas than a period, yet without the flavoring effects of forandnorbutoryetso.

Semicolons can also be used in a series if commas are within the items in the series. Here is an example:

"GalCiv2 has a customizable, creative approach to ship design; a detailed, intricate tech tree; and humorous, vibrant races."

The sentence is awkward for other stylistic reasons, but I just wanted to highlight the mechanic.

Although this isn't an exhaustive overview, you can get the idea, I think. Sometimes either can do [ ] between these two clauses I could use a semicolon or a colon with slightly different effects (insert either one into the [ ]).


As a reply in an aside, I think we use "American English" (as opposed to Jamaican English, Canadian English, British English, Australian English, and so on). Further, context is huge-- good ol' audience and purpose. Intentional errors can be used to effect (see post 102) just like colloquial language and organized thought. The lexicon evolves and moves.

: colon ; semicolon

Actually, I do know this; while at the same time, I don't even really care.

I was more trying to be: funny, rhetorical, and facetious.

Personally, I'm not going to ask for perfection.

I would, however, like people to at least try to get their grammar and spelling and grammar correct.

Personally, I'm not going to ask for perfection. I would, however, like people to at least try to get their grammar and spelling and grammar correct.

Seems like a reasonable stance to take, though using grammar twice in the same sentence does seem a little redundant.

I guess my point, if I had one, would be that it's pretty difficult to not make the occasional error. I know the point of the post is more towards people that continually make the same error over and over again, or otherwise probably know better but are just being lazy. To some extant I agree that this deserves criticism but it can easily get to the point of nitpicking.

The most admirable attitude, expressed by a number of different people, is, I try to use proper grammar and spelling because people would otherwise think less of me, but I’m not going to harp on other people’s spelling and grammar because there are many causes for it besides stupidity. This is called leading by example, I wish more people would try it.

I was starting to build a ridiculously long reply to this thread because there are *so* many things of interest to a former civics teacher and working editor here. Then I finally got to Mumblefratz saying:

My wife's an English teacher as well. I try to use proper diction, grammar and spelling as much as reasonably possible, but I know she could run rampant through pretty much anything I write with a red pen. The fact that she doesn’t is one of the reasons I love her.

Any of us here who have jobs like Mumble's wife does could do the same to nearly every post we find, *including* our own past posts

p.s. Yes, I mean that I could have written as many or more words as I did above just about the "errors" in the quote from Mumble, at least if he was trying to write English that some poor contractor downstream needs to translate...

the "errors" in the quote from Mumble

I have no delusions about my writing style. I tend to write long, complicated, run-on, sentences with far too many adjectives and commas and far too few periods. My sentence structure is atrocious. I actually tend to do a bit better writing such things as hardware specifications of electronics that I’ve designed. If they had a writing requirement at MIT in 1979, I might not have graduated.

Anyway, the point of this is that if a true professional (I would have to say English teachers and working editors would qualify as such) evaluated most of the folks here, they would find their use of the English language as bad as those that they criticize.

I’m not a religious man, but there are a few passages from the bible that I find are words to live by. One of the best ones is (and I’m paraphrasing here) “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone”. On that basis there’s not a single person here that should criticize another person’s spelling.

Actually Mumble, I find your writing style very pleasant to read. That means you're either being too hard on yourself, or I'm screwy in the head. For my own peace of mind, I choose to go with the first option.

While we may not all be perfect, it is worth the effort. Why do we need grammar-nazi? To keep the 1337 Uber speak from replacing English, that's why.

While we may not all be perfect, it is worth the effort. Why do we need grammar-nazi? To keep the 1337 Uber speak from replacing English, that's why.

Exactly my dear Watson, exactly.