Aug 20, 2009

Semicolon

I was thinking about the semicolon the other day.

Yeah, I know. You wish you could lead as exciting of a life like mine.

But seriously, I don't believe I have used the semicolon in writing since my High School days.  It's just something that I never use.  I know HOW to use the semicolon.  But it just doesn't come up all that often, if ever.

In fact, the only time I ever use it now is when I make a winky emoticon to highlight the sarcasm of a given comment.

; )

Thank God(dess) for the winky emoticon.  Without it, the semicolon would be dead to me.

Now I just have to figure out what I am supposed to use ~ for.
___________________________________________________

Note: Remember to play the Bug-Eyed Trivia Challenge every day. It doesn't get any more exciting than this, folks.

24 comments:

Faiqa said...

I also use the semicolon very infrequently; however, I do find the rare occasion to use it while commenting on blogs.

See what I did there?

Kaye Waller said...

After I started writing novels I started using it more. Now, it has wended its way onto my blog and in emails; I'm not sure it makes me look more literate, however.

Verdant Earl said...

Faiqa - I wonder if everyone is gonna try to use it here in the comments; it is a lovely punctuation mark, though.

Steph - Any of those novels published?

Poppy said...

Tildes are for the most specialest of occasions, do not use lightly.

Avitable said...

Fuck. Faiqa stole my comment. What a bitch!

The tilde is useful for a smiley face with a crazy nose. ;~)

2abes said...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~, i used it...no problem. although, it was hard to find on the keyboard

white rabbit said...

I think the wigglything aka tilde means more or less or approximately ...

Unless it's over a letter in Spanish in which case in means *makes Spanish type noise*

I know the theory of using the semi-colon too and occasionally use them when writing - but nearly hit the 'delete' button and substitute a comma or full stop.

So it goes...

white rabbit said...

nearly always I meant...

Anonymous said...

Well since Faiqa schooled us all, here's how I use that symbol...

:)~

See? it's a tongue! Hrm, or maybe a cigarette.

Mrs. Hall said...

~ means approximately, which I use a lot because I can't spell very well.

I enjoy the use of S as in

:S

That's a new for me and that is really cool.

:)

Verdant Earl said...

Poppy - I didn't even know what ~ was called. Now...duh, of course. Thanks!

Avitable - yeah, Faiqa gets the win.

2abes - but can you use it in a sentence?

Rabbit - for punctuation marks over letters I much prefer the umlaut.

Hilly - Or one of those soul patch beards the fellas are wearing these days.

Holly - Does't @ mean approximately? I mean, I know it does. And if I'm looking for a symbol that means approximately, I'm going to use that. Hmmm?

Heff said...

Sadly, I was thinking the same thing about "good ol' semi" while creating a blog post about a month or so ago. He's just not hip anymore :(

white rabbit said...

Umlaut eh!

For you Earl, ze punctuation iss over...

Water Logged Canine said...

If a sarcastic wink is your fancy, may I suggest the eastern-style of emoticon. Rather than its vertical western counterpart, the eastern-style utilizes a horizontal approach to emotion communicated via text. And here's the best part: you get to use the tilde. You ready for this?

(^_~)

You give me a challenge Earl, I'll do everything I can to meet it head on. Well...that is except for those Bug-Eyed Trivia challenges...haven't ventured there...YET! ;-)

Verdant Earl said...

Heff - drunken minds think alike.

Rabbit - I know, I know...

WLC - Welcome back from Rebel country. Any way you can make that Easter-style emoticon look like it is smiling?

Why so serious? (^_~)

i am the diva said...

i'm finding these comments to be quite educational... the more you know the more you grow! Goooo JOE!

Jennifer and Sandi said...

The tilde (~) also known as a 'squiggly'. I miss the tilde ~
Now I'm crying~

~;~;~;~;~;~;~;~;~;~;~;~;~;~;~;~;~;~;~

Hey, it's pretty tho!

- Jennifer

sybil law said...

I use this ~ before I sign my name on the computer. I'm dorky like that.
Also, the semicolon ROCKS!
~ Sybil

Miss Britt said...

The tilde is a raised eyebrow!

Anonymous said...

I was thinking about this very thing the other day my own damn self and decided I did not know when to use a semicolon. I saw one used on the news crawler today and that helped a lot. I am still working on it.

Wil Harrison.com

Verdant Earl said...

Diva - just like those NBC commercials.

Jenn - I prefer squiggly.

Sybil - Dorks rule!

Britt - I like it!

Wil - I guess the semicolon fascination is going around.

hello haha narf said...

i also sign my name on the computer with the tilde (and i totally didn't know it had a name...i just called it the approximately symbol).

~ Becky

Tequila Mockingbird said...

( * ) ( * ) yes, somewhat unrelated, but sometimes you need ascii porn

Prunella Jones said...

Grammar was invented by Satan. I avoid it whenever possible.