The Importance of Correct Punctuation

[reveal]

So here's my question: is it now ok to use the semicolon followed by a "however" ? As in the following sentence:

I used to be quite good at grammar; however, it's been a while.

In college, I learned never to do this; the semicolon is meant to separate two complete sentences, and if you're using "however," then you're already separating the sentences and it should be a comma. The last I knew, Strunk & White was still saying ; + "however" was a no-no. I keep seeing it everywhere, though. One example is the author John Sanford; he does it quite a bit. My best friend is also currently taking paralegal courses, and they encourage it. Is it common usage now?

What you learned is still correct; you only use semicolons to separate two complete sentences that are related. If you use the word however, however, you do not use the semicolon.

 

[Angel Tarragon]

What you learned is still correct; you only use semicolons to separate two complete sentences that are related. If you use the word however, however, you do not use the semicolon.

Exactly.

 

[ThirdWizard]

It was always my understanding that the comma was dropped in print materal (especially newspapers) to use less ink/space.

 

[Abstraction]

Pet peeves:

And this is not the way to start a sentence.
Parentheses should be the option of last resort (and not used at every opportunity)!
By the way, if you must use parentheses, know how they interact with punctuation! (please.)
I make an exception for online, but in print please know the difference between inch marks, foot marks, apostrophes and quote marks.
There is only a single space after a period. I don't care what you like. There is only a single space after a period! If you learn nothing else, THERE IS ONLY A SINGLE ING SPACE AFTER A ING PERIOD. Please don't make me explain the long history behind this.
There, their, they're. If you don't know the difference, chop your fingers off then pluck your eyes.
Irregardless is not a word. Stop using it. You sound like an idiot.
The phrase is "for all intents and purposes." If you say/type "for all intensive purposes," just stick to shorter words. They're more your style.
You may type "it's" as a contraction for "it is", or you may type "its" which is the possessive of "it". There is no "its'". The apostrophe would be redundant in that case.

Okay, calming down now.

 

[Goblyn]

I think the dedication sentence is confusing not because of the commas or lack thereof, but the fact that 'parents' and 'Ayn Rand and God' are different types of words. 'Parents' is referential; I don't know the name of this type of word, but it is not a proper noun as 'Ayn Rand' and 'God' are.

 

[Jdvn1]

There is only a single space after a period. I don't care what you like. There is only a single space after a period! If you learn nothing else, THERE IS ONLY A SINGLE ING SPACE AFTER A ING PERIOD. Please don't make me explain the long history behind this.

Actually, I didn't know this. I was taught otherwise because it was apparently convention to use two. Apparently the rule is to use two when typing on a typewriter and one when using a word processor, or otherwise on a computer. I was apparently taught the old way, so I have to make a concentrated effort to get used to this.

With a typewriter, you sometimes use one space or two spaces following punctuation. With a computer, use only one space following periods, commas, semicolons, colons, exclamation points, question marks, and quotation marks. With a computer, the space needed after these punctuation marks is proportioned automatically.

 

[Lady_Acoma]

Actually, I didn't know this. I was taught otherwise because it was apparently convention to use two. Apparently the rule is to use two when typing on a typewriter and one when using a word processor, or otherwise on a computer. I was apparently taught the old way, so I have to make a concentrated effort to get used to this.

I was also taught the old way. In my day to day online chat or message board posts I do only use one. But I believe I use two in formal documents. Wow, I suddenly feel old and crotchety.

 

[Abstraction]

Yes, using two spaces after a period is a something that died out thirty years ago as a necessity. Yet it is still being taught by typing teachers to this day.

Don't even get me started on kerning...

 

[Dingleberry]

My best friend is also currently taking paralegal courses, and they encourage it.

I would hope that the focus of paralegal training is "making it clear and understandable" as opposed to "follow strict rules of grammar and punctuation." I draft contracts for a living, and I break the "rules" of English all the time to make things more understandable - serial commas, semicolons, punctuation in/out of quotation marks, whatever.

 

[reveal]

I would hope that the focus of paralegal training is "making it clear and understandable" as opposed to "follow strict rules of grammar and punctuation." I draft contracts for a living, and I break the "rules" of English all the time to make things more understandable - serial commas, semicolons, punctuation in/out of quotation marks, whatever.

If you use grammar and punctuation properly, the document should be clear and understandable; that's what proper usage allows for. The problem I find is that some people don't use grammar and punctuation properly and, therefore, their written material becomes difficult to read.

Also, because you write contracts, you know that punctuation is still important. For example, my wife works for a large food company and sat in on a class for the salespeople. The instructor brought up an example of how proper grammar in a contract could make or break it. A person had written a contract in which some items, I don't remember the specifics, were to be split evenly amongst three people. The contract read to the effect of "The items will be split amongst Bob, Tom and Jim." The people supplying the items gave 50% to Bob; Tom and Jim were to split the other 50%. It went to court and the judge ruled in the suppliers favor. The judge said that the missing serial comma made it look like Bob should receive 50%, while Tom and Jim should receive the other 50%. I'm not saying I agree or disagree with the ruling, I'm just pointing out that proper grammar should still be taken into consideration on all written documents.