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"Syntax crisis"

I'm going through a syntax crisis. Basically, I'm doubting my puntuation. My use of "-" (dashes); my use of ";" (semi-colons); my use of ":" (colons); my use of "........." (dots).

I'm ever asking myself questions like: "Should I use a comma or a semi-colon, or maybe a dash, or perhaps a fullstop?"
I can't decide which, and it's beginning to get - on - my - nerves.

I'm increasingly finding myself pondering the possibilities of punctuation for long periods at a time, unable to arrive at a firm decision - at a clear distinction. (Why did I use a dash just then?)

I think I'm showing signs of Punctuophobia. Or maybe I'm becoming a Punctuomaniac.

How d'you know when the punctuation in a piece of "serious-ish" writing is correct?
How d'you judge it?

Does anyone else suffer from my "dotty" affliction?

I even dreamt last night that I was being chased by a dashing colon who kept flicking my ears with question marks.... Eventually I slowly sank in an expanse of quicksand as the dashing colon conjured visions of jumbled gobbledegook before my i's - I mean, my eyes....

Everywhere I go I see dying dots and commas on the floor, helplessly flapping and wriggling like neglected haddock on a dry riverbed.... suffocating s.l.o.w.l.y, under the pressure of - indecision; not knowing which way to turn: just twitching, and fading away.... into the insignificance of no-man's-land.

?

Greetings ÂLŠ†ÂÎR. I'll try to post more in the Xbox forum when I can.

Hey!

Nomad I haven't seen you on here for Agggggggggggggggges. Fancy helping out in the Xbox forum. Its running very slow and hardly anyone posts there anymore.

Put proper punctuation into this sentence (this is not a joke):-

John where Dave had had had had had had had had had had had the examiners approval

Good luck!

You can use a semi-colon when both sides of the sentence around it make sense on their own. If they don't, then use a comma.

You don't really have to use semi-colons anyway; commas are sufficient to use in most situations.

Rosalind wrote:
> I read a book on punctuation once, Its all common sense really. The
> trouble here is that I type so quickly, and don't bother to go back
> and vheck my posts before I hit the post button. Now my spelling,
> thats something to worry about.

"vheck"

Heh heh.

I see what you mean.

I read a book on punctuation once, Its all common sense really. The trouble here is that I type so quickly, and don't bother to go back and vheck my posts before I hit the post button. Now my spelling, thats something to worry about.

You're in a bit early aren't you?

I try to use correct punctuation whenever possible. Obviously, sometimes I make typos but that's the price of fame.

I too am scared of punctuation. I quite often feel I overuse '-' dashes in the improper way, and I don't use semi-colons because I'm scared of them. And I haven't used an exclamation mark for 3 years, 4 months and 21 days.

*round of applause*

GrammaR
Sorry, I nitpick at other people's grammar like I nitpick at my own.... I'm considering therapy ;)

Nomad Soul wrote:
> Yes, maybe grammar [you
> spelt it wrong] is all about personal style to some degree.

*Slaps self*
No wait, it was a slightly ironic demonstration of my point, based on the Nelly track Country Gramma...
Yes, that's what it was.
*Hides*


> This post is actually genuine, albeit couched in a slightly eccentric
> manner. I was editing a non-punctuated text and I found myself
> becoming overwhelmed and confused by how sort it out. I reached a
> point where I was doubting the punctual officiality of every
> sentence.

Yep, been there. Still, everyone else seems to have pretty terrible grammaR too, which makes me feel slightly better about my own shortcomings.
Plus it contributes to the changing language thing.