ARmy Rumour SErvice

Originally Posted by Punch

Thank you BL; ever my help in difficulty.

You're welcome; after all, there's only a dozen of us on here.

Originally Posted by Punch

And could someone remind me of the name and formal purpose of this evil looking little thing. ~ It lurks on my keyboard and it pays no rent. I was probably introduced to it a long time ago but lack of use, advancing years, and possibly the effect of alcohol, has robbed me of this simple benefit in life.

Stop picking your nose whilst typing. It'll soon dry up and vanish.

Originally Posted by Punch

So qualification for leadership in the Semicolon Squad is the ability to ask stupid questions every time an order is given? There will be no shortage of suitable candidates I presume? Is the unit identifier to be crossed semi-colons surmounted by an 'erotome' reversed?
(Well the Nazi's reversed the swastika and got away with it!)

BTW why is it considered bad form to criticise someone's misuse of their native tongue, but we would challenge them for spitting on our living room floor or swearing at our women-folk? I ask because I have been considered a 'spelling nazi' at times.

Criticism of poor grammar isn't bad form per se; it was the hypocrisy of making a grammatical error in my criticism that was reprehensible.

Originally Posted by Collapsar

Criticism of poor grammar isn't bad form per se; it was the hypocrisy of making a grammatical error in my criticism that was reprehensible.

Sorry Collapsar, I wasn't referring to you. I was generalising.

Originally Posted by Punch

So qualification for leadership in the Semicolon Squad is the ability to ask stupid questions every time an order is given? There will be no shortage of suitable candidates I presume?

No, it's a test to see who will challenge higher authority and take them to task for their transgressions. The purity of the organization must be maintained and kept free from the chavish sloppiness of the txtspk untermensch.

Is the unit identifier to be crossed semi-colons surmounted by an 'erotome' reversed? (Well the Nazi's reversed the swastika and got away with it!)

Ah, many a truth spoken in jest ... here's the original 'question mark', Alcuin's punctus interrogativus:



I think 2 of those placed side-by-side would look quite snazzy as a collar flash. What do you think?

BTW why is it considered bad form to criticise someone's misuse of their native tongue, but we would challenge them for spitting on our living room floor or swearing at our women-folk? I ask because I have been considered a 'spelling nazi' at times.

It is? Since when (or, at least, by anybody who matters)?

Originally Posted by Border_Reiver

No great issue here … I suppose it is a variation on the Eric Morecambe / Andre Previn sketch of some years ago …. “ I was not using the wrong word I was using the right word but the letters (-1 ) were not necessarily in the right order “

By one of those delightful instances of serendipity, my young children saw this sketch recently and have taken up Morecambe's statement as one of their catchphrases ... often in the context of my butchering of the keyboard. Yes, in answer to the obvious question, they are all budding Grammar Nazis and even the dyslexic one can grammatically hold off a battalion of paras by himself.

Originally Posted by Blokeonabike

Mullerkin,

Your sentence:

"The semicolon is like the back-heel in soccer: often misused by show-offs, it indicates a change of direction without interrupting the flow."

Should read:

"The semicolon is like the back-heel in soccer; often misused by show-offs, it indicates a change of direction without interrupting the flow."

No it shouldn't. The second clause is a simple explanation of the first clause and therefore needs a colon. Just because it is about a semi colon doesn't mean it needs a semi colon.

This one is also wrong imho and needs a colon not a semi:

Originally Posted by Chef

I always use semicolons; they take up less space than full ones.

as the second half simply explains the first half. The colon states "and this is why" or something similar.

The semicolon is a more enigmatic beast, used where the second clause does something to explain the first but also insubordinately has something to add by itself.

Which is why this:

Originally Posted by Mr_Deputy

'It was the best of punctuation; it was the worst of punctuation.'

and this:

Originally Posted by roadster280

Semicolons join related clauses; colourful language ensues.

are wonderful.

In the best arrse tradition I haven't done any research on this and have presented my own opinions as fact

If only fivealpha were still around to add to the debate (shall we start a new thread on the subjunctive?)

Thank God for James Joyce and William Faulkner, even Virginia Woolf.