Skip to main content

Using a semicolon between elements in a list





Is it proper usage to replace a comma in a list with a semi-colon in this situation (see details)?



Is it ever appropriate to use semicolons to separate elements in a list that follows a colon?


For example: I packed several items for my trip to Europe: shoes; shirts; boots; hats; and gloves.


I realize that S&W (4th edition, page 7) advises writers to use commas between a list's elements, but I'm seeing semicolons in a published academic journal, and I'm wondering whether usage has changed since S&W's release.



Answer



I don't have S&W with me, but I think Strunk said to use commas unless there might be some confusion as to which items belonged together.


In your example, there are only single items and no confusion. Commas are preferred.



"...trip to Europe: shoes, shirts, boot, hats, and gloves."



But note how the items are separated more cleanly by using semicolons to separate:



"...colors of European flags: blue and white; blue, white, and red; green, red, and black; blue and yellow."



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Is there a word/phrase for "unperformant"?

As a software engineer, I need to sometimes describe a piece of code as something that lacks performance or was not written with performance in mind. Example: This kind of coding style leads to unmaintainable and unperformant code. Based on my Google searches, this isn't a real word. What is the correct way to describe this? EDIT My usage of "performance" here is in regard to speed and efficiency. For example, the better the performance of code the faster the application runs. My question and example target the negative definition, which is in reference to preventing inefficient coding practices. Answer This kind of coding style leads to unmaintainable and unperformant code. In my opinion, reads more easily as: This coding style leads to unmaintainable and poorly performing code. The key to well-written documentation and reports lies in ease of understanding. Adding poorly understood words such as performant decreases that ease. In addressing the use of such a poorly ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Is 'efficate' a word in English?

I routinely hear the word "efficate" being used. For example, "The most powerful way to efficate a change in the system is to participate." I do not find entries for this word in common English dictionaries, but I do not have an unabridged dictionary. I have checked the OED (I'm not sure if it is considered unabridged), and it has no entry for "efficate". It does have an entry for "efficiate", which is used in the same way. Wordnik has an entry for "efficate" with over 1800 hits, thus providing some evidence for the frequency of use. I personally like the word and find the meaning very clear and obvious when others use it. If it's not currently an "officially documented" word, perhaps its continued use will result in it being better documented.
Post a Comment
Read more