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Concept
Semicolon
Summary
The semicolon or semi-colon is a symbol commonly used as orthographic punctuation. In the English language, a semicolon is most commonly used to link (in a single sentence) two independent clauses that are closely related in thought, such as when restating the preceding idea with a different expression. When a semicolon joins two or more ideas in one sentence, those ideas are then given equal rank. Semicolons can also be used in place of commas to separate items in a list, particularly when the elements of the list themselves have embedded commas.
The semicolon is one of the least understood of the standard marks, and so it is not as frequently used by many English speakers.
In the QWERTY keyboard layout, the semicolon resides in the unshifted homerow beneath the little finger of the right hand and has become widely used in programming languages as a statement separator or terminator.
In 1496, the semicolon is attested in Pietro Bembo's book it printed by Aldo Manuzio. The punctuation also appears in later writings of Bembo. Moreover, it is used in 1507 by Bartolomeo Sanvito, who was close to Manuzio's circle.
In 1561, Manuzio's grandson, also called Aldo Manuzio, explains the semicolon's use with several examples in Orthographiae ratio. In particular, Manuzio motivates the need for punctuation (interpungō) to divide (distinguō) sentences, and thereby make them understandable. The comma, semicolon, colon, and period are seen as steps, ascending from low to high; the semicolon thereby being an intermediate value between the comma and colon . Here are four examples used in the book to illustrate this:
Publica, privata; sacra, profana; tua, aliena.
Public, private; sacred, profane; yours, another's.
Ratio docet, si adversa fortuna sit, nimium dolendum non esse; si secunda, moderate laetandum.
Reason teaches, if fortune is adverse, not to complain too much; if favorable, to rejoice in moderation.
Tu, quid divitiae valeant, libenter spectas; quid virtus, non item.
You, what riches are worth, gladly consider; what virtue (is worth), not so much.
Official source
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