The semicolon: From an insider tip to the almost forgotten art of language!

The semicolon: From an insider tip to the almost forgotten art of language!

Have you ever wondered how the semicolon found its place in the world of punctuation? A look at the current situation clearly shows that the small but sensitive symbol is threatened by a gradual loss of meaning in written communication. A survey by language learning platform Babbel found that 67% of British students rarely or never use semicolons and only 11% of respondents use them regularly. It is also worrying that more than half of the participants do not understand exactly how to use semicolons correctly. This raises questions: What happened to the understanding of these particular punctuation marks?

The history of the semicolon dates back to 1494, when it first appeared in Pietro Bembo's De Aetna. According to historian Cecelia Watson, who wrote a book about the semicolon entitled “Semicolon – The Past, Present, and Future of a Misunderstood Mark,” the semicolon was designed by Aldus Manutius. Font designer Francesco Griffo contributed to the popularity of the semicolon with a new font. The Renaissance saw a veritable boom in punctuation marks - and the semicolon found its place between commas and periods.

The demise of the semicolon

Although the semicolon was used regularly in the past, the survey clearly shows that authors today only use a semicolon every 390th word on average. By clearly connecting two main clauses with similar or opposite content, the semicolon can structure thoughts precisely. Lisa McLendon, author of “The Perfect English Grammar Workbook,” even shows that understanding of this sign is declining. A look at literary history reveals that famous writers like Virginia Woolf skillfully used the semicolon in their works, while authors like Kurt Vonnegut vehemently turned their backs on the symbol and dismissed it as meaningless.

But what does the semicolon really represent? Watson describes it as an expression of human feelings and social class differences. The work of the semicolon represents a nuance in written communication that is increasingly falling under the radar of simplified writing style. Linguists explain that the disappearance of the semicolon also reflects a social tendency: less is often more. In connection with this development, the different writing styles and the question of how important punctuation really is today must also be considered.

The meaning of punctuation marks over time

The history of punctuation marks is anything but short and sweet. It turns out that these small symbols are crucial for the organization and structuring of texts. Ultimately, the loss of the clarity of expression that the semicolon provides could hinder communication. Without punctuation, sentences could be ambiguous and misleading, a condition commonly observed in social media and online communication.

Historically, we owe the development of punctuation marks to the printing press and the subsequent grammar rules. Martin Luther's Bible translations were instrumental in introducing consistent punctuation marks. Beginning in the 18th century, grammarians began to broadly define the role of punctuation. This development eventually led to the uniform rules that were established at the end of the 19th century. Nowadays, punctuation marks are indispensable, even in digital communication.

In summary, the semicolon deserves much more attention in its role as a unifying element in written communication. The survey shows that we are at a turning point where we have to decide: Do we want to continue to be concise or revive the art of differentiation and clarity? At a time when language is increasingly subject to formal and simple trends, a small step back to conscious writing could have a big impact - and the semicolon could play a completely new role.

For more information on this topic, we refer to the articles by Vietnam.vn, DOCMA and Tune News International.