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Subject:Re: Avoid the Semicolon in Tech Writing? From:Sean Brierley <seanb_us -at- yahoo -dot- com> To:TECHWR-L <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Sat, 16 Aug 2003 10:04:02 -0700 (PDT)
Most users won't know what to do with a semicolon. I
understand why a style guide might require avoiding
the semicolon.
Cheers,
Sean
--- Janet Vega <anutha_writer -at- yahoo -dot- com> wrote:
>
> Hi all
>
> I recently read a Style Guide from another company
> with which I was previously unfamiliar. In it, it
> stated that the semicolon is to be avoided in
> technical communication since one can almost always
> make two shorter sentences using a period.
>
> I have never heard this and it sounds like one of
> those tech writing myths like the other ones we talk
> about on this list.
>
> Does anyone have any knowledge about this? Does this
> sound right to you?
>
> Yes, you can make two shorter sentences but that is
> not always desirable either. It just depends.
