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If I have one brother named Frank, one sister named Danielle, and one wife named Theresa, is the following sentence punctuated correctly with the commas and semicolons? Please, just yes or no — minus the extraneous commentary or questions like "Why are you writing it like that?" Could we please just answer the questions directly?

My brother, Frank; my sister, Danielle; and my wife, Theresa, attended the meeting at Town Hall.

whippoorwill
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  • This is yet another question that could easily be answered by consulting a manual of style. – David M Mar 02 '14 at 06:28
  • Today, most likely, I'd think that most publications would consider that type of punctuation to be unacceptable. – F.E. Mar 02 '14 at 06:32
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    Perhaps consider: "My brother Frank, my sister Danielle, and my wife Theresa attended the meeting at Town Hall." -- (and it doesn't matter how many brothers or sisters you might have). – F.E. Mar 02 '14 at 06:34
  • Oh, there are no "nonrestrictive clauses" involved in your example. – F.E. Mar 02 '14 at 06:37
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    "punctuated correctly" -- Yes, period. – Kris Mar 02 '14 at 10:07
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    @F.E. The OP expressly excluded alternatives, suggestions, opinions, comments and the paraphernalia. – Kris Mar 02 '14 at 10:07
  • @Kris Go cry me a river. – F.E. Mar 02 '14 at 21:32

1 Answers1

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Yes. This is correct. Semicolons are used to separate lists that contain items that already use a comma.

And, I have found the perfect reference for this, see The Oatmeal - How to Use a Semicolon - Scroll down to Super. Just a word of warning, this a humorous, but accurate bit of reference material. (I don't believe it contains anything offensive.)

David M
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  • But it's also one particular style preference rather than Gospel (see F.E.'s comment 1 above). OP's question can't be unequivocally resolved by 'consulting a manual of style'. – Edwin Ashworth Mar 02 '14 at 09:03
  • @EdwinAshworth unequivocal in style? Since when did that exist? OP asked for no revisions or alternatives. Hence, go check a manual of style. If they wanted an exhaustive (and exhausting) debate they could look that up as well. Like all matters of style, as long as it's recognized and used consistently, it's correct (even if not exclusively correct). – David M Mar 02 '14 at 12:49
  • @EdwinAshworth the actual point of my comment was that this poster is a serial poster of this type of question, and they have been clogging up the close queue. I personally have cast votes on at least 20 like this. – David M Mar 02 '14 at 12:55
  • "Serial poster"? Sounds ominous. – whippoorwill Mar 02 '14 at 13:46
  • Right; that's a problem with the site. But there are those who claim that the 'super-comma' use of the semicolon is wrong. This goes beyond agreeing to differ over preferred style. And, more generally, some style guides sound like they're laying down the law. And some people then go on to echo the particular style guide they've hit upon. – Edwin Ashworth Mar 02 '14 at 15:22
  • @EdwinAshworth I don't disagree. But, I think that given the number of sources that characterize it as being correct, too, it becomes a matter of style. I would say anything contested by multiple recognized authorities can and must be treated as style until a clear winner emerges. – David M Mar 02 '14 at 15:25
  • Yes, but this surely renders the 'consult a (single) style guide' recommendation inappropriate. However, the issue has been addressed here before, on more than one occasion. – Edwin Ashworth Mar 02 '14 at 15:38
  • @EdwinAshworth Fair enough. My comment should have been consult multiple style guides and form an informed opinion. I accept that. As, I stated, it was a response to the series of this type of question rather than the specific case. The signal-to-noise ratio here might have blinded me to a real question. – David M Mar 02 '14 at 15:54
  • Also fair enough. I don't think I've found a mainstream (ie non-small-Uni) style guide I'm very happy with to date. Have you? – Edwin Ashworth Mar 02 '14 at 15:58
  • @Edwin as I don't do much by way of formal writing, I have the luxury of being as unstylish as I wish. I was taught at the knees of Strunk & White, and I haven't kept up as much as I would prefer. Finding this site is re-activating dormant portions of my brain. – David M Mar 02 '14 at 16:34
  • CGEL isn't treated as Gospel here (by all). As for Strunk & White ... – Edwin Ashworth Mar 02 '14 at 23:01