Dealing with Colons, Semicolons, and Hyphens

Trouble often arises when dealing with combining sentences. It's good you're taking a look at this - very good. How many of you have wondered how to use a colon? A Semi-Colon? How about a Hyphen? Well, this piece of literature will keep your head spinning for a while. Not because you are going to be confused, but because a rather large amount of information. However, you shouldn't let that stop you from becoming a better writer, right? So, let us continue with the lesson on...

Colons:

The main use of a colon is when one wants to link a lead-in(a sentence that can stand alone, but will be used to bring in two or more primary subjects) with the items(subjects) that will be introduced by the lead-in.

Confused? Well, look at the sentence below:

I ordered many items on the list_(Lead-in): tomatoes, chips, bread, milk, Gatorade, and pasta_(items).

Another example:

There are two different genders_(Lead-in): Male and Female_(items).

They may be stupid examples, but they do get the point across, I hope.

Here are some rules that go with using Colons:

1. Don't use a colon if the lead-in isn't a complete sentence.
2. Don't use a colon unless the items absolutely have to occur at the end of your sentence.

And remember, the lead-in and the items introduced can also be in the form of a numbered or bulleted list.

There are many different site on the internet that will offer you quizzes on the various subjects I am present you. If you are aiming to be a writer, I encourage you to take these little quizzes - whether or not you feel you should.

Now, let us take a look at the dreaded...

Semicolon:

The semicolon isn't the kind of punctuation that is used on an everyday basis. The only reason for this, however, is that no one knows what to use it for. It's actually quite simple, so pay attention closely.

A semicolon is only to be used when linking two Independent Clauses¹ together to form one sentence. For example:

I am going to the garden; I intend to weed.

Or

It rained all afternoon; we were able to have the fire anyway.

You see, the idea is simple. Semicolons occur between two independent clauses, thus they are often referred to as the strong commas.

Q: Couldn't these independent clauses be considered two separate sentences?

A: Yes, they most certainly can be considered two different sentences.

Q: So, why don't we just leave them as two different sentences then?

A: Take a look at the sentences again. They relate so well, we simply are able to write it this way.

It is not imperative to place a semicolon in these sentences. It would be much easier for each of us to simply put a comma and a conjunction in place of the semicolon. For example,

Instead of

It rained all afternoon; we were able to have the fire anyway.

a writer can simply write it as

It rained all afternoon, but were able to have the fire anyway.

It is much easier, isn't it? You may all be wondering - why do we use semicolons at all? It is to show readers that the two sentences are certainly relative to the same idea. Personally, I like using it for that reason, and so that I can put a little bit of pepper in my pieces of literature. Remember, using the same thing constantly can become boring to the author and the reader, so add a little pepper and salt.

Here's another way to add some character to your literature. You can use..

Hyphens

It is commonly believed that "hyphens cause writers more trouble than any other form of punctuation, except perhaps commas. This is possibly because the hyphen has no analogue in speech; it is punctuation created purely by the needs of print(or writing."²

Since I first started to write, I've noticed this to be true. While some people know how and when to use a hyphen, most do not. But, who can blame them? There is absolutely no definitive rules on when to use a hyphen; many different organizations and countries have their own "rules" per say, but since the world is so interconnected, the ideas and rules of each country have morphed. All I can do is give you the basic rules of hyphenation and hope that you learn and use it well.

Though the most common use of the hyphen is to split words that do not fit on a line of type, it is also used for various other punctuation instances. Hyphens are also used for compound words and compound modifiers.

Compound words are considered to be either temporary or permanent. Temporary compound words are created by a writer for his/her particular use and will most likely not be found in a dictionary, but permanent compound words are able to be found in a dictionary. Examples of hyphenated compound words are ill-favored, Austro-Hungarian(combining countries), half-timbered(half- compound words are usually hyphenated except for permanent compounds), etc.

Compound modifiers are two or more words that are combined to express a single concept. However, it is important to remember that compound modifiers are hyphenated whenever they appear before a noun or in phrases in which the relationship among the words might be ambiguous or confusing.

We work in high-growth companies.

Let's take a look at that sentence in detail.

We work in high-growth(compound modifier) companies(noun).

After taking a closer look at the above sentence, it is clear that the compound modifier is hyphenated for the simple reason that it comes before the noun. These are the basics of Hyphenation as we know, but below are a few other must rules that speak for themselves.

1. Do not use a hyphen after an adverb ending with -ly
2. Use a hyphen in expressions where words have become linked by usage to express one idea, such as father-in-law, x-ray, etc.
3. Do not use a hyphen in chemical terms
4. When written as words, fractions and cardinal numbers consisting of two words are hyphenated.
5. Hyphenate words prefixed by ex-, self-, or all-, and some words prefixed by cross-
6. Do not hyphenate words prefixed by pre, re, post, out, bi, counter, de, non, un, in, dis, co, anti, hyper, semi, mis, mega, micro, inter, under, and over.
7. Use hyphens when needed for clarity(to distinguish between re-sign and resign for example.)

It's true that this is a lot to remember, but with perseverance and practice, you'll get through these "bumps in the road" and come out shining.

Note: _{1 and 2 can be found in my actual deviation.}

How to Write Villanelles

Villanelles can be frightning; they look simple but are actually quite difficult. However, when mastered, it becomes "technically easy" according to Conrad Geller. Just like riding a bike, right? The name Villanelle is dirived from the Italian villa, or country house, which is where aristocrats went to refresh themselves. Strangely enough, the form is originally French and only appeard in the English language in the lat 1800s (19th century). Out of the 19 lines in a Villanelle, only two ryhmes are used. Furthermore, two lines repeat throughout the poem; usually the first and last lines of the first stanza are repeated interchangably throughout the second, third, fourth, and fifth stanzas (starting with the first line of the first stanza) until the last stanza where both are repeated in the same stanza.

To continue your education on the stucture of a villanelle, it is important to remember that the first five stanzas are to be triplets, while the last stanza consits of four lines - the last two lines of which are the first and third lines respectively of the first stanza, making a "rhymed couple" If you're feeling terribly confused, be sure to pay attention to the following good news: A villanelle requires no particular meter or line length, therefore allowing you a little room to breathe by experiementing with the form. Let's go through this step by step.

The first step you will need to take is to create a pair of rhyming lines that are your overall meaning. These lines are what we refer to as a Basic Couplet, meaning two lines that rhyme with each outher. We will begin by using Dylan Thomas' famous Villanelle, Do Not Go gentle into That Good Night.

Do not go gentle into that good night
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

After developing your two key lines, you must insert an unrhymed line between the two. By doing this, you will create the neccsasary triplet stanza, a stanza composed of three lines. Thomas puts, Old age should burn and rave at close of day, between the "main lines" as I refer to them. Therefore, the first stanza will end up looking like this:

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

The second stanza begins with a line that rhymes with the basic couplet. The second line in this stanza, which will be your middle line, should rhyme witht the second line of the first stanza. To complete the second triplet stanza, you must repeat the first line of the couplet as the last line in the second stanza.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right, _{(rhymes with the couplet)}
Because their words had forked no lightning they _{(Rhymes with day ; middle line of first stanza)}
Do not go gentle into that good night, _{(repeated first line of the couplet)}

As with the second stanza, you continue to do the same for the third. You are to create a line that rhymes with the basic couplet, a line that rhymes with the second line - middle line - of the first stanza, but the last line of the third stanza will be the only line that is different than the second. The last line of the third stanza is the second line of the couplet. Each line rotates throghout the poem; the first line of couplet to the second stanza, the second line of couplet to the third stanza, the first line of couplet to the fourth stanza, etc. The rotation of the lines ends with the sixth stanza.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright _{(rhymes with the couplet)}
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay, _{(Rhymes with middle line)}
Rage, rage agianst the dying of the light. _{(repeated second line of the couplet)}

Wild men you caught and sang the sun in flight, _{(rhymes with the couplet)}
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way, _{(Rhymes with middle line)}
Do not go gentle into that good night, _{(repeated first line of the couplet)}

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

The sixth stanza is the only stanza that has four lines in its stanza. The Sixth stanza consits of a line that that rhymes with a couplet, a line the rhymes with the middle line of the first stanza, and the original couplet as the last two lines - all in order respectively. Therefore, the last stanza of Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night looks like this:

And you, my father, there on the sad height, _{(still rhymes with the couplet)}
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray. _{(Rhymes with middle line)}
Do not go gentle into that good night, _{(first line of couplet)}
Rage, rage against the dying of the light. _{(second line of couplet)}

There you have it. This is how you create a villianelle - step by step and rule by rule. If you have any trouble, simply review the rules slowly and create your own villanelle step by step.