How to use a semicolon - Emma Bryce

譯者: Ching-Yi Lai 審譯者: Geoff Chen

It may seem like the semicolon is struggling with an identity crisis.

幾乎無人能正確地運用分號

它的樣貌結合逗號與句號

It looks like a comma crossed with a period.

雙重功能之因,讓人摸門不著

Maybe that's why we toss these punctuation marks around like grammatical confetti.

就像雜亂無章的碎花掉滿地

We're confused about how to use them properly.

始終困惑著: 如何善用分號?

In fact, it's the semicolon's half-half status that makes it useful.

其實,分號真正的功能

在於它獨有的雙重身分

它比句號更有力

It's stronger than a comma, and less final than a period.

而僅僅小輸句號

It fills the spaces in between, and for that reason,

它是逗點與句點間的灰色地帶

鑑於此

it has some specific and important tasks.

分號的功用,獨樹一幟

For one, it can clarify ideas in a sentence

其一:分號能讓句子分門別類

that's already festooned with commas.

而逗號只能讓人暫時喘口氣

"Semicolons: At first, they may seem frightening,

初次使用分號 可能不知所措

then, they become enlightening,

使用幾次之後,漸漸上手

finally, you'll find yourself falling for these delightful punctuation marks."

最後,令人愛不釋手

Even though the commas separate different parts of the sentence,

使用逗號讓句子分段

it's easy to lose track of what belongs where.

仍然無法將句子分門別類

But then the semicolon edges in to the rescue.

這時,就是使用分號最佳時機

In list-like sentences, it can exert more force than commas do,

在條列式句子之中

分號比逗號更能讓人理解句意

cutting sentences into compartments and grouping items that belong together.

因為它能讓句子條理分明

The semicolon breaks things up, but it also builds connections.

雖然分號拆散句子,

句子之間依然息息相關

Another of its tasks is to link together independent clauses.

另一項功能,就是

它能串聯獨立句子

These are sentences that can stand on their own,

獨立句子,就是獨自成句

but when connected by semicolons,

一旦使用分號串聯起來

look and sound better because they're related in some way.

獨立句子變的關係密切

也產生畫龍點睛的效果

"Semicolons were once a great mystery to me.

"分號真令人費猜疑.

I had no idea where to put them."

我根本不會使用它。"

Technically, there's nothing wrong with that.

這兩句,用法無誤

These two sentences can stand alone.

兩個句子,各自成句

But imagine they appeared in a long list of other sentences,

假如出現在攏長的條例句子裡

all of the same length, each separated by periods.

長度一致,句號收尾

Things would get monotonous very fast.

很快地,句子變得單調乏味

In that situation,

鑑於此

分號能讓文章

semicolons bring fluidity and variation to writing

行雲流水,生動活潑

by connecting related clauses.

更能串聯同類句子

But as beneficial as they are, semicolons don't belong just anywhere.

然而,如此方便好用的分號

也不能隨便濫用

There are two main rules that govern their use.

務必遵守兩大守則

Firstly, unless they're being used in lists,

第一點: 除了條列式句子外

semicolons should only connect clauses that are related in some way.

分號只分隔同類句子

You wouldn't use one here, for instance:

以下為錯誤用法

"Semicolons were once a great mystery to me;

"分號真令人費猜疑；

I'd really like a sandwich."

我想吃三明治."

只有句號正確

Periods work best here because these are two totally different ideas.

因為兩句毫無關聯

A semicolon's job is to reunite two independent clauses

分號功能是連接同類句子

that will benefit from one another's company

使得彼此產生共同點

because they refer to the same thing.

原因是他們來源相同

Secondly, you'll almost never find a semicolon willingly stationed

第二點,分號和連接詞

before coordinating conjunctions:

完全是一山不容二虎

the words, "and," "but," "for," "nor," "or," "so," and "yet."

諸如: "而且","但是"

"為了","也不","或者"

"因此"與"依然"

That's a comma's place, in fact.

全都是一成不變的符號

But a semicolon can replace a conjunction to shorten a sentence

但是,分號能取代它

更加簡潔有力

or to give it some variety.

也更生動活潑

Ultimately, this underappreciated punctuation mark

總之,要文章簡潔有力,有風格

can give writing clarity, force, and style,

只要用這個被低估的標點

all encompassed in one tiny dot and squiggle

上一點下逗號,就能迎刃而解

that's just waiting to be put in the right place.

前提必須擺在正確的位置