Thoughts?

The patrician's choice; I suck dicks.

How the hell do you use this properly?

>>9593986
To be honest it's quite easy; Bob raped me in my sleep.

>>9593986
like so

;^)

>>9593986
I believe it links together related sentences; like this one.

>>9593901
47) Any student whose deployment of a semi-colon is not absolutely Mozart-esque knows that they’re going to get a C in my class.
-David Foster Wallace, Interview with Leonard Lopate

>>9593986
With a semi-colon, you have to ensure that both sides of the colon are independent clauses that are, in some manner, related to each other.

So
>>9593939
>>9594004
Are bad examples because the two independent clauses do not relate to each other. Thus, a period would be better.

>I saw a black cat; he was fat.
This works fine, but a period would suffice as well. If a period works use it. Be sparse with a semi-colon.

>>9594036
>be sparse with a semi colon
Why? Objectively why? I know there are stylistic conventions but the semicolon is to me more true to stream of consciousness than periods are. Who really has full stops in their thoughts?

>>9594045
>Objectively why?
Objectively why have any stylistic conventions?

I just find it to be a bit pretentious. Period works most of the time.

Think of semicolons as periods with less pause time. Semicolons Yield, Periods Stop.

>>9594023
bad example, "like" is a preposition making the second clause dependent

>>9593901
Semicolon is a complicated thing to use; however, I believe it can make some sentences more clear.

>>9594036
>If a period works use it.
This would eliminate any use for the semicolon, since semicolon's conjoin independent clauses. There are certain places where a semicolon is more appropriate than a sentence, although a period will always also suffice.

I will become a world-renowned writer and part of the Western canon without ever learning how to use this thing.

>>9594349
Semicolon is a complicated thing to use, however, I believe it can make some sentences more clear. What's unclear about this one?

>>9594045
Look, I use semi-colons a lot, but, stylistically, people tend to mangle their use. If ask them to be sparse with it, it shan't be abused. Also, this:>>9594058

>>9594350
See above. There are times where the logical flow a sentence demands a semi-colon.

>>9594355
It's possible. Good luck.

>>9594368
I would only slate the usage of the semi-colon there, because 'however' is not being used postpositiviely in the second independent clause, wherein using the comma would allow the 'however' to be in. If you want the semi-colon, I would write:

>Semicolon is a complicated thing to use; I believe it can make some sentences more clear.

>>9593986
It is used to indicate the end of a direct question.

>>9594435
αρε υου συρε;

(Transliterating like a pleb. My Greek ain't what it once was)

What books (or other materials) should I use to master grammar? I know what "clauses" are but that's it. I feel my lack of grammatical mastery of greatly impeding my ability to learn other languages.

>>9594036
I, too, watch the NPR youtube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5R8gduPZw4
No hate, though; it's a lot of fun.

>>9594987
Shhh...

>>9594544
Look, it's not the best, but I did write my own style guide which does include some grammar. I'm working on the edition 0.2, which should be done by the end of July. Although, it should be know that this is a style guide, not a grammar text book. More grammar elemnts will be added in 0.2. Just skip past the quotation and you'll start to see some grammarly things.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2c7se6ZnXXla0R6SnNMS2Qybk0/view?usp=sharing

Otherwise, my more serious answer is to learn Latin. If you learn Latin, you're grasp of English grammar will shoot through the roof.

It's a period but better and really I don't understand why it isn't commonplace other than it makes people slightly irritated that a period can take its place. It's for two independent clauses that are related in some way.

I used to not get semi-colons, then I somewhat got them but avoided them, now just in the last few months I've started throwing them into sentences because they're just a really fast way to patch up a bad sentence when typing shitty social media posts.

Semi-colons help you deal with run on sentences; commas don't sever sentences while periods sever context. You can also use them to nest commas, as in Britain, England; New York, America.