I am not sure you fully appreciate the first response I received for my post. You should be nervous as well. The reason why one doesn't use a comma to separate in that situation is because they aren't parentheticals. They are two complete thoughts with different subject and predicate relationships. The first subject is "they" and the first predicate is "be written." The second subject is "semicolon" and the second predicate is "be utilized." If I omitted the phrase as you suggested, I would be left with no reason not to form two sentences since the two thoughts would no longer relate. Since when do you follow a conjunction with a comma?
I was demonstrating the use of a semicolon. How does pointing that out in the sentence obscure my meaning? Your opening sentence proves my meaning was not obscured and precludes discussion on the matter.
I "should" write using a specific style because George Orwell recommends it? Writers, however prolific they may be, don't have authority on their own to change the language or its usage. It must be adopted as a standard by the society to which it belongs. What you "should" do is pick up an English composition handbook. After reading it, you "should" then start advising others based on factual standards what they "should" write. "Utilize" implies practical use, rather than eloquent use.
On the other hand, "(as demonstrated in this sentence)" is a parenthetical. Therefore, the use of parentheses is quite justified, and very much Standard English on either side of the "big pond." That's why it's called "Standard English." It's neither American nor British.
This "human grammar/spelling check" session turns out to be much more entertaining than the post itself. I guess I should add my two cents by appending to the list of errors for this particular post, the punctuation fault in this "almost" run-on sentence. There are two complete thoughts stated, but separated only by a comma. They should be written as two sentences; or at the very least, a semicolon (as demonstrated in this sentence) should be utilized.
Hint: It's established that Slashdot posters are not known for proper language usage. So, if you dare to correct another person's post, be certain your correction is without blemish.
Slashdot Mirror
I am not sure you fully appreciate the first response I received for my post. You should be nervous as well. The reason why one doesn't use a comma to separate in that situation is because they aren't parentheticals. They are two complete thoughts with different subject and predicate relationships. The first subject is "they" and the first predicate is "be written." The second subject is "semicolon" and the second predicate is "be utilized." If I omitted the phrase as you suggested, I would be left with no reason not to form two sentences since the two thoughts would no longer relate. Since when do you follow a conjunction with a comma?
I was demonstrating the use of a semicolon. How does pointing that out in the sentence obscure my meaning? Your opening sentence proves my meaning was not obscured and precludes discussion on the matter.
I "should" write using a specific style because George Orwell recommends it? Writers, however prolific they may be, don't have authority on their own to change the language or its usage. It must be adopted as a standard by the society to which it belongs. What you "should" do is pick up an English composition handbook. After reading it, you "should" then start advising others based on factual standards what they "should" write. "Utilize" implies practical use, rather than eloquent use.
On the other hand, "(as demonstrated in this sentence)" is a parenthetical. Therefore, the use of parentheses is quite justified, and very much Standard English on either side of the "big pond." That's why it's called "Standard English." It's neither American nor British.
This "human grammar/spelling check" session turns out to be much more entertaining than the post itself. I guess I should add my two cents by appending to the list of errors for this particular post, the punctuation fault in this "almost" run-on sentence. There are two complete thoughts stated, but separated only by a comma. They should be written as two sentences; or at the very least, a semicolon (as demonstrated in this sentence) should be utilized.
Hint: It's established that Slashdot posters are not known for proper language usage. So, if you dare to correct another person's post, be certain your correction is without blemish.