Comma

"I know that nothing lasts forever. So open your eyes, look. Before you is not an old woman; before you am I."

Should the comma preceding "look" be a semicolon?

Thanks.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jasmin165

"I know that nothing lasts forever. So open your eyes, look. Before you is not an old woman; before you am I."

Should the comma preceding "look" be a semicolon?

Thanks.

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asyndentic coordination of verbs, no semi-colon

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jasmin165

"I know that nothing lasts forever. So open your eyes, look. Before you is not an old woman; before you am I."

Should the comma preceding "look" be a semicolon?

Thanks.

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Hi Jasmin,
I have no idea what "asyndentic coordination of verbs" means, but I would not use a comma here. It's a comma splice. Two commands joined by a comma.

So open your eyes: look!
So open your eyes. Look. (or Look!)
So open your eyes and look!

(For some reason, the colon only works for me if you make the "look!" command emphatic with the exclamation mark, but that is probably just my personal preference.)

asyndentic means there is no overt coordinator (and)

Of course the use of semi-colon is not incorrect.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by corum

asyndentic means there is no overt coordinator (and)

Of course the use of semi-colon is not incorrect.

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But you don't use a semi-colon when there IS an "and." You use the semi-colon when you have two independent clauses but no conjunction.

I would not join these two command with a semi-colon, but I don't see the connection between the omitted "and" and the resulting unsuitability of a semi-colon. Can you help me see your thinking on this?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Barb_D

I have no idea what "asyndentic coordination of verbs" means

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by corum

asyndentic means there is no overt coordinator (and)

Of course the use of semi-colon is not incorrect.

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I also didn't know that technical term. That is one of the advantages of visiting UsingEnglish in the morning, you begin your day by learning something new and interesting.

It seems the name is "asyndetic" rather than "asyndentic".
I am reading Asyndeton - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cool! Asyndentic:oops:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Barb_D

But you don't use a semi-colon when there IS an "and." You use the semi-colon when you have two independent clauses but no conjunction.

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Yes. When I said the semi-colon is okay, I was not thinking of the asyndetic approach.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Barb_D

So open your eyes. Look. (or Look!)

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I have always believed that where the full stop is possible, the semi-colon is possible too, and vice-versa.

I don't have a problem with the comma, semi-colon, dash, colon, full-stop or exclamation mark. What does that tell you?:-D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bertietheblue

I don't have a problem with the comma, semi-colon, dash, colon, full-stop or exclamation mark. What does that tell you?:-D

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