[Grammar] period / colon

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Ashiuhto

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In the underlined part of the following paragraphs, which punctuation mark is acceptable, a period or a colon?


1. Huang Chun-ming and Lee Chia-tung's concern is typical of many people. Living a privileged and pampered life, in a competitive environment governed by exams, isn't the next generation likely to be apathetic?

2. Huang Chun-ming and Lee Chia-tung's concern is typical of many people:Living a privileged and pampered life, in a competitive environment governed by exams, isn't the next generation likely to be apathetic?
 
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Rover_KE

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I'd use the version with the full stop.

Note that a colon is not normally followed by a capital letter.

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Route21

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Rover_KE

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The OP didn't precede the colon by a space.
 

Route21

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The OP didn't precede the colon by a space.

Oh? My copy reads:

".....typical of many people. Living a privileged...."
".....typical of many people : Living a privileged...."

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Raymott

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In the underlined part of the following paragraphs, which punctuation mark is acceptable, a period or a colon?


1. Huang Chun-ming and Lee Chia-tung's concern is typical of many people. Living a privileged and pampered life, in a competitive environment governed by exams, isn't the next generation likely to be apathetic?

2. Huang Chun-ming and Lee Chia-tung's concern is typical of many people:Living a privileged and pampered life, in a competitive environment governed by exams, isn't the next generation likely to be apathetic?
A side note: A concern cannot be typical of many people. Their concern is typical of that of many people.
 

Ashiuhto

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I rewrote the sentences as following. Are they acceptable?

1. Huang Chun-ming and Lee Chia-tung's concern is typical of that of many people. Living a privileged and pampered life, in a competitive environment governed by exams, isn't the next generation likely to be apathetic?

2. Huang Chun-ming and Lee Chia-tung's concern is typical of that of many people:living a privileged and pampered life, in a competitive environment governed by exams, isn't the next generation likely to be apathetic?
 

Raymott

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I rewrote the sentences as following. Are they acceptable?

1. Huang Chun-ming and Lee Chia-tung's concern is typical of that of many people. Living a privileged and pampered life, in a competitive environment governed by exams, isn't the next generation likely to be apathetic?

2. Huang Chun-ming and Lee Chia-tung's concern is typical of that of many people:living a privileged and pampered life, in a competitive environment governed by exams, isn't the next generation likely to be apathetic?
I wouldn't write it that way. First, the question at the end is awkward; it's not prepared for. You'd expect a statement. Second, you'd expect that Huang and Lee were living privileged and pampered lives until you got to the end, and re-read the sentence. I'd write:
"Huang Chun-ming and Lee Chia-tung's concern is typical of that of many people: isn't the next generation likely to be apathetic, given the privileged and pampered life they lead in a competitive environment governed by exams?"
 
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Route21

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Would the following also work, grammatically:

"Huang Chun-ming and Lee Chia-tung's concern, typical of that of many people, is that the next generation is likely to be apathetic, given the privileged and pampered life they lead in a competitive environment governed by exams."

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R21
 

Tdol

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Note that a colon is not normally followed by a capital letter.

I believe it's more used in some variants than BrE, where it is unusual/wrong.
 
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