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Are there times you wish that there was a specific punctuation mark for a certain situation?

I know there are times I do.  I mean, there is the interrobang (ââ,¬Â½) for circumstances in which you may not want to type ?!.  But what about something to for use in a situation where you want to use a question mark and a semicolon?  Using "?;" is both awkward and unacceptable.  And what about a question mark and a colon?

I have an example for my first grievance in that last paragraph; just look at it: "But what about something to for use in a situation where you want to use a question mark and a semicolon?  Using "?;" is both awkward and unacceptable." could have been written as "But what about something to for use in a situation where you want to use a question mark and a semicolonâÂ�¡ using "?;" is both awkward and unacceptable.", in this casing using "âÂ�¡" as a replacement for "?;".

What types of punctuation do you wish existed?

um, wat  doodthing;

lemme think  befuddlement

but that ?; doesn't really make any sense

upside down exclamation and question marks for english y/n

Quote from: Hiro on July 20, 2008, 09:37:14 PM
but that ?; doesn't really make any sense

Yes it does.

Quote from: Hiro on July 20, 2008, 09:37:14 PM
um, wat  doodthing;

lemme think  befuddlement

but that ?; doesn't really make any sense

I can't think of a situation in which you would need to use both a question mark and a semicolon, especially since there aren't that many situations in which you would specifically need to use a semicolon.

Quote from: Nyerp on July 20, 2008, 09:37:47 PM
upside down exclamation and question marks for english y/n

Maybe

I think the alphabet should have a letter for every sound  baddood;

Quote from: Houdini on July 20, 2008, 09:39:02 PM
I can't think of a situation in which you would need to use both a question mark and a semicolon, especially since there aren't that many situations in which you would specifically need to use a semicolon.

exactly my point

Quote from: Nyerp on July 20, 2008, 09:37:47 PM
upside down exclamation and question marks for english y/n

That would be cute, but completely superfluous.

Quote from: Houdini on July 20, 2008, 09:39:02 PM
I can't think of a situation in which you would need to use both a question mark and a semicolon

I justed used one.  baddood;

Quoteespecially since there aren't that many situations in which you would specifically need to use a semicolon.

Using difficult punctuation makes me feel special.  :(

Quote from: JMV on July 20, 2008, 09:40:10 PM
I justed used one.  baddood;

But you didn't need a semicolon for it really.

∫ to end any mathematical equation.

Quote from: Hiro on July 20, 2008, 09:40:52 PM
But you didn't need a semicolon for it really.

You stole the words right out of my mouth. The semicolon is superfluous.

Quote from: Hiro on July 20, 2008, 09:40:52 PM
But you didn't need a semicolon for it really.

But it impresses the reader with "oh my god he used a semicolon properly."

Quote from: JMV on July 20, 2008, 09:43:31 PM
But it impresses the reader with "oh my god he used a semicolon properly."

I know right  caterpie;

Quote from: Houdini on July 20, 2008, 09:43:01 PM
You stole the words right out of my mouth. The semicolon is superfluous.

We can finally agree on something. :)

A kinda comma thing that denotes pauses in speech but doesn't separate clauses? idk

Quote from: JMV on July 20, 2008, 09:43:31 PM
But it impresses the reader with "oh my god he used a semicolon properly."

That's pretty much the only reason semicolons exist. Of course, there are practical uses (such as in lists: "eggs and bacon; eggs and potatoes; eggs sunny side up; and eggs with pancakes" for example), but no one cares about those.

Quote from: Houdini on July 20, 2008, 09:49:24 PM
That's pretty much the only reason semicolons exist. Of course, there are practical uses (such as in lists: "eggs and bacon; eggs and potatoes; eggs sunny side up; and eggs with pancakes" for example), but no one cares about those.

I've never thought about that.  befuddlement
By the way, excellent use of punctuation there.

Quote from: Hiro on July 20, 2008, 09:51:19 PM
I've never thought about that.  befuddlement
By the way, excellent use of punctuation there.

Thanks. I study up on this stuff in my spare time.

Quote from: Houdini on July 20, 2008, 09:53:11 PM
Thanks. I study up on this stuff in my spare time.

That's pretty nerdy n_u
I'm believe I'm pretty good at English as well. bassir;

Quote from: Houdini on July 20, 2008, 09:49:24 PM
That's pretty much the only reason semicolons exist. Of course, there are practical uses (such as in lists: "eggs and bacon; eggs and potatoes; eggs sunny side up; and eggs with pancakes" for example), but no one cares about those.

but wait couldn't you just use commas in that list

eggs and bacon, fruit and milk, and cheese and bread

eggs, sunny side up; fruit and milk; cheese and bread

i think semicolons are only necessary for the latter situation, unless my teacher was an idiot and taught us wrong

What about my idea? ;_;

Quote from: Nyerp on July 20, 2008, 09:59:53 PM
What about my idea? ;_;

I thought commas already did that.

Quote from: Hiro on July 20, 2008, 10:01:37 PM
I thought commas already did that.

idk

Quote from: Lawlz on July 20, 2008, 09:56:36 PM
but wait couldn't you just use commas in that list

eggs and bacon, fruit and milk, and cheese and bread

eggs, sunny side up; fruit and milk; cheese and bread

i think semicolons are only necessary for the latter situation, unless my teacher was an idiot and taught us wrong

Houdini's example wasn't that good, to be honest.  I wouldn't use semi-colons in that situation, either.

However, with situations when you have to use commas while you list (for three or more things), semi-colons are useful.

Ex:  "The family wanted:  the eggs, milk, and bacon; the steak, sausage, and cheese; and the blah, blah, and blah."

Quote from: CutLess on July 20, 2008, 10:02:48 PM
Houdini's example wasn't that good, to be honest.  I wouldn't use semi-colons in that situation, either.

However, with situations when you have to use commas while you list (for three or more things), semi-colons are useful.

Ex:  "The family wanted:  the eggs, milk, and bacon; the steak, sausage, and cheese; and the blah, blah, and blah."

I agree, but that was a poor example. And why did you put "the eggs," and "the steak," ?

Quote from: Hiro on July 20, 2008, 10:04:49 PM
I agree, but that was a poor example. And why did you put "the eggs," and "the steak," ?

i suck at english >.<

But yeah, that's it.

Quote from: Lawlz on July 20, 2008, 09:56:36 PM
but wait couldn't you just use commas in that list

eggs and bacon, fruit and milk, and cheese and bread

eggs, sunny side up; fruit and milk; cheese and bread

i think semicolons are only necessary for the latter situation, unless my teacher was an idiot and taught us wrong

Semicolons are only necessary for the latter, but the meaning of the former may be easier to construe with semicolons in place of commas.

Quote from: Houdini on July 20, 2008, 10:16:57 PM
Semicolons are only necessary for the latter, but the meaning of the former may be easier to construe with semicolons in place of commas.

That actually makes sense  O_0

Quote from: CutLess on July 20, 2008, 10:02:48 PM
Houdini's example wasn't that good, to be honest.

I don't know why used that one. What I had in mind was something along the lines of Lawlz's second example, in which one or more of the items contains a comma. I guess we all make mistakes.

Quote from: Houdini on July 20, 2008, 10:25:15 PM
I don't know why used that one. What I had in mind was something along the lines of Lawlz's second example, in which one or more of the items contains a comma. I guess we all make mistakes.

Yeah, but you were right when you said that semicolons make things easier to read.

i guess the main point of all this is that semicolons are weird

Quote from: CutLess on July 20, 2008, 10:58:42 PM
Yeah, but you were right when you said that semicolons make things easier to read.

i guess the main point of all this is that semicolons are weird

You are correct; let's get back to the subject.

Quote from: Hiro on July 20, 2008, 11:00:36 PM
You are correct; let's get back to the subject.

The subject is pretty much moot now that we've demonstrated how unnecessary JMV's proposed punctuation is.

Quote from: Houdini on July 20, 2008, 11:04:12 PM
The subject is pretty much moot now that we've demonstrated how unnecessary JMV's proposed punctuation is.

Yeah, lock it up now.

Quote from: Hiro on July 20, 2008, 11:06:46 PM
Yeah, lock it up now.

Done.