Please explain this to me
I understand that people don't know how to use a semicolon. I was one of them for many years. My solution to that problem? I didn't use it. Rather than use it wrong, I just didn't use it. I use dashes a ridiculous amount, I'll write the occasional really short sentence, but I won't use punctuation just to use it. I'll throw the odd word whose meaning I'm not completely sure of into casual conversation, but I would no more use an umlaut for effect than I'd randomly attempt to teach advanced mathematics because it's Wednesday.
Among people I edit, people don't understand how to use it, so they use it often. They use it in places where no semicolon belongs. They use it in places they otherwise use commas, so they use it inconsistently. They correct my corrections of it in their work, even though my corrections are based on a hard-won clear understanding of its functions and theirs are based on... yeah, I don't know what theirs are based on. Some of these people are editorial professionals.
I don't get it. Clearly I'm predisposed not to get it, so can somebody please explain this impulse to me?
Among people I edit, people don't understand how to use it, so they use it often. They use it in places where no semicolon belongs. They use it in places they otherwise use commas, so they use it inconsistently. They correct my corrections of it in their work, even though my corrections are based on a hard-won clear understanding of its functions and theirs are based on... yeah, I don't know what theirs are based on. Some of these people are editorial professionals.
I don't get it. Clearly I'm predisposed not to get it, so can somebody please explain this impulse to me?