Semicolons . . . signal, rather than shout, a relationship. . . . A semicolon is a compliment from the writer to the reader. It says: "I don't have to draw you a picture; a hint will do."
Interpretation
The semicolon is a subtle indication of connection between thoughts, suggesting a relationship without overt declaration.
In this quote, George Will highlights the unique role of the semicolon in writing, portraying it as a tool that creates a nuanced connection between ideas. Rather than simply separating thoughts, the semicolon invites readers to engage with the text, indicating that some understanding can be derived without explicit explanations, showcasing the elegance and intimacy of written communication.
In practice
In a writing workshop, a facilitator might use this quote to discuss the importance of subtlety in writing.
The problem with intelligent-design theory, is not that it is false but that it is not falsifiable. Not being susceptible to contradicting evidence, it is not a testable hypothesis. Hence it is not a scientific but a creedal tenet - a matter of faith, unsuited to a public school's science curriculum.
The cultivation - even celebration - of victimhood by intellectuals, tort lawyers, politicians and the media is both cause and effect of today's culture of complaint.
Correct thinkers think that 'baseball trivia' is an oxymoron: nothing about baseball is trivial.
Constitutional arguments that seem as dry as dust can have momentous consequences.
The civil forfeiture law - if something so devoid of due process can be dignified as law - is an incentive for perverse behavior: Predatory government agencies get to pocket the proceeds from property they seize from Americans without even charging them with, let alone convicting them of, crimes. Criminals are treated better than this because they lose the fruits of their criminality only after being convicted.
Actually, there is only one first question of government, and it is How should we live? or What kind of people do we want our citizens to be?
Write the best story that you can and write it as straight as you can.
Write the best book you can, the one that demands to be written, no matter what genre it is. Even a trend the trades tell you has gone stale can be revitalized by a superb piece of writing. It'll never be revitalized by someone jumping on a trend bandwagon.
And there was that poor sucker Flaubert rolling around on his floor for three days looking for the right word.
This grant gave me more than memories; it gave me a crucial experience that is formative to all writers: the ability to perceive that we become writers in exile, where what we write is the only link across distance and time…I became a Maryland writer because the community of Juneau took me in.
When I finish a first draft, it's always just as much of a mess as it's always been. I still make the same mistakes every time.
You might 'write from the heart,' but you'd better polish with your brain.
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