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Colonics
The colon has several uses, all of which might be seen as involving some version of semantic recursion. In the case of the colon, this generally takes the form of one idea telescoping out of the back end of another, usually, broader idea. Or of one word, phrase, or sentence being conceptually “nested” in another -- He suffered a painful setback: shingles. Shingles, in this case, is a narrowed example of a painful setback. And the colon indicates that, conceptually, the disease is “nested” in the broader condition. But you don’t have to know what semantic recursion is to understand the uses of the colon.
In its simplest and most common role, a colon introduces an example or a list. It “delivers the goods,” according to grammarian H.W. Fowler. So the colon is a sort of a payload mechanism like the gate on the box on back of a pick-up truck. You simply back up the delivery sentence to where you want some specific items dumped – In the dead man’s pockets we found a few unexpected things: -- and then deliver the goods – In the dead man’s pocket, we found a few unexpected things: a small fish, a few peach pits, and an uncut diamond. Done.
All of the specific things fell out of the back of the colon-bearing sentence like dice out of a dice cup, or Greeks out of the Trojan’s horse, or -- I’m tempted to make a stinker of a pun here, but, no. Notice that what precedes the colon here is a full sentence with a subject, verb, and a direct object. This will be the case in most instances of a colon’s being used to present a list or an example. There will be a noun (direct object, predicate nominative, or object of a preposition) which is unpacked, and some parts, particulars, or an example of that noun will be laid out after the colon. All you are doing is getting more specific about, in this case, the direct object: things. But to use the colon to introduce a list, you must have this preceding noun. You would not put a colon before the list of items in this sentence: In the dead man’s pockets we found a small fish, a few peach pits, and an uncut diamond. The list here is an integral part of the sentence. It’s the direct object of the verb found. No colon.
So remember, a colon is used to deliver an example or a list of examples of a preceding noun. You must have the preceding noun to have the colon.
Here’s another way to look at it. The colon-bearing sentence performs some kind of restatement: a few unexpected things is restated in a different more specific form by fish, pits, and diamond. (And notice that, in the sentence I just wrote, restatement is restated by an example of restatement. And followed by a colon. I was delivering the goods.
Parting shot: I could have used a colon at the doorstep of the last two paragraphs, just as I have in the one you are reading now. Take a look. In all three cases, there is a introductory element -- So remember, Here’s another way to look at it, and Parting shot. – followed by the thing that is being introduced or indicated. But where is the noun? It’s easy in this paragraph. It’s shot. In the one before this, it’s way, and I could have used a colon after it, because what follows is an example of the other way to look.
Now things get dicey in the next paragraph back. If I had said: So remember your hat, your, boots, and your credit card – no colon, of course, because the hat, boots, and card are the direct objects of the verb remember and you can’t interrupt a verb and its direct object with a colon. But what is the direct object in this sentence? One could argue that the whole independent clause -- a colon is used to deliver an example or a list of examples of a preceding noun – is a noun clause and thus the direct object of remember. But then you would have to get rid of the comma between remember and a colon and that I think would leave you with a weird sort of sentence. There seems to be a natural pause after remember, a momentary throat clearing. Better I think to insert an implied this after remember: Remember (this). And then the colon is a must – or at least would have been a must in formal “closed” style. “Remember: a colon . . . .” The comma here, which feels okay, is actually sitting in for the colon that should have been there. A small crime.
Try these (colon, comma, or nothing):
1) The result of the botched experiment was clear no one was going to leave the building alive.
2) Dogs, when they are really hungry, will eat tin foil, magic markers, other dogs and you.
3) On the windowsill we discovered a bottle of pills, a lottery ticket, and a key.
4) On the windowsill we found a few even more curious things a bottle of pills, a lottery ticket, and a key.
5) Taking the bus involved several things John had not thought of like reducing his load, stocking up on cheap fiction, and buying a sandwich.
6) And do remember this a kiss is just a kiss.
7) Vodka, oysters, a lemon, and some hard Swedish rye and life suddenly starts looking good.
8) For several years I lived at one of the toniest addresses in town 5555 Wisner Blvd. – Apartment C.
9) On my personal list of must there are a few double musts visit Marseilles during opera season, spend a week in the Archeological Museum in Naples, and be in Stockholm for kräftor season.
10) One thing led to another and pretty soon they had to get married.
11) The plan, as articulated, unfolded with chilling efficiency we would proceed to Brighton, meet Rawler there, and pick up the explosives on the way to the castle.
The colon has several uses, all of which might be seen as involving some version of semantic recursion. In the case of the colon, this generally takes the form of one idea telescoping out of the back end of another, usually, broader idea. Or of one word, phrase, or sentence being conceptually “nested” in another -- He suffered a painful setback: shingles. Shingles, in this case, is a narrowed example of a painful setback. And the colon indicates that, conceptually, the disease is “nested” in the broader condition. But you don’t have to know what semantic recursion is to understand the uses of the colon.
In its simplest and most common role, a colon introduces an example or a list. It “delivers the goods,” according to grammarian H.W. Fowler. So the colon is a sort of a payload mechanism like the gate on the box on back of a pick-up truck. You simply back up the delivery sentence to where you want some specific items dumped – In the dead man’s pockets we found a few unexpected things: -- and then deliver the goods – In the dead man’s pocket, we found a few unexpected things: a small fish, a few peach pits, and an uncut diamond. Done.
All of the specific things fell out of the back of the colon-bearing sentence like dice out of a dice cup, or Greeks out of the Trojan’s horse, or -- I’m tempted to make a stinker of a pun here, but, no. Notice that what precedes the colon here is a full sentence with a subject, verb, and a direct object. This will be the case in most instances of a colon’s being used to present a list or an example. There will be a noun (direct object, predicate nominative, or object of a preposition) which is unpacked, and some parts, particulars, or an example of that noun will be laid out after the colon. All you are doing is getting more specific about, in this case, the direct object: things. But to use the colon to introduce a list, you must have this preceding noun. You would not put a colon before the list of items in this sentence: In the dead man’s pockets we found a small fish, a few peach pits, and an uncut diamond. The list here is an integral part of the sentence. It’s the direct object of the verb found. No colon.
So remember, a colon is used to deliver an example or a list of examples of a preceding noun. You must have the preceding noun to have the colon.
Here’s another way to look at it. The colon-bearing sentence performs some kind of restatement: a few unexpected things is restated in a different more specific form by fish, pits, and diamond. (And notice that, in the sentence I just wrote, restatement is restated by an example of restatement. And followed by a colon. I was delivering the goods.
Parting shot: I could have used a colon at the doorstep of the last two paragraphs, just as I have in the one you are reading now. Take a look. In all three cases, there is a introductory element -- So remember, Here’s another way to look at it, and Parting shot. – followed by the thing that is being introduced or indicated. But where is the noun? It’s easy in this paragraph. It’s shot. In the one before this, it’s way, and I could have used a colon after it, because what follows is an example of the other way to look.
Now things get dicey in the next paragraph back. If I had said: So remember your hat, your, boots, and your credit card – no colon, of course, because the hat, boots, and card are the direct objects of the verb remember and you can’t interrupt a verb and its direct object with a colon. But what is the direct object in this sentence? One could argue that the whole independent clause -- a colon is used to deliver an example or a list of examples of a preceding noun – is a noun clause and thus the direct object of remember. But then you would have to get rid of the comma between remember and a colon and that I think would leave you with a weird sort of sentence. There seems to be a natural pause after remember, a momentary throat clearing. Better I think to insert an implied this after remember: Remember (this). And then the colon is a must – or at least would have been a must in formal “closed” style. “Remember: a colon . . . .” The comma here, which feels okay, is actually sitting in for the colon that should have been there. A small crime.
Try these (colon, comma, or nothing):
1) The result of the botched experiment was clear no one was going to leave the building alive.
2) Dogs, when they are really hungry, will eat tin foil, magic markers, other dogs and you.
3) On the windowsill we discovered a bottle of pills, a lottery ticket, and a key.
4) On the windowsill we found a few even more curious things a bottle of pills, a lottery ticket, and a key.
5) Taking the bus involved several things John had not thought of like reducing his load, stocking up on cheap fiction, and buying a sandwich.
6) And do remember this a kiss is just a kiss.
7) Vodka, oysters, a lemon, and some hard Swedish rye and life suddenly starts looking good.
8) For several years I lived at one of the toniest addresses in town 5555 Wisner Blvd. – Apartment C.
9) On my personal list of must there are a few double musts visit Marseilles during opera season, spend a week in the Archeological Museum in Naples, and be in Stockholm for kräftor season.
10) One thing led to another and pretty soon they had to get married.
11) The plan, as articulated, unfolded with chilling efficiency we would proceed to Brighton, meet Rawler there, and pick up the explosives on the way to the castle.