分號(;)
分號(;)這個標點符號最常用來連接兩個有邏輯關連的獨立子句。分號與逗號不同，因為它的目的是強調兩個子句之間的關連。分號也可以用在清單裡，區分太長或有內部標點符號而難以列舉的項目。這一份簡單易解的指南，要為您說明寫作中使用分號的時機和方法。
使用分號的時機
| 錯誤 | 正確 | |
|---|---|---|
| 連接兩個獨立子句 |
The dress is for my mother, who is sitting over there. |
The dress is for my mother; who is sitting over there. |
| 列舉長片語的項目 |
I am taking my mother to the beach; a French restaurant; and a dessert café. |
I am taking my mother to the beach to see the sunset; a French restaurant, which my sister-in-law recommended; and a dessert café to drink coffee and eat canelés. |
連接子句
分號最常見的用途是連接兩個獨立子句。用分號而不用逗號，有助於強調兩個思想密切關連的子句。
獨立子句 vs 從屬子句
獨立子句是一個可以運作的完整句子。
- The dress is green with white flowers.
- Audrey bought the dress for eighty-nine dollars.
- The shop is closing soon.
相反地，從屬子句沒有完整句子的功能。
- which has white flowers
- even though it was expensive
- because it is late
用分號連接兩個獨立子句
參閱以下兩個獨立子句:
- (a)
- It is almost 10 pm.
- (b)
- The shops will be closing soon.
- (a) + (b) =
- It is almost 10 pm; the shops will be closing soon.
(a) 和 (b) 都是有邏輯連接的獨立子句。合併句意味著商店馬上就要打烊，因為快到晚上 10點了。
用冒號連接兩個沒有邏輯關連的獨立子句，是不值得推薦的做法。
- (a)
- The shops will be closing soon.
- (b)
- I had fried chicken for dinner.
這裡的 (a) 和 (b) 沒有密切的關連，因此，用句點把它們分開是最好的做法。
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清單項目
分號還可以用來列舉太長、複雜或有內部標點符號的項目。
- 例句
- Lana is driving to LA to see her niece, who loves Barbie dolls; her best friend, who works at a music production company; and a former co-worker, who has recently started a new business.
這些項目的每一個—“her niece, who loves Barbie dolls,”、 “her best friend, who works at a music production company,” 和 “a former co-worker, who has recently started a new business” —都太長，而且含有內部標點符號。用逗號（註：中文為頓號）區分這個清單裡的項目，會讓這個句子難以閱讀。
逗號 vs 分號
如果清單的項目是單字或簡單的片語，最好使用逗號（註：中文為頓號）。
- 例句
- For her birthday, Lana received a gold locket, a red scarf, and an iPad.
然而，如果項目比較長又比較複雜（也就是說，獨立子句或含有內部標點符號的項目），最好是用分號來列舉。
- 例句
- For her birthday, Lana received a gold locket with an ornate inlay; a red scarf, which she wore immediately; and a first-generation iPad to play her music.
常見的分號錯誤
許多人由於對分號不熟悉，因而經常會不正確地使用。注意，分號只能用來分隔兩個獨立的子句或列舉複雜的項目。
連接一個獨立子句和一個從屬子句
首先也是最重要的，不要把分號和逗號混為一談。逗號經常被用來連接從屬子句和獨立子句；分號就無法用於這個目的。
- 錯誤
- Lana bought the dress; which is green with white flowers.
- 正確
- Lana bought the dress, which is green with white flowers.
分開引導片語和主句
另一個常見的錯誤，是用分號把引導片語和句子的主體分開。要把引導字或片語跟主句分開，應該用逗號，不是分號。
- 錯誤
- On Wednesday evenings; Lana babysits her two-year-old nephew.
- 正確
- On Wednesday evenings, Lana babysits her two-year-old nephew.