[HPforGrownups] SHIP: The Great Semicolon Debate

[Kathleen Kelly MacMillan]

No: HPFGUIDX 15342

Amy Z wrote:
>Okay, will someone please give a message # on The Great Semicolon
>Debate?  I've searched the archives for "semicolon" and turned up
>only a post from CMC about how JKR's sentences are nicely complex.  I
>agree, but it wasn't what I was looking for.  I have taken to reading
>through the canon in search of sentences that contain semicolons and
>can be, however remotely, imagined as being SHIP-related.  Save me!

I just tried searching too and couldn't find a thing, no matter how I tried 
it.  Oh well.  Here it is, in a nutshell (Penny, please jump in if I'm 
misrepresenting anything):  It came up when talking about Hermione's annoyance 
whenever Fleur pays attention to Ron.  Someone [probably Penny :)] had pointed 
out that in both instances (after the 2nd Task, and in the Entrance Hall 
waiting for the carriages), Fleur kisses (in the first instance) or smiles at 
(in the second) BOTH Harry and Ron, so Hermione's annoyance could just as well 
be interpreted as being annoyed at Fleur paying attention to Harry.  I 
responded that in the first instance, I could maybe see the point, but in the 
second, the passage reads:

"It's very good already," said Ron, in a strangled sort of voice.  Fleur 
smiled at him; Hermione scowled." (GoF, UK ed, p. 628)

I then went on to say something like "That's semicolon!  These things are 
connected!" and we debated the meaning of punctuation.  Really, I think it 
mostly gets mentioned as an example of the ridiculous lengths to which 
shippers go to prove our points.  That JKR--so controversial, even her 
punctuation inspires debate. :)

To the Mod Squad--maybe this could be added to the page with all the theories 
and acronyms listed?  It seems like the question has come up a few times from 
new folks.

Cap'n Kathy
AKA Elanor Gamgee
who is going to bed, if you people would just stop being so darn interesting!