Using This Punctuation Mark May Reveal Your Age, Experts Say
Most of us are familiar with 'Boomer ellipses,' or the ominous '...' some texters use in place of a full stop or comma.
Even double spacing can reveal your age; older typists prefer it, especially following a full stop, though even the staunchest defender of that grammar rule (style guide APA) conceded defeat in 2019.
Speaking to HuffPost UK, language learning platform Babbel says that after pairing with the London Student Network, they found another potential generational divide.
'Our findings reveal that the semicolon is an 'endangered' punctuation mark - abandoned by many British writers who might have been expected to showcase its value, and often misunderstood by younger generations,' they said.
Renaissance printer and typographer Aldus Manutius invented the semicolon mark in the 15th century; it appeared for the first time in 1494 in Manutius's De Aetna.
It was meant to show a pause slightly longer than a comma but shorter than a short stop.
Using Google Ngram Viewer, a tool developed with Harvard University to spot writing patterns over time, Babbel found that in 1781, the semicolon appeared once every 90 written words.
By 2005, it was down to one semicolon every 205 words. In 2022, it was once every 390 words; a 47% decrease between 2000 and 2022 alone.
'There's definitely a generational shift at play,' linguistic and cultural expert at Babbel, Sofia Zambelli, tells HuffPost UK.
'According to our research, over half (54%) of young Britons admit they don't know the rules for using semicolons, and fewer than one in three use them at all.'
So, the linguist says, 'While it's not a perfect litmus test, using a semicolon correctly or at all often correlates with age... Older generations, or those who grew up reading and writing longer-form texts, where semicolons were a stylistic staple, tend to use them more naturally.'
She adds, 'Since around the year 2000, which is roughly when Gen Z was born, semicolon use in books has dropped significantly.'
28% of younger people reported never using a semicolon at all. 39% said they rarely used them.
Only 11% of young people described themselves as regular semicolon users.
Zambelli tells us that even though they might not use it very often, Gen Z still see the value in the semicolon.
'From our research, Gen Z's struggle with the semicolon clearly comes from a lack of confidence, rather than a rejection,' she shares.
67% of Gen Z say they see the value in the punctuation mark, despite not being inclined to use it often.
'That gap between perceived value and actual usage points to confusion rather than disinterest.'
Still, Zambelli warns, the trend could be part of a vicious cycle.
'The less you see something used correctly, the less likely you are to instinctively understand how it works – a vicious cycle of sorts.
'If that trend continues, we could expect future generations to feel even less familiar with the semicolon – not because it has fallen out of favour, but because it has simply faded from view.'
'Nothing Says Over 50' Like Following This 1 Grammar Rule, Experts Say
Here's Why Boomers Keep Using Ellipses In Text (And Why It Makes You Panic)
What You Call This Time May Reveal Your Age, Language Expert Says
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Supporters gather in Dudley to back Brooke's global donkey campaign
JOURNALIST and TV presenter Aly Vance joined forces with animal welfare charity Brooke for an event at the Black Country Living Museum. The event, held on June 5 in Dudley, aimed to update supporters on Brooke's ongoing initiatives to help working horses, donkeys and mules. The charity is committed to addressing issues including the donkey skin trade and antimicrobial resistance. Ms Vance said: "It was a real privilege to join Brooke at the Black Country Living Museum and meet so many passionate supporters. "Seeing the historical role of working animals in Britain brought home just how vital Brooke's work is around the world today. "These animals are crucial to the livelihoods of so many communities - they deserve our care and action." In 2024, Brooke, in collaboration with the World Veterinary Association, established the first-ever essential medicines list for livestock to improve antimicrobial resistance. This initiative targets the spread of drug-resistant pathogens in both humans and animals. The event's theme centred around recognising the historical contributions of working horses in industrial Britain and Brooke's persistent efforts to support them in global coal mines and brick kilns. Brooke CEO, Chris Wainwright, said: "Working animals have been the backbone of human progress for centuries, from Britain's industrial past to developing communities around the world today. "Brooke's supporter day at the Black Country Living Museum was a chance to celebrate the incredible dedication of those who stand with us in protecting working animals. "Our supporters are at the heart of everything we do." Brooke is advocating for a worldwide prohibition on the donkey skin trade, which results in the slaughter of approximately six million donkeys yearly for ejiao, a Chinese medicine. Brooke's lobbying contributed to the African Union's decision to impose a continent-wide ban on the skin trade in 2024, safeguarding 32 million donkeys.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Terraced homes fire caused by exploding vape
An exploding vape caused a major fire which badly damaged a row of houses in Gainsborough, a fire service has said. The blaze started at a property on Grey Street at about 13:15 BST on Friday before spreading to three other homes. Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue described it as a "significant fire" but said that nobody had been injured. At its height, eight engines were on scene, including from Nottinghamshire and Humberside Fire and Rescue, with nearby residents told to keep all doors and windows shut. The fire service said their response was scaled back to one crew later in the evening. Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here. 'Significant fire' involving row of terraced homes Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
England hunt early wickets on day two against India
Get Involved - #bbccricket, WhatsApp 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only - charged at standard message rate)
