The Real Purpose of the Semicolon

This TED-Ed video starts out talking about how everyone gets the semicolon wrong because they don't know its proper use. I held my breath, ready to be chastised. It was a relief to learn that I have been using a semicolon properly, but that's not the most interesting part of the lesson. Freelance journalist Emma Bryce explains the straightforward purpose of this punctuation mark in a way I've never heard before, but it makes perfect sense. I can't recall ever being taught about the semicolon in an English class; I picked it up through context over many years of reading. I also picked up the use of a semicolon in a list through context, which is a bit complicated. That's not explained here at all, and I'm not about to try. (via Geeks Are Sexy)