One of my favorite punctuation marks is the colon, second only to the semicolon. I’m always on the look-out for the mighty colon to see if it has been used properly. Nine times out of ten I am disappointed because there is an error. This time, although disappointed, I was also exuberant that I had a perfect example to share. It was on a wine bottle, of all places.
As I read the label, I almost went into a fit of rage at what I saw:
“Four Bears was founded to celebrate the things we prize most; delicious approachable wines, expressive terroir-driven flavors and family!”
Instead, I poured myself a glass of the wine and decided it was time to instruct the world.
Admittedly, this mistake is minuscule compared to some others but serves as a perfect example of where the colon is the proper punctuation rather than a semicolon. A semicolon does not even make sense here! Where was everyone that day in elementary school when the proper usage of the colon was explained?
Never fear, with the help of W. Strunk, Jr. and E. B. White, I will reiterate the rules of the colon. Use a colon after an independent clause (a group of words that has at least a subject and a verb and can stand alone) to indicate a close relationship with the words following the colon. It can be used to link two related independent clauses, but also to introduce a list, an explanation, an appositive, an example, or a quote. Think of the two sides of the colon as being equal: one side is a statement and the other an explanation or example of that statement (a list is a kind of an example).
In the above quote, “delicious approachable wines, expressive terroir-driven flavors and family” is a list of the things the winemakers most prize. But, use of the colon instead of the semicolon is most prized here: it correctly sets the reader up for the list. The label should read:
“Four Bears was founded to celebrate the things we prize most: delicious approachable wines, expressive terroir-driven flavors and family!”
The other really annoying way many people use the colon incorrectly is without regard to the verb/complement and preposition/object relationship. You should never place a colon between a verb and its complement nor between a preposition and its object. For example, “Dry eye symptoms may include: stinging or burning of the eyes . . .” is wrong, wrong, wrong. In this case, just eliminate the mighty colon all together because it is useless. If you wish to tap into its strength, by all means use the colon by inserting an object for “include.” You could certainly write “Dry eye symptoms may include the following irritations: stinging or burning of the eyes . . .” In the same vein, do not write, “the system requires: re-configuring; updating; and restarting.” Here, the verb has been split from its complement. The colon is not needed at all; semicolons or commas can be used to separate the list.
There are other places where the colon is required: the format for time; after a salutation in a formal or business letter; separating a title of a work from a subtitle; and when referring to Bible verse. Now that we are clear on the subject of colons, I must continue to edit the wine label. I noticed a few missing commas (or semicolons) and some adjectives that strike me as silly. Here’s a hint: I never knew a wine I couldn’t approach.
CW Editing Service 