Is this correct about semicolon?

[doingresearch]

I came across the use of semicolon in this sentence " the university will offer the following; 4-year program and short courses". I think semicolon should be used to connect two clauses. I'm not sure how to use semicolon to give examples.
Please share ideas.

 

[Raymott]

I came across the use of semicolon in this sentence " the university will offer the following; 4-year program and short courses". I think semicolon should be used to connect two clauses. I'm not sure how to use semicolon to give examples.
Please share ideas.

No, it should be a colon.

 

[HanibalII]

I came across the use of semicolon in this sentence " the university will offer the following; 4-year program and short courses". I think semicolon should be used to connect two clauses. I'm not sure how to use semicolon to give examples.
Please share ideas.

No, it should be a colon.

I don't even see the need for a colon there.

 

[Raymott]

I don't even see the need for a colon there.

Well, you'll have to explain that. Could you write the sentence as you think it should be punctuated? Here's mine:
"The university will offer the following: 4-year programs and short courses." Yes, you can omit the colon if you want to change the meaning. I don't think that was the question.

 

[HanibalII]

Well, you'll have to explain that. Could you write the sentence as you think it should be punctuated? Here's mine:
"The university will offer the following: 4-year programs and short courses." Yes, you can omit the colon if you want to change the meaning. I don't think that was the question.

Say it as he's written it out. 'The university will offer the following 4 year program and short courses'.

I can't think of how to explain it. But omitting the colon doesn't change the meaning at all.

 

[Raymott]

Say it as he's written it out. 'The university will offer the following 4 year program and short courses'.

I can't think of how to explain it. But omitting the colon doesn't change the meaning at all.

You don't think it's meant to be a list then? Why on earth would anyone put a semicolon there unless they were trying to indicate a list?

 

[HanibalII]

You don't think it's meant to be a list then? Why on earth would anyone put a semicolon there unless they were trying to indicate a list?

It sounds as though the list is meant to come after, and on that list they'll have the content of the '4 year program and short courses'.

Further context would help.

 

[emsr2d2]

It sounds as though the list is meant to come after, and on that list they'll have the content of the '4 year program and short courses'.

Further context would help.

I agree that further context would help but, as it stands, I would read it as a list consisting of "[a] four-year program and [some] short courses".
I definitely wouldn't read it as "...the following four-year program and short courses: Accountancy (four years), music, maths, French, English and pottery (short courses).

 

[HanibalII]

I agree that further context would help but, as it stands, I would read it as a list consisting of "[a] four-year program and [some] short courses".
I definitely wouldn't read it as "...the following four-year program and short courses: Accountancy (four years), music, maths, French, English and pottery (short courses).

Why not? It sounds perfectly natural to me...

 

[Raymott]

Why not? It sounds perfectly natural to me...

The OP says he's an English Teacher. He should have no problem writing out the sentence again, using a capital letter to start it and period to finish it. That should be conclusive.

 

[doingresearch]

Ummm I should do it this way, " The university will offer the following: 4 year programs and short courses." Or " The university will offer 4 year programs and short courses."
Thank you for all sharing, you guys are always gurus here.

 

[HanibalII]

Ummm I should do it this way, " The university will offer the following: 4 year programs and short courses." Or " The university will offer 4 year programs and short courses."
Thank you for all sharing, you guys are always gurus here.

Can you provide further context?

 

[Raymott]

Can you provide further context?

He has his answer. You have your context.
It's now blatantly obvious that he didn't mean, “The university will offer the following 4 year programs and short courses:
[list of programs and courses]."
Why not let it rest while he still thinks you're a guru?