Help me find a quotable authority on grammar

[Bertha Venation]

I know grammar and such from reading, but don't know how to explain what I know, can't parse a sentence (what does "parse" mean, anyway?), and get frustrated when I know I'm right but sound like an idiot trying to explain why.

I work with more than one person who capitalizes the first letter after a semicolon. I have to correct this when I come across it, and it happens a lot. It wastes my time, besides being irritating.

If I am questioned when I say "stop this," I need to have an authority on hand that I can point to to say "THIS is why."

Any thoughts? Any sites? Thanks

[HopeHoops]

1. "The Elements of Style" by Strunk & White

http://www.amazon.com/Elements-Style-50th-Anniversary/dp/0205632645/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262878368&sr=1-1

I'm not sure if there's an online equivalent, but one of these by your desk is essential. Mine's actually up by the bed where I do a lot of my writing.

[Sanity Claws]

4. I second this

Very small and concise.

[Bertha Venation]

5. I actually have one of those.

Know what? I've never cracked it. :crazy: :dunce:

[HopeHoops]

6. (This is me slapping you). You can read the whole thing in under 2 hours!

And that's with breaks!

[demmiblue]

2. Purdue Online Writing Lab:

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/exercises/3/16

:hi:

[XemaSab]

3. Xema says,

"One should never capitalize the first letter after a semicolon."

There, there's your authority. :D

[Bucky]

7. If Strunk & White won't work, try Smith & Wesson. It's the ultimate authority.

I think Mao once said that authority flows out through the business end of a rifle, but those are entirely too encumbering to lug around the office.

[BlueIris]

8. I got a lot out of this lady and this book specifically:

http://www.amazon.com/New-Well-Tempered-Sentence-Punctuation/dp/0395628830

[RebelOne]

9. This site is excellent for grammar, punctuation and other tips.

http://garbl.home.comcast.net/~garbl/

I am a copy editor and often refer to that Web site. Also, tell your co-worker that this copy editor said that her use of a capital after a semi-colon is totally incorrect (unless it is a proper noun, of course). I am quite knowledgeable because I have been copy editing for many years. I copy edit 28 national hunting and fishing magazines each month.