I use semicolons in the 'new' way: not only for contrasting clauses, but
also for closely-related ones. But I do insist on the clauses being pretty
closely related. If I had the time, I would haul some out of stuff I have
written and do some data work, but ... well, I don't have the time ... :(
 
I don't accept any old use of semicolons in student work. Most students
use them where colons are called for, anyway. My impression is that few
students use them at clause boundaries.
 
I think I also use the dash in unusual ways, but I haven't thought about
it.
 
As to 'ain't', it was certainly acceptable in certain social contexts in
upper-class British English early in this century; I don't think it will
become acceptable for a long time, though, unless the public suddenly has
a linguistic epiphany. This seems unlikely.
 
(anybody notice that semicolon in the above paragraph?? NOT intentional!)
 
As for 'like', I think it already _is_ standard usage. Let's all watch for
it in the big newspapers and magazines.
 
 
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Johanna Rubba   Assistant Professor, Linguistics              ~
English Department, California Polytechnic State University   ~
San Luis Obispo, CA 93407                                     ~
Tel. (805)-756-2184  E-mail: [log in to unmask]      ~
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