{"id":"PUN-008","name":"Semicolon joins related independent clauses","domain":"punctuation","layer":"sentence","strength":"context_default","human_logic":"IF two independent clauses are closely related AND no coordinator is used, THEN a semicolon is available ELSE choose another boundary.","when":{"all":[{"path":"sentence.adjacent_units","operator":"eq","value":"independent_clauses"},{"path":"sentence.semantic_relation","operator":"in","value":["contrast","continuation","cause","parallel"]},{"path":"sentence.coordinator","operator":"missing","value":true}]},"then":[{"action":"select","target":"sentence.boundary","value":";"}],"else":[{"action":"select","target":"sentence.boundary","options":["period","comma_plus_coordinator","colon_when_explanatory"]}],"unless":[],"because":"A semicolon marks grammatical independence and close conceptual linkage.","diagnostics":[],"examples":{},"source_ids":["BK-002","BK-009","WEB-011"],"laka":{"smallest_sufficient_intervention":true,"primary_axes":["scope","depth","magnitude","reversibility"]},"requires_facts":["sentence.adjacent_units","sentence.semantic_relation","sentence.coordinator"],"tests":[],"sources":[{"id":"BK-002","title":"The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation","creator":"Jane Straus; Lester Kaufman","domain":"grammar_reference","type":"Book","note":"Accessible grammar, punctuation, examples, and exercises.","url":null},{"id":"BK-009","title":"Eats, Shoots & Leaves","creator":"Lynne Truss","domain":"punctuation","type":"Book","note":"Punctuation and the effect of marks on meaning.","url":null},{"id":"WEB-011","title":"Grammar, Punctuation, and Sentence Structure","creator":"Purdue Online Writing Lab","domain":"grammar_reference","type":"University writing resource","note":"Practical mechanics, clause, sentence, punctuation, and style guidance.","url":"https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/index.html"}],"defined_in":{"file":"08-punctuation-rules.json","title":"Punctuation as Meaning and Boundary","slug":"punctuation-rules"}}