文の区切り：コロン、セミコロン、wherein（１）

Which of the following is preferable stylistically?

1. This device includes A, B, and C, wherein A is x, B is y, and C is z.

2. This device includes A, B, and C, wherein: A is x, B is y, and C is z.

3. This device includes A, B, and C, wherein: A is x; B is y; and C is z.

ChatGPT:

In terms of stylistic clarity and formality, especially in technical or patent writing, the most preferable option is:

✅ Option 3

"This device includes A, B, and C, wherein: A is x; B is y; and C is z."

Reasons:

• Colon after "wherein": Indicates that what follows is a detailed breakdown or explanation—very common in formal technical writing.

• Semicolons between items: Proper punctuation when listing items that contain internal commas or complex structures.

• "And" before final item: Adds readability and mirrors conventional legal and technical style.

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Comparisons:

1. "…wherein A is x, B is y, and C is z."

• Acceptable in simple cases.

• Slightly harder to parse if each clause is long or complex.

• Less formal-looking in legal/technical documents.

2. "…wherein: A is x, B is y, and C is z."

• The colon is appropriate, but the use of commas may introduce ambiguity.

• Less clean than semicolons for separating multiple definitions.

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Summary:

Use Option 3 when:

• Writing patents, specifications, or technical documentation.

• You want to maintain maximum clarity, especially if each element’s explanation is not trivial.

Let me know if you want a version adapted to claims or abstracts, where different punctuation norms may apply.

あなた:

How about the fact that none of the options use colons or semicolons to break A, B, and C?

ChatGPT:

Great observation. You're absolutely right to point this out—none of the options explicitly separate A, B, and C in the first clause (before "wherein") using colons or semicolons, even though the second part (after "wherein") introduces a breakdown.

Let’s break it down more precisely:

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Original:

"This device includes A, B, and C, wherein: A is x; B is y; and C is z."

Issue:

• The list “A, B, and C” is separated by commas, even though each item is later elaborated with a semicolon-separated definition.

• This inconsistency could reduce clarity—especially when A, B, or C are compound or complex phrases themselves.

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Improved Version (for full clarity and parallelism):

This device includes the following: A, B, and C, wherein: A is x; B is y; and C is z.

Or if you're introducing the definitions immediately after introducing the elements:

This device includes the following components, wherein: A is x; B is y; and C is z.

Even more rigorous (technical or legal style):

This device includes: A, which is x; B, which is y; and C, which is z.

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Summary:

• If you're going to break down the components in detail after "wherein," it’s stylistically cleaner to match the structure before and after.

• Phrasing like "includes the following:" prepares the reader for a structured explanation.

• Semicolons after each breakdown are ideal for clarity, especially when the explanations are non-trivial.

Let me know if you'd like these examples rewritten for a patent claim context, which sometimes requires slightly different structuring.

あなた:

Why not "This device includes: A; B; and C, wherein" or "This device includes A; B; and C, wherein"?

ChatGPT:

Excellent question. You're zeroing in on a nuanced but important aspect of technical writing and punctuation, especially in formal or legalistic prose like patents.

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Let's look at your proposed phrasing:

1. "This device includes: A; B; and C, wherein..."

2. "This device includes A; B; and C, wherein..."

Why this is usually not preferred:

❌ 1. Colon followed by semicolon-separated list (Option 1)

• Colons introduce elaborative content (like a list, explanation, or quote).

• After a colon, we typically use commas to separate simple list items.

• Semicolons are used only when:

  • Items in the list contain internal commas.

  • The list is long or syntactically complex.

So in:

"This device includes: A; B; and C..."

—using semicolons for simple items A, B, and C is overly formal and can make the sentence feel disjointed or grammatically inconsistent.

❌ 2. No colon before the list (Option 2)

"This device includes A; B; and C..."

This feels even more awkward. Using semicolons here without a colon or internal commas in A, B, or C looks like a mistake in conventional English usage, because:

• Semicolons aren’t used to separate items in a basic list.

• The lack of a colon makes it unclear that a formal list is being introduced.

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✅ Recommended structure:

For most technical or patent-style documents:

If A, B, and C are simple terms:

"This device includes A, B, and C, wherein: A is x; B is y; and C is z."

• This is clean and expected.

• Commas for the initial list, semicolons for definitions.

If A, B, and C are long or have internal commas:

"This device includes the following: A, which is x; B, which is y; and C, which is z."

• The colon introduces the structured breakdown.

• Semicolons clearly divide the components.

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TL;DR:

• Colons introduce lists.

• Semicolons separate complex list items—not typically used in the list itself unless necessary.

• Your suggested versions are not grammatically wrong, but stylistically clunky and unconventional for most technical writing.

• Stick with commas before "wherein," semicolons after—unless the first list is unusually complex.

Would you like a version adapted for patent claims vs. specification text? They have slightly different conventions.