Ah, epic swoosh :) They fill a clear purpose as a step between commas and periods, which allows putting more structure into sentences and helps express meaning more clearly. I've been told that they're more commonly taught and used in Europe than the US, and my first language was Swedish. On the other hand I definitely write more code than otherwise, so that probably explains some of my fascination with punctuation. In the end, languages are tools for accurately conveying meaning; (see, there he goes) and whatever rules don't contribute to that goal may safely be tossed out.
I tend to use semicolons only when writing about a series where some or all items in the series contain a comma or commas, thusly:
A semicolon has two general uses: to clarify a series and to indicate two closely related sentences.
Series — If one or more elements in a series contain a comma, use semicolons to separate them. Include a semicolon before the final conjunction. (Members of the Western Jazz Quartet are Tom Knific, bassist; Trent Kynaston, saxophonist; Steve Zegree, pianist; and Tim Froncek, drummer.)
Two closely related sentences — For the most part, you should use a semicolon only where you could also use a period, but want to demonstrate a relationship between two complete sentences. (Good grades are integral to student success; a strong support network is also important.)
Semicolons should be used to join two complete sentences while having a “comma-like” flow (e.g. “I like cake; it tastes good”). I personally tend to use them quite a lot (despite being American). However I generally don’t put more than one in a sentence, which I think is somewhat standard. That being said, I don’t think it’s considered an error, per se, to do so.
if you have a list where at least one element has a comma in it you should use the semicolon to separate the elements, like the sibling comment by spiceoflife says, so that would usually produce multiple semicolons in a single sentence.
The first semicolon doesn't appear to conform to any of the standard usages, nor does it seem to add any benefit over a normal comma. I thought the semicolon could replace a comma in a list of things, but you are using it to separate the intro clause? thing, like "In the end," above.
> and whatever rules don't contribute to that goal may safely be tossed out
Sure, but your usage here certainly isn't making things clearer.
