Quote Originally Posted by Dumbledore lives View Post
I can't say if this is the actual reason but when programming in most languages, prominently C and derivatives, the semicolon is needed at the end of near every line. It's the same for stuff like {,}, and |.
It isn't the reason--just do a search for pictures of old mechanical typewriter keyboard layouts, which obviously pre-date any requirement to accommodate programming languages, and you'll find that the key to the right of L has always traditionally been the colon and semi-colon. No idea why that's actually the case, mind you, it just *is*.