I disagree that a colon does not simulate normal speech. A classic example would be when I enumerate something to my dialog partner:

"Hey Joe, we offer the following colours:

• Gray
• Blue
• Yellow."

There, maybe even with semicola in a single line:

"Hey Joe, we offer the following colours: Light Gray and Dark Gray; California Orange and Citrus Yellow; Abnormal Blue and Abyss Almost Black Blue."

Trying to construct these without colons and semicola makes them look funky and emotionless:

"Hey Joe, we offer the following colours. Light Gray and Dark Gray. California Orange and Citrus Yellow."

I am not sure if the latter is even correct English, but in a language where it's incorrect, one would have to reconstruct the whole sentence:

"Hey Joe! Light Gray and Dark Gray are the colours we offer."

Personally, I don't talk like that.

I disagree that a colon does not simulate normal speech. A classic example would be when I enumerate something to my dialog partner:

"Hey Joe, we offer the following colours:

• Gray
• Blue
• Yellow."

There, maybe even with semicola in a single line:

"Hey Joe, we offer the following colours: Light Gray, Dark Gray and Eternal Gray; California Orange, Funky Orange and Citrus Yellow; Abnormal Blue and Abyss Almost Black Blue."

Trying to construct these without colons and semicola makes them look funky and emotionless:

"Hey Joe, we offer the following colours. Light Gray and Dark Gray. California Orange and Citrus Yellow."

I am not sure if the latter is even correct English, but in a language where it's incorrect, one would have to reconstruct the whole sentence:

"Hey Joe! Light Gray and Dark Gray are the colours we offer."

Personally, I don't talk like that.