Re: Punctuation (was: I got thrown for a loop.)

Subject: Re: Punctuation (was: I got thrown for a loop.)
From: "Bonnie Granat" <bgranat -at- editors-writers -dot- info>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2003 19:59:10 -0400


From: "David Neeley" <dbneeley -at- oddpost -dot- com>


> "Well Hell, Bonnie--few things can get writers so riled up as disputes on
punctuation!" he replied in his best Freudian voice. 8:)
>

LOL. All right. Call me a dinosaur. See if I care. ; )

> There seems to be a great deal of flux at the moment regarding many
"traditional" grammar rules. What may be common usage by one person is
definitely not for others. However, I believe we can read text in two ways
regarding each comma or other break--with or without--and determine fairly
quickly whether the break is necessary or helpful on the one hand or merely
surplusage on the other.
>
> Pardon me if I quote you to illustrate (with your self-edited change
included):
>
> "I would never write, "Good morning dear!" or "See you
> > later honey." How is "Hello, Jean" different?"
>
> I don't believe it is, actually--in all of these cases, I think the comma is
optional today.

<kidding> Oh, you do, do you? </kidding>

Well, that's just your arbitrary preference, while MINE is a vaunted rule that
has a venerated history.

>If you set off the diminutives as substitutes for the proper name,
traditionally they should have been capitalized: "Dear" or "Honey" in these
cases.

You are absolutely right about that.

> However, this seems to be another quickly fading "rule" in this informal
time.
>
> In your words, *you* would never write it without the comma. However, others
can and do--and I think the best sense of the matter today is that a comma in
that position is optional...although I will without doubt attract a sufficient
number of those who disagree. That is what makes English so interesting--it's
always changing!
>

You are saying that a comma before a word of direct address is now optional?
Do you have any authorities for this? I'm serious. I cannot accept it as
optional unless there's a recognized authority that has recommended such
optional use.

In other words, it's not okay just because people on the Web make the error
and some people (like you and Jean) do not find it objectionable. There's a
rule of direct address, and it calls for a comma. However, if there's a
recognized authority that has recommended that the comma's use be optional, I
would be happy to agree to it even if I don't ever use it.
___________________________
Bonnie Granat
Granat Editorial Services
http://www.editors-writers.info
Fast | Accurate | Affordable



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Re: Punctuation (was: I got thrown for a loop.): From: David Neeley

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