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Re: Punctuation

Subject: Re: Punctuation
From: Bruce Byfield <bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2003 21:20:50 -0700


Dick Margulis wrote:


The cardinal rule remains that _within a given body of work_ you pick a rule and stick with it. If you pick a different rule for the next edition, that's fine. As long as you are internally consistent, you will not confuse your readers. There is no _logical_ reason to choose one convention over the other in this case.

I agree with Dick's comment, and I have the article on the Techwr-l site to prove it ( see "TechWriters, Grammar and the Prescriptive Attitude" at
/http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/magazine/writing/grammar.html/ )..


However, in the case in question, I think a strong case can be made for using a comma. There's a natural pause before the name, and using the comma reduces the chance of misreading. I'm all for ignoring rules that are kept for their own sake rather than for any purpose, but, all too often, modern usage tends to spare the comma where using it would increase clarity.


But, then, I suppose I could be accused of rationalizing my own preferences. Really, the issue isn't that important to me. What fascinates me is the number of responses such a question can generate.

--
Bruce Byfield bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com 604.421.7177
http://members.axion.net/~bbyfield

"I'll be riding stolen horses when you don't see me no more
I'll be riding stolen horses on some distant shore."
- Ray Wylie Hubbard, "Stolen Horses"



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Follow-Ups:

References:
Re: Punctuation (was: I got thrown for a loop.): From: David Neeley
Re: Punctuation (was: I got thrown for a loop.): From: Bonnie Granat
Re: Punctuation: From: Dick Margulis

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