TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Re: to comma or not to comma From:Beverly Parks <bparks -at- HUACHUCA-EMH1 -dot- ARMY -dot- MIL> Date:Tue, 25 Apr 1995 07:36:44 MST
Amy Maclin <MACLINA -at- ORAU -dot- GOV> asked-->
You are writing a Chicago Manual-style bibliography entry. In the
example below, when listing Mr. Howell, would you put a comma in
front of "III" or not? (I told you it was piddling.)
1. Howell, Thurston III, and Ginger Grant.
2. Howell, Thurston, III, and Ginger Grant.
If it were "Jr.," you'd put the commas around it, of course.
However, I'm not sure "III" should necessarily be treated the same,
since one would write "Thurston Howell, Jr." but not "Thurston
Howell, III." We can't find it in any of our references. Can
someone ease our troubled minds?
===========================
No comma.
The New York Public Library Writer's Guide to Style and Usage
(page 500) says "...place Jr. and III after the first name
(Harvey, Paul Jr.) ...."
Note that no comma is used before either Jr. or III in
citations.
=*= Beverly Parks =*= bparks -at- huachuca-emh1 -dot- army -dot- mil =*=
=*= "Unless otherwise stated, all comments are my own. =*=
=*= I am not representing my employer in any way." =*=