Re: Usage of a the word "BUT"

[Herman Kappen <hkappen -at- XS4ALL -dot- NL>]

Hi Cassie,

> A quick question, what is the proper usage of a comma before
> the word "but"?  I have seen it used correctly and incorrectly equally.
>
> One example is below and was used with and without the comma
> before the word "but"
>
>    A.  "This sub-directory is easily accessible by all employees,
>            but can only be updated by the Administrator."
>
>     B.  "This sub-directory is easily accessible by all employees
>            but can only be updated by the Administrator."

Some of you have already given a clear answer to Cassie's
question. Since I'm on digest this addition may be superfluous
by the time it reaches the list, but I'd like to add a
theoretical note to the discussion anyway.

A survey of English showed that 75% of all clauses starting with
"but" are preceded by a comma. Of all clauses starting with
"and", 50% are preceded by a comma. On the whole, the comma
seems to be used more if the second clause has a specified
subject. In Cassie's example, the second clause does not
have a specified subject, and so the comma does not really add
much in terms of meaning (the two clauses belong more "closely
together"). Compare this with the following example:

C. "This subdirectory is easily accessible by all employees,
       but most subdirectories can only be updated by the
      Administrator."

In example C, the second clause <does> have a specified subject
and seems to introduce a new idea/message of its own. Therefore,
a comma might be more appropriate in C.

Herman
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
                 Herman Kappen
 English-Dutch and Dutch-English translations
      email: translation -at- topservice -dot- com
         phone/fax: +31 (0)23 5512145
     WWW: http://www.xs4all.nl/~hkappen/
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

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