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up vote 12 down vote favorite

I see a lot of people saying things such as

Nice work, Nick

Or

Thanks, Mat

Is the comma really needed? I'm not 100% sure because my spelling and grammar is not great, but I think it reads very strange.

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1 Answer

up vote 42 down vote accepted

Yes, it is. The name is technically an interjection and must be separated by commas. Whether it is at the beginning of the sentence or the end, it must be separated off.

Another reason is because commas save lives.

It's time to eat Mat.

Here, we're having fried Mat wrapped in noodles for supper.

It's time to eat, Mat.

Here, we're having supper with Mat. It can make a large difference in the meaning.

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24  
Wow, you just saved me from being eaten alive. Thanks :) – Mat Sep 18 '12 at 14:43
2  
Love it! Since I need to use more than those 8 characters, I'll tack on that if the vocative is fronted, the comma is often replaced with the stronger interrupter, the dash (depending on the way the conversation is perceived): Nick - nice work! Mat - thanks! Mat - it's time to eat. (ruins the joke, though) – Edwin Ashworth Sep 18 '12 at 14:49
Mat still might prefer you to move the interjection to the front. In today's multicultural world, it pays to be safe. – T.E.D. Sep 18 '12 at 15:04
I hope you people do realize not all these pretty upvotes are giving me rep anymore. I think I hit the rep roof. Ouch. – Luke Sep 19 '12 at 0:36
2  
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