Timeline for Using a comma to format a list of independent clauses
Current License: CC BY-SA 4.0
15 events
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| Oct 21 at 9:04 | comment | added | Janus Bahs Jacquet | My point was that “a series of three independent thoughts subordinate to the semantics of a fourth thought demarcated by colon” is not a construction that automatically requires a semicolon. The example in the question doesn’t, for example, nor does the following: “I had several reasons for going to the park: it was a nice day, I was bored, and my dog needed exercise”. Using a semicolon there would make it feel like you’re trying to be Jane Austen. | |
| Oct 21 at 9:01 | comment | added | Janus Bahs Jacquet | That example is indeed quite ungainly. But it would be with semicolons as well, because (1) it’s not really a list consisting of three sentences, but three sentences with an internal relationship to each other (the second and third both depend on the first in their back-references); and (2) all three sentences are cumbersome, unnatural and poorly written to begin with. As for the rule of items containing punctuation, it’s not my rule, but the one laid out in style guides like the CMoS – discretion should of course be applied. | |
| Oct 21 at 2:46 | comment | added | J D | But I do appreciate the conviction of your opinion, if that hasn't been made clear. I'm always appreciative of push back! :D | |
| Oct 21 at 2:44 | comment | added | J D | As for the other setting up arguments it's not a comma splice, I simply left that to the dictionary. The main idea of this answer however, has nothing to do with comma splices at all, but rather is an advisement that different language communities have different standards. A student in a classroom simply has a right to ask an instructor whose grammatical biases they are expected to honor. I"m not here to argue about comma splices, but simply make manifest language prescription isn't anything more than opinion, yours included | |
| Oct 21 at 2:41 | comment | added | J D | and linking them together is ungainly with commas, is utterly ungainly. In a constituent grammar, there are more dimensions of complexity than is additional punctation being used. But I don't even have to provide this counter example to your proposed rule, because the OP's teacher was obviously confused by the use of commas, which while one can attack the abilities of the teacher, given the length of the sentences, it's simply a case of poking a bear... | |
| Oct 21 at 2:36 | comment | added | J D | "The teacher to whom the janitor gifted the box of chocolates that were from the expensive online store walked into the room, the room which had been the teacher's for use in the instruction over a number of decades was a warm reminder of the sense of community, and the community from which the janitor came owed a debt to both the janitor and the teacher because they had established a camaraderie given their mutual conscientious work ethic and their strong concern for the success of their students." @JanusBahsJacquet None of the independent clauses require anything more than a full stop... | |
| Oct 19 at 16:21 | comment | added | J D | @JanusBahsJacquet Thanks. I'll review when I get a chance. | |
| Oct 19 at 11:51 | comment | added | Janus Bahs Jacquet | Also, “definitely at first glance apparently a comma splice” does not indicate that calling it a comma splice is a misapprehension. It sets up an expectation that a counter-argument will be presented to show that it is a comma splice only in appearance and not in reality, but no such argument ever comes, so the reader is left to conclude that you are indeed calling it a comma splice. | |
| Oct 19 at 11:47 | comment | added | Janus Bahs Jacquet | @JD No, that is not a complex series – and it wouldn’t matter if it were, because the deciding factor in whether you should ‘upgrade’ to semicolons is how complex the items in the series are. If one or more of the individual clauses in the series contains its own punctuation, especially commas, then that punctuation clashes with the commas delimiting each item in the series, and it makes sense to use semicolons for the latter purpose. If there is no punctuation inside any of the items (as here), then commas will usually do just fine. | |
| Oct 19 at 9:37 | comment | added | PM 2Ring | You have some typos. "the use of semicolons are frequently used", "pscyhologically", and "syntax serious". | |
| Oct 18 at 21:27 | comment | added | J D | @AndyBonner I'm confused. Is a series of three independent thoughts subordinate to the semantics of a fourth thought demarcated by colon not a complex series? If not, what are the necessary and sufficient conditions in your estimation? | |
| Oct 18 at 21:25 | comment | added | J D | @tchrist Is this a trick question? By misapprehension, a point I delineated with a tad of explicature in the form of 'apparently'. How else do you explain the OP's teacher's rationale? If you're under the impression I characterized it as a comma splice, you'd best reread with an eye for the intricacies. | |
| Oct 18 at 21:09 | comment | added | tchrist♦ | How can you possibly call this "a comma splice"? | |
| Oct 18 at 18:40 | comment | added | Andy Bonner | I would temper the opening bit about semicolons a bit. Chicago recommends semicolons in a complex series: "when items in a series themselves contain internal punctuation, separating the items with semicolons can aid clarity. If ambiguity seems unlikely, commas may be used instead." They're certainly not needed for all series. | |
| Oct 18 at 17:46 | history | answered | J D | CC BY-SA 4.0 |