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Long-time lurker, first-time poster.

When addressing someone with a term of endearment and a greeting, how does comma placement work? The reason why other questions didn't work in answering this was that they would never directly fix my predicament.

I understand that hypocorisms (not nicknames) are not capitalized as they are general. I don't understand if a greeting gets a comma after or before the name. Especially since, if it's before the name it looks like a non-essential clause.

For example:

Hey, pretty lady, you seem like fun.

Hey pretty lady, you seem like fun.

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    In your examples, I’d punctuate to my own rhythm. That is, they sound like speech, so I’d mimic the speaker's pattern. Welcome to ELU, by the way.
    – Pam
    Nov 7, 2018 at 20:45

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"Hello, Alexis, welcome to ELU." In the sentence I just typed, I am addressing you (Alexis) directly. That is referred to as direct address, which is offset by commas when in the middle of a sentence. (See rules in link below.)

https://www.btb.termiumplus.gc.ca/tpv2guides/guides/wrtps/index-eng.html?lang=eng&lettr=indx_catlog_c&page=9J8lRcRhJ-78.html

So, the placement of commas in the first sentence...

Hey, pretty lady, you seem like fun.

...before and after the direct address ("pretty lady") is correct.

Always use a comma when directly addressing someone/something, regardless of whether the direct address is at the beginning or end of the sentence. If the direct address is in the middle of a sentence, use a pair of commas to set off the direct address.

http://www.grammarerrors.com/punctuation/commas-in-direct-address/

That being said, leaving commas out of greetings (with direct addresses in them) seems to be a common error that is, perhaps, becoming more prevalent.

Example sentences:

Hey, honey, pass the honey.

This chair goes over there, sweetie.

Would you like a chocolate bar, little one?

“Hey, buddy, pass the chicken.”

“I’m distracting you, little turd blossom.”

“Hey, dude, check out that chick.”

“Hand over that phone, jerk!”

See #7: https://dianetibert.com/2015/03/09/when-to-capitalize-names-that-are-not-names/.

Some examples aren't so endearing. See more examples in the link below. Have a nice day.

https://www.thoughtco.com/vocative-grammar-1692598

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