Comma, really?

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JaCKo__007

#399934 Fri, 03 Aug 07 09:37 AM

Hi all! Smile [:)]

Was reading Clarkson (Columnist for the Sunday Times and TV-presenter) the other day (one of his books) and came up against something I thought was odd. What do you guys think:

His use of the comma at the end of sentences was a tad baffling for me, is it just stylistic (as in, adding specific meaning to the sentences), or should it really be there, no matter what?

'And not just Bill, either.'

'Its not just blokes, either.'

'There are other problems, too.'

and there was one with appreciate at the end, which was what first caught my eye, but I can't seem to find it now - same sort of comma though. Any thoughts?

Thanks. J.

JaCKo__007

Joined on Thu, Aug 2 2007

Ljubljana

New Member (20)

*** Life depends on point of view, mine's positive! ***

Commas

Feebs11

#399974 Fri, 03 Aug 07 11:53 AM

This is a journalist mimicking spoken English. It is primarily stylistic and colloquial.

Feebs11

Joined on Thu, Nov 23 2006

Veteran Member (5,008)

Commas

JaCKo__007

#399989 Fri, 03 Aug 07 12:47 PM

Excellent, was worried there for a moment, thought I missed something along the way.

JaCKo__007

Commas

Yankee

#400080 Fri, 03 Aug 07 07:32 PM

Hi Jacko

When I was a kid (a very long time ago), my English teachers drilled it into my head that a comma was "always required" when the words 'too' and 'either' appeared at the end of a sentence. So, it may well be the case that Clarkson simply had the same sort of English teacher when he was a kid. Wink [;)]

Nowadays, I view this sort of comma uage as optional. Generally speaking, however, the best general rule of thumb for comma usage still seems to be this oldie but goodie:
"When in doubt, leave it out." Smile [:)]

Yankee

Joined on Sat, Apr 15 2006

Connecticut, USA

Senior Member (4,482)

Amy "You can't depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus." - Mark Twain

Commas

Kooyeen

#400083 Fri, 03 Aug 07 07:42 PM

Yankee wrote:
the best general rule of thumb for comma usage still seems to be this oldie but goodie:
"When in doubt, leave it out."

LOL! Did you ever take a look on myspace? Those kids seem to know that rule very well! like omg why do i need punctuation and capital letters and stuff you know this is the way cool kids right on myspace, cuz their cool. Wink [;)]

Kooyeen

Joined on Thu, Dec 22 2005

Italy

Senior Member (4,167)

If you don't have a sense of humor already, it's about time you buy one.

Capital Letters, Commas, Punctuation

Yankee

#400125 Fri, 03 Aug 07 11:07 PM

Far be it from me to stand in the way of cool. Wink [;)]

However, with respect to the sort of cool you're talking about, I'd suggest that those cool dudes have no doubts whatsoever. Instead, I'd say that particular sort of cool from a native speaker of English is rather intentional. Surprise [:O]

Yankee

Commas

MrPedantic

#400135 Sat, 04 Aug 07 12:39 AM

1. 'There are other problems, too.'

2. 'There are other problems too.'

I would find a slight difference between the two versions. In #1, the intonation (descending from "other" to "problems") and the pause before "either" would suggest "judiciousness". In #2, on the other hand, the intonation (on the level in "other problems", rising to "too") and the lack of a pause would suggest "slight anxiety".

(Presumably Clarkson would prefer to appear "judicious".)

MrP

MrPedantic