Commas and continents.

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metal56
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Commas and continents.

Post by metal56 » Tue Sep 19, 2006 4:06 pm

I'm told that American English users would prefer commas in the sentences below. Would you use commas to set off "therefore" below?

Europe has therefore to assume a positive role to be master of its future.

Europe must therefore assume a positive role to be master of its future.

Andrew Patterson
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Re: Commas and continents.

Post by Andrew Patterson » Tue Sep 19, 2006 4:29 pm

metal56 wrote:I'm told that American English users would prefer commas in the sentences below. Would you use commas to set off "therefore" below?

Europe has therefore to assume a positive role to be master of its future.
Europe must therefore assume a positive role to be master of its future.
I'm British not American but I would write these sentences as:
Europe has, therefore, to assume a positive role to be master of its future.
Europe must, therefore, assume a positive role to be master of its future.

"Therefore" is an aside in both these sentences. You can leave it out and the sentences still make sense.

metal56
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Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 4:30 am

Post by metal56 » Tue Sep 19, 2006 4:38 pm

Hi Andrew

Take a look at these:

Reputable Links:

The Prime Minister lacks executive powers and has therefore to work with and through ministers who have executive powers vested in them collectively. Number 10 Downing Street, in the words of a former Political Secretary of Mr Heath is "a house not an office". Mrs Thatcher

Thatcherism and British politics. Kavanagh, Dennis. Oxford: OUP, 1990

Our societies, particularly the weakest and most vulnerable, must be protected from the plagues of poverty, disease, hunger and crime. Social cohesion has therefore to be retained as a high priority on our agenda.

http://www.sdnp.org.gy/minfor/speeches/rio.htm

There is at any rate no getting around the dispute about the extent of the claims of the doctrine of evolution as a fundamental philosophy and about the exclusive validity of the positive method as the sole indicator of systematic knowledge and of rationality. This dispute has therefore to be approached objectively and with a willingness to listen, by both sides—something that has hitherto been undertaken only to a limited extent.”

http://www.evolutionnews.org/2006/08/vatican.html

Mr. Rainsy's book is freely on sale in Cambodia and that the confiscation order has been lifted; however, the book is still banned by the Minister for Information and has therefore to be printed in Bangkok, printers in Cambodia refusing to print a book under a ban,

http://www.ipu.org/hr-e/170/Cmbd01.htm

Andrew Patterson
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Post by Andrew Patterson » Tue Sep 19, 2006 5:14 pm

Aaragh, why did you have to quote Thatcher? And as the first quote. It's a good thing she didn't have full executive powers, imagine if she had.

I've got to look this up.

What's happening with modal agony, btw. Did you see my post in the video section?

metal56
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Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 4:30 am

Post by metal56 » Tue Sep 19, 2006 6:24 pm

Andrew Patterson wrote:
What's happening with modal agony, btw. Did you see my post in the video section?
No. Where is the video section?

Andrew Patterson
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Post by Andrew Patterson » Tue Sep 19, 2006 6:39 pm


Andrew Patterson
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Post by Andrew Patterson » Tue Sep 19, 2006 7:13 pm

This is the best I've been able to come up with:
http://community-2.webtv.net/solis-boo/ ... page5.html

They term this use of adverbial conjunctions as an adverbial expletive.

They write this:
Punctuating The Adverbial Expletive
Whether or not to separate an adverbial expletive from the rest of the sentence depends upon how well the expletive blends into the sentence. When the expletive creates a definite interruption in sentence flow, it is usually separated from the sentence by a comma or other appropriate mark of punctuation. On the other hand, when the expletive creates only a mild interruption, it may often remain unpunctuated.
Unfortunately, they do not go on to say how to actually make the decision as to whether the said interuption is mild or definite. However, it seems is always definite in this context, but what of the others?
I don't think this is necessarily a US vs UK thing, btw.

One thought, those sentences could actually be said in two different ways:
1) with no emphasis on therefore, and
2) with emphasis on therefore.

My guess is that if 1) was intended then no commas should be used. If 2) was intended, commas should be used.

Can anyone confirm or refute this?
Last edited by Andrew Patterson on Wed Sep 20, 2006 12:02 am, edited 1 time in total.

metal56
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Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 4:30 am

Post by metal56 » Tue Sep 19, 2006 9:48 pm

Andrew Patterson wrote:
One thought, those sentences could actually be said in two different ways:
1) with no emphasis on therefore, and
2) with emphasis on therefore.

My guess is that if 1) was intended then no commas should be used. If 2) was intended, commas should be used.

Can anyone confirm or refute this?
I can't confirm it, but I agree with it.

Andrew Patterson
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Post by Andrew Patterson » Wed Sep 20, 2006 8:40 pm

Now we need to determine the significance of interuption by an adverbial expletive.

We know that "however" will always be off-set by commas in such cases. I think a contrast in general will be considered a greater interuption than cause and effect like "furthermore".

Tentatively, I would categorise other categories of expletive conjunctive adverbs as follows:
Insignificant
Addition again, also, and, and then, besides, equally important, finally, first, further, furthermore, in addition, in the first place, last, moreover, next, second, still, too
comparison also, in the same way, likewise, similarly

Significant
Contrast although, and yet, at the same time, but at the same time, despite that, even so, even though, for all that, however, in contrast, in spite of, instead, nevertheless, notwithstanding, on the contrary, on the other hand, otherwise, regardless, still, though, yet
emphasis certainly, indeed, in fact, of course
example or
illustration after all, as an illustration, even, for example, for instance, in conclusion, indeed, in fact, in other words, in short, it is true, of course, namely, specifically, that is, to illustrate, thus, truly
summary all in all, altogether, as has been said, finally, in brief, in conclusion, in other words, in particular, in short, in simpler terms, in summary, on the whole, that is, therefore, to put it differently, to summarize
Time sequence after a while, afterward, again, also, and then, as long as, at last, at length, at that time, before, besides, earlier, eventually, finally, formerly, further, furthermore, in addition, in the first place, in the past, last, lately, meanwhile, moreover, next, now, presently, second, shortly, simultaneously, since, so far, soon, still, subsequently, then, thereafter, too, until, until now, when

By including an adverb, I'm not asserting it can be used as an expletive adverb, I am merely trying to show the class of adverbs I am talking about.

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