Is the sentence “On our wedding day I was forty-six, she was eighteen” an example of a comma splice or an...
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I would argue that the phrase “On our wedding day” implies that the following two clauses are being listed together as pertinent information, rather than that there are two independent clauses.
For example, I think that writing “On our wedding day I was forty-six. She was eighteen” loses the meaning of the original sentence because it introduces potential ambiguity. It seems as though both ages are important, so I would argue that it would be better to treat it as a list than as a comma splice.
I’m not saying the list doesn’t omit the conjunction that by convention it should have, just that this sentence is a better example of a list than it is an example of a comma splice.
commas lists comma-splices
asked 5 hours ago
Caleb GrantCaleb Grant
1
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I would argue that the phrase “On our wedding day” implies that the following two clauses are being listed together as pertinent information, rather than that there are two independent clauses.
For example, I think that writing “On our wedding day I was forty-six. She was eighteen” loses the meaning of the original sentence because it introduces potential ambiguity. It seems as though both ages are important, so I would argue that it would be better to treat it as a list than as a comma splice.
I’m not saying the list doesn’t omit the conjunction that by convention it should have, just that this sentence is a better example of a list than it is an example of a comma splice.
commas lists comma-splices
asked 5 hours ago
Caleb GrantCaleb Grant
1
New contributor
Caleb Grant is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
4
It's an example of perfectly valid English.
– Hot Licks
5 hours ago
1
The "comma splice" is a bugbear of grammar teachers; it's bad form when it confuses the reader, as when two independent clauses have a relationship normally signified with a transitional word. This isn't the case in a short parallel construction, in asyndeton, as famously We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.
– choster
4 hours ago
It would only be a comma splice if it wasn't listing the ages on the wedding day. I think in this case it's replacing "and".
– Mike
3 hours ago
add a comment |
I would argue that the phrase “On our wedding day” implies that the following two clauses are being listed together as pertinent information, rather than that there are two independent clauses.
For example, I think that writing “On our wedding day I was forty-six. She was eighteen” loses the meaning of the original sentence because it introduces potential ambiguity. It seems as though both ages are important, so I would argue that it would be better to treat it as a list than as a comma splice.
I’m not saying the list doesn’t omit the conjunction that by convention it should have, just that this sentence is a better example of a list than it is an example of a comma splice.
commas lists comma-splices
asked 5 hours ago
Caleb GrantCaleb Grant
1
New contributor
Caleb Grant is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
I would argue that the phrase “On our wedding day” implies that the following two clauses are being listed together as pertinent information, rather than that there are two independent clauses.
For example, I think that writing “On our wedding day I was forty-six. She was eighteen” loses the meaning of the original sentence because it introduces potential ambiguity. It seems as though both ages are important, so I would argue that it would be better to treat it as a list than as a comma splice.
I’m not saying the list doesn’t omit the conjunction that by convention it should have, just that this sentence is a better example of a list than it is an example of a comma splice.
commas lists comma-splices
commas lists comma-splices
asked 5 hours ago
Caleb GrantCaleb Grant
1
New contributor
Caleb Grant is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 5 hours ago
Caleb GrantCaleb Grant
1
New contributor
Caleb Grant is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 5 hours ago
Caleb GrantCaleb Grant
1
New contributor
Caleb Grant is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 5 hours ago
Caleb GrantCaleb Grant
1
asked 5 hours ago
Caleb GrantCaleb Grant
1
1
New contributor
Caleb Grant is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Caleb Grant is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Caleb Grant is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
4
It's an example of perfectly valid English.
– Hot Licks
5 hours ago
1
The "comma splice" is a bugbear of grammar teachers; it's bad form when it confuses the reader, as when two independent clauses have a relationship normally signified with a transitional word. This isn't the case in a short parallel construction, in asyndeton, as famously We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.
– choster
4 hours ago
It would only be a comma splice if it wasn't listing the ages on the wedding day. I think in this case it's replacing "and".
– Mike
3 hours ago
add a comment |
4
It's an example of perfectly valid English.
– Hot Licks
5 hours ago
1
The "comma splice" is a bugbear of grammar teachers; it's bad form when it confuses the reader, as when two independent clauses have a relationship normally signified with a transitional word. This isn't the case in a short parallel construction, in asyndeton, as famously We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.
– choster
4 hours ago
It would only be a comma splice if it wasn't listing the ages on the wedding day. I think in this case it's replacing "and".
– Mike
3 hours ago
4
4
It's an example of perfectly valid English.
– Hot Licks
5 hours ago
It's an example of perfectly valid English.
– Hot Licks
5 hours ago
1
1
The "comma splice" is a bugbear of grammar teachers; it's bad form when it confuses the reader, as when two independent clauses have a relationship normally signified with a transitional word. This isn't the case in a short parallel construction, in asyndeton, as famously We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.
– choster
4 hours ago
The "comma splice" is a bugbear of grammar teachers; it's bad form when it confuses the reader, as when two independent clauses have a relationship normally signified with a transitional word. This isn't the case in a short parallel construction, in asyndeton, as famously We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.
– choster
4 hours ago
It would only be a comma splice if it wasn't listing the ages on the wedding day. I think in this case it's replacing "and".
– Mike
3 hours ago
It would only be a comma splice if it wasn't listing the ages on the wedding day. I think in this case it's replacing "and".
– Mike
3 hours ago
add a comment |
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4
It's an example of perfectly valid English.
– Hot Licks
5 hours ago
1
The "comma splice" is a bugbear of grammar teachers; it's bad form when it confuses the reader, as when two independent clauses have a relationship normally signified with a transitional word. This isn't the case in a short parallel construction, in asyndeton, as famously We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.
– choster
4 hours ago
It would only be a comma splice if it wasn't listing the ages on the wedding day. I think in this case it's replacing "and".
– Mike
3 hours ago