Monday, October 6, 2008

Topic: Comma Splices

10-second review: The comma splice has its role in professional writers’ style—contrary to what is usually considered to be a mistake.

Title: “Unraveling the Comma Splice.” AL Klinck. English Journal (March 1998), 96-98. A publication of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).

Summary: Author found plenty of examples of the comma splice in professional published writing, including the classics. It’s a matter of style. “Just goes to show” that every prohibition in writing has plenty of examples in actual use, mostly for stylistic reasons.

Comment: I’ve even caught myself using comma splices—for stylistic purposes, of course, wanting to give the sentence a sense of momentum, motion. That’s the trouble with the English language. Nothing is ALWAYS wrong—or right. And I’m glad of it. RayS.

The purpose of this blog, English Education Archives, is to review articles of contemporary interest from past issues of English education journals.

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