Hello, everyone You may find this rather silly, but I am never sure whether I should (not) use commas to enclose initial adjunct expressions. Here is an example: (1) [It is widely known [that in English adjectives have an invariable form.]] (2) [It is widely known [that in English, adjectives have an invariable form.]] (3) [It is widely known [that, in English, adjectives have an invariable form.]] Which of these options do you find the best punctuated? Thank you very much
I'd go with (3). With the first example, you might have a reader stumbling over the phrase "English adjectives," wondering whether "English" describes a property of an adjective, or whether it simply refers to an adjective found in the English language. It's a momentary stumble, to be sure, but why risk it?
tlngr (too long, not gonna read) I would put commas around "in English." ================ I had a long explanation of mental state verbs and comma usage, especially when you lead into the embedded clause with "that." I deleted it though . . . It was my usual grammar screed that gets skimmed over. Half the time I'm talking about issues that aren't even there, haha! I'll sum it up this way. You never put a comma before that when you're coming off of a mental state verb ("widely known"), so the second sentence is crammed, sans commas, into the first. The problem is with that little prepositional phrase "in English" and whether or not it's restrictive. (I don't think it is.) That depends on the writer's intent and a bit of common sense, but those conflict sometimes because the reader and the writer have different perspectives. I mean, if there were no preposition, then it would be easy: It is widely known that rats eat cheese. It is widely known that lawyers like bling. It's that "in English" in yours that's wrecking things. There's two choices. In English adjectives have an invariable form. In English, adjectives have an invariable form. I would probably do the second one so that English doesn't seem to modify adjectives. "English adjectives" wants to connect. And I think that a reader will pick up on that too and almost always read "in English" as non-restrictive with a pause separating it when spoken and commas appearing when written. (Punctuation is governed "two-thirds by rule and one-third by personal taste.")
It is also widely known that lawyers, like rats, eat cheese. Or... It is also widely known that lawyers like rats, eat cheese.
it's like a telegram IT IS WIDELY KNOWN THAT LAWYERS LIKE RATS, EAT CHEESE. RESPOND AT EARLIEST CONVENIENCE.
I would go with #1: no commas needed. (1) [It is widely known [that in English adjectives have an invariable form.]] Am I completely wrong? @Seven Crowns ? Or could I change it to: It is widely known that adjectives in English have an invariable form. Better, worse?
That's a clever fix. Looks like @Homer Potvin gave another, and it's hard to argue with that one. Both of those approaches make the phrase/word necessary, and so no commas are needed.
