It is such a relief, a soothing balm, to read of, and to carefully consider this controversial issue, after skimming the unreadable headlines of the day.
Thank you, Karen. I did consider writing a post pointing out that Donald Trump uses language at a level that could be expected of a fourth-grader; Obama as president used tenth-grade language; and 54 percent of American adults read at or below the sixth-grade level -- but I thought better of it.
The 'Hi, comma' situation presents more than a grammatical issue. It's a contemporary image issue. Here's the dilemma
How can a modern, with-it woman (which I am) use the comma after 'Hi' and not come across as an old maid librarian (which I happily am)? As society's mores and norms have evolved we've adapted in the name of hipness. For example, we no longer wear white gloves and stockings with seams to church. Just as the gentlemen's tie clip is struggling to make a comeback, we can only hope the common will return to its rightful place after 'Hi' in fashionable correspondence composition.
Until that glorious day arrives, hip librarians throughout the country will have to cringe and forego the comma after 'Hi.'
A similar dilemma is posed by the beloved semi-colon but that matter will be reserved for another missive.
And we noted the clever, subtle use of apostrophes around 'Hi, comma' as a device to stimulate further conversation. Well done!
Thanks, Jacqueline. You make a good point. And yet I wonder whether the people who do not use a comma after "Hi" are aware that doing so used to be standard practice.
That's how it goes with English: Something that sticklers like me pride ourselves on knowing — say, that "unique" means one of a kind — goes right over the heads of those who never learned that or learned it and didn't consider it important. And pretty soon the meaning we sticklers deplore shows up in the dictionary. (In the case of "unique," that would of course be the meaning "unusual.")
In this case, I'm betting that readers who notice the comma will be pleased to recognize a fellow stickler and the ones who never noticed its presence will carry on not noticing it.
I'm with you as far as jettisoning the white gloves and seamed stockings goes — it just never occurred to me that leaving out the comma would be considered hip. By anyone. I suppose defending that comma is part of the territory I've staked out for myself; I'm beyond hope. But wouldn't I be delighted if anyone told me I was out-and-out wrong to put a comma there in my email to them! It would show they were paying attention and care about things like this.
Many thanks to you, Jacqueline, for paying attention and caring!
It is such a relief, a soothing balm, to read of, and to carefully consider this controversial issue, after skimming the unreadable headlines of the day.
Thank you, Karen. I did consider writing a post pointing out that Donald Trump uses language at a level that could be expected of a fourth-grader; Obama as president used tenth-grade language; and 54 percent of American adults read at or below the sixth-grade level -- but I thought better of it.
No thanks to you, I am now in a comma coma.
Ha, Daniel!
I dare you to try saying comma coma three times fast.
The 'Hi, comma' situation presents more than a grammatical issue. It's a contemporary image issue. Here's the dilemma
How can a modern, with-it woman (which I am) use the comma after 'Hi' and not come across as an old maid librarian (which I happily am)? As society's mores and norms have evolved we've adapted in the name of hipness. For example, we no longer wear white gloves and stockings with seams to church. Just as the gentlemen's tie clip is struggling to make a comeback, we can only hope the common will return to its rightful place after 'Hi' in fashionable correspondence composition.
Until that glorious day arrives, hip librarians throughout the country will have to cringe and forego the comma after 'Hi.'
A similar dilemma is posed by the beloved semi-colon but that matter will be reserved for another missive.
And we noted the clever, subtle use of apostrophes around 'Hi, comma' as a device to stimulate further conversation. Well done!
Thanks, Jacqueline. You make a good point. And yet I wonder whether the people who do not use a comma after "Hi" are aware that doing so used to be standard practice.
That's how it goes with English: Something that sticklers like me pride ourselves on knowing — say, that "unique" means one of a kind — goes right over the heads of those who never learned that or learned it and didn't consider it important. And pretty soon the meaning we sticklers deplore shows up in the dictionary. (In the case of "unique," that would of course be the meaning "unusual.")
In this case, I'm betting that readers who notice the comma will be pleased to recognize a fellow stickler and the ones who never noticed its presence will carry on not noticing it.
I'm with you as far as jettisoning the white gloves and seamed stockings goes — it just never occurred to me that leaving out the comma would be considered hip. By anyone. I suppose defending that comma is part of the territory I've staked out for myself; I'm beyond hope. But wouldn't I be delighted if anyone told me I was out-and-out wrong to put a comma there in my email to them! It would show they were paying attention and care about things like this.
Many thanks to you, Jacqueline, for paying attention and caring!