Funny, I always punctuate depending on whether the mark is part of the
quotation (punc inside quote marks) or not (punc outside quote marks). I
have never been corrected on this, although my diss. adviser was more
assiduous with copy editing than with content discussion!!
 
It seems (to me) quite unnatural to have a period or comma inside of
quotes when the quoted item is just part of a larger construction that
the punc. is relevant to. So I guess 'naturalness' is in the eye of the
beholder.
 
Do Brits really use comma splices that often? I haven't noticed this. I
have noticed, however, the occasional use of a comma between a 'heavy'
subject and its predicate. This is one that is really making its way into
formal written usage here in America. It bugs the heck out of me, but
then, well, these things change ...... got to practice what I preach, eh?
 
Johanna
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Johanna Rubba   Assistant Professor, Linguistics              ~
English Department, California Polytechnic State University   ~
San Luis Obispo, CA 93407                                     ~
Tel. (805)-756-2184  E-mail: [log in to unmask]      ~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~