Ben:
(i) a semi-colon or a colon possibly, because either can perform a full
stop's role in certain contexts;
(ii) em-dash absolutely not: it is not a sentence marker.

But what is the point of punctuating a sequence that fails to make sense,
one sense, and the sense the writer intends?

Sophie
----- Original Message -----
From: Ben Potter <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, June 28, 2001 11:59 PM
Subject: Re: A comma-splice?


Sophie,

A full stop is not necessarily "essential." The two sentences appear to
be related enough to warrent an em dash or a semicolon.

> ----------
> From:         Sophie Johnson
> Reply To:     Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar
> Sent:         Thursday, June 28, 2001 6:45 AM
> To:   [log in to unmask]
> Subject:           Re: A comma-splice?
>
> The comma cannot splice two independent sentences. A full stop between
> them is essential:
>
> It doesn't matter what we have in common. We will always have
> something to talk about.
>
> But that is the least of this student's problems. The more severe one
> is in his non-sequitor. I should want to refer his `sentence' back to
> him with a question something like: Did you intend to say: `Whether or
> not we have anything in common, we will always have something to talk
> about' ? (Authorial intent has to be established before the
> punctuation of its statement can become an issue!)
>
> (Ed ... are you indulging a spot of leg pulling here?)
>
> Sophie
>
>
>
>       ----- Original Message -----
>       From: Ed Vavra
>       To: [log in to unmask]
>       Sent: Thursday, June 28, 2001 7:43 PM
>       Subject: A comma-splice?
>
>       I'd appreciate your comments about the last sentence in the
> following. In particular, I would like to know if you consider it a
> comma-splice, and, if so, what you would do about it (if anything) in
> a student's writing?
>
>       With all these people I have at least one thing in common,
> either hair or eye color, or even disliking or liking the same people.
> It doesn't matter what we have in common, we will always have
> something to talk about.
>
>       Thanks,
>       Ed V.
>
>

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