Seth,
     Coordinate structures are of equal rank. A subordinate structure is 
of lesser rank; it has a grammatical role within another clause. The 
role at issue here is adverbial modifier. Generally speaking, 
information in a subordinate clause is presented as given. The main 
clause predicates. "Because the syntax is inherent..." implies that it 
is not at issue. There is much more at issue here than punctuation.

Craig

On 4/13/2011 8:52 AM, Katz, Seth wrote:
> Traditional lists of coordinating conjunctions included "for" (hence the "F" in the acronym "FANBOYS" for remembering the list of coordinating conjunctions); but it seems to me that the use of "for" as a coordinating conjunction in English has largely been succeeded by the use of "because."
>
> I find I'm not sure here what the distinction is between a coordinating conjunction and a subordinating conjunction. Help?
>
> Dr. Seth Katz
> Assistant Professor
> Department of English
> Bradley University
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar on behalf of T. J. Ray
> Sent: Wed 4/13/2011 6:16 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Punctuation Question
>
>
> I believe you're right in thinking he feels this is a coordinate conjunction.  My understanding is that
> "because" clauses are dependent and hence should not be preceded with a comma.  I just
> wanted a number of opinions before I bring it to the committee's attention, folks who evidently
> don't see a problem with it as no one had marked any of these before I saw the MSS.
>
> Thanks for your time.
>
>
>
> On Wednesday 04/13/2011 at 5:43 am, "Dixon, Jack" wrote:
>
> 	Focusing on the obvious, I suspect the writer believes that "because" functions as a coordinating conjunction rather than a subordinating. Does the student punctuate most subordinating clauses that follow the independent clause this way, or do he make this mistake with "because" only?
> 	
> 	I seem to remember that Martha Kolln in _Rhetorical Grammar_ addresses the few instances when terminal subord. clauses are set off with commas.
> 	
> 	________________________________________
> 	From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of T. J. Ray [[log in to unmask]]
> 	Sent: Tuesday, April 12, 2011 8:10 PM
> 	To: [log in to unmask]
> 	Subject: Punctuation Question
> 	
> 	I have a doctoral student who produces sentences like the following:
> 	
> 	"This quatrain cannot be read in isolation at all, because the syntax
> 	is
> 	inherent and incomplete on its own."
> 	
> 	My question is not a search for whatever he meant to say but is about
> 	his punctuation: the comma. Comments are welcome.
> 	
> 	T. J.
> 	
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