Bob, we agree then! It is the heavy implication that enables the independent sentence, dependent sentence sequence. Nought wrong with the dependent sentence, though! Sophie Original Message ----- From: Ben Potter <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Monday, July 02, 2001 11:18 PM Subject: Re: A comma-splice? Sophie, In that example, however, I think that the action is heavily implied. Who broke the window? The boy in the blue cap (did it). Ben > ---------- > From: Sophie Johnson > Reply To: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar > Sent: Thursday, June 28, 2001 8:55 PM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: A comma-splice? > > Ben, I cannot teach without diagnosing. That is not `judging' to > condemn: It > is to identify the nature of the problem before applying the remedy. > And I > would have no quarrel with `The boy in the blue cap' in the right > context: > It is readily a dependent sentence: > > `Who broke the window?' > `The boy in the blue cap.' > > Sophie > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Ben Potter <[log in to unmask]> > To: <[log in to unmask]> > Sent: Friday, June 29, 2001 1:29 AM > Subject: Re: A comma-splice? > > > Sophie, > > For all of the talk about seeing things in and out of context, how can > you place judgment on this writing? Maybe the student had written: > > I'm a friendly guy, as most people can tell you. Maybe we've > been friends for 20 years. Maybe I've just met you. Either way, I > won't > hesitate to strike up a conversation. It doesn't matter what we have > in > common; we always will have something to talk about. I'll make sure of > it. > > Also, authorial intent aside, some things are just plain wrong. The > boy > with the blue cape. That is a sentence fragment, no matter what my > intent was. > > Ben > > > > ---------- > > From: Sophie Johnson > > Reply To: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar > > Sent: Thursday, June 28, 2001 9:44 AM > > To: [log in to unmask] > > Subject: Re: A comma-splice? > > > > 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. > > > > > > > > > > To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web > > interface > > at: > > http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html > > and select "Join or leave the list" > > > > Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/ > > > > To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web > > interface at: > > http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html > > and select "Join or leave the list" > > > > Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/ > > > > > > To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web > interface > at: > http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html > and select "Join or leave the list" > > Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/ > > To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web > interface at: > http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html > and select "Join or leave the list" > > Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/ > > To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or leave the list" Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/ To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or leave the list" Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/