She didn't even touch her pumpkin. It's a freak with no face.

Willow ,'Help'


Delurking 1: Because we don't always check our e-mail.


Polter-Cow - Oct 05, 2009 11:10:57 am PDT #487 of 3094
What else besides ramen can you scoop? YOU CAN SCOOP THIS WORLD FROM DARKNESS!

Teppy will know for sure, but they look correct to me, if you (in those examples) treat "Good" and "Wow" as interjections that can function as independent clauses.

I can agree that they are correct, but why not treat them as interjections that don't function as independent clauses and not make your sentence look funny? What value is added?


tommyrot - Oct 05, 2009 11:11:38 am PDT #488 of 3094
Sir, it's not an offence to let your cat eat your bacon. Okay? And we don't arrest cats, I'm very sorry.

"Interjections show excitement or emotion and are generally set apart from a sentence by an exclamation point or by a comma if the feeling's not as strong"

Teppy! We need an answer!


Barb - Oct 05, 2009 11:12:38 am PDT #489 of 3094
“Not dead yet!”

All I can think is Schoolhouse Rock: "Interjections show excitement or emotion and are generally set apart from a sentence by an exclamation point or by a comma if the feeling's not as strong"

Rock on. For I am of the generation whose knowledge of grammar was formed by Schoolhouse Rock and who learned the Preamble to the Constitution via song.


Steph L. - Oct 05, 2009 11:12:42 am PDT #490 of 3094
the hardest to learn / was the least complicated

How are you on the semicolons in these comics (following "Good" and "Wow," respectively)? I feel that they are excessive.

Nah, they're appropriate. One just doesn't often see semi-colons used after single words.

Lord, what fools these authors be.

Hey now. There are those of us who have the utmost respect for editors and if we question, it's because we want to learn.

Ooops -- I meant *our* authors, not ALL authors.


Polter-Cow - Oct 05, 2009 11:13:47 am PDT #491 of 3094
What else besides ramen can you scoop? YOU CAN SCOOP THIS WORLD FROM DARKNESS!

All I can think is Schoolhouse Rock: "Interjections show excitement or emotion and are generally set apart from a sentence by an exclamation point or by a comma if the feeling's not as strong"

Exactly! Stop waffling, Randall Munroe and Ryan North. Pick a side: either it's worth an exclamation point or it only needs a comma.

Of course it now occurs to me that the semicolon is ALL ABOUT waffling. Normally, it keeps you from having to choose between using a period or a comma/conjunction combination.


Barb - Oct 05, 2009 11:14:26 am PDT #492 of 3094
“Not dead yet!”

Which is why I use em dashes.


Seska (the Watcher-in-Training) - Oct 05, 2009 11:14:27 am PDT #493 of 3094
"We're all stories, in the end. Just make it a good one, eh?"

I can agree that they are correct, but why not treat them as interjections that don't function as independent clauses and not make your sentence look funny? What value is added?

See? To debate punctuation makes our speaking English good. Or, is fun.


Steph L. - Oct 05, 2009 11:15:08 am PDT #494 of 3094
the hardest to learn / was the least complicated

Of course it now occurs to me that the semicolon is ALL ABOUT waffling. Normally, it keeps you from having to choose from using a period or a comma/conjunction combination.

Them's fightin' words, mister. t narrows eyes, moves hand toward gun holster

t remembers anti-gun beliefs

t narrows eyes emphatically


tommyrot - Oct 05, 2009 11:15:44 am PDT #495 of 3094
Sir, it's not an offence to let your cat eat your bacon. Okay? And we don't arrest cats, I'm very sorry.

Of course it now occurs to me that the semicolon is ALL ABOUT waffling.

Dude, now Teppy's gonna punch you in the neck!

eta; Potential Teppy violence x-post....


Polter-Cow - Oct 05, 2009 11:16:41 am PDT #496 of 3094
What else besides ramen can you scoop? YOU CAN SCOOP THIS WORLD FROM DARKNESS!

Hey, I love the semicolon! But you've got to admit, it's a waffly sort of guy.