I saw this on alt.useage.english

It seems relevant to some of those interminal debates on correct writing
style re setting off people's names with a comma in quoted text.

It seems that if the writer is good enough, said writer can make teh
style decision based on the context of the speech. The comma could be
removed if that would better reflect the speech style of the character
in question.

---
Rhialto,

-----Original Message-----
From: N.Mitchum <aj404@removeme.afn.org>
Newsgroups: alt.usage.english
Cc: aj404@lafn.org <aj404@lafn.org>
Date: Sunday, October 18, 1998 3:08 AM
Subject: Re: Is This Comma Needed?

Mz Swartz wrote:
------

You have presented excellent arguments, Mr. Jones.<<

Would the comma before "Mr. Jones" above be considered mandatory or

optional?

My opinion is that it is mandatory, [...]
However, another person maintains that it is optional, depending upon
the "intonation curve" used by the speaker.

What do you think?
......

Mandatory in practically every case.  But I don't exclude the
possibility that, for stylistic reasons, a writer might
legitimately omit the comma -- for example, in reporting the words
of a rapid-fire speaker.

Optional, in other words, only if the writer commands the language
well enough to get away with it.


----NM          [If replying by e-mail, please heed my address]