Nouns of address and coordinating conjunctions

Question

Hello.I find myself unable to determine whether a comma is needed between a conjunction (specifically a coordinating conjunction) and a noun of address. Here's an example to illustrate what I mean:John: I think we should just leave them alone.Jill: But John, we've already tried that.If it were an interjection or anything else, I wouldn't hesitate to put a comma there, but I just can't bring myself to do so in a situation like this. I can't think of any exceptions to the rules regarding nouns of address, but it just seems so... wrong. If anyone knows how it should be—one way or the other—I'd appreciate an answer, especially if you can provide a source.

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

I find myself unable to determine whether a comma is needed between a conjunction (specifically a coordinating conjunction) and a noun of address. Here's an example to illustrate what I mean:

John: I think we should just leave them alone.
Jill: But John, we've already tried that.

If it were an interjection or anything else, I wouldn't hesitate to put a comma there, I agree but I just can't bring myself to do so in a situation like this. I agree I can't think of any exceptions to the rules like most native speakers, I am not familiar with such a set of rules, although I'm sure they have been formulated

regarding nouns of address, but it just seems so... wrong. If anyone knows how it should be—one way or the other—I'd appreciate an answer, especially if you can provide a source.

For a query like this, I would go back to basics as regard commas. A comma represents a place where you would naturally pause in speech. So, ask yourself whether and why you would want to pause or not pause in these places if you were speaking..

Clive

Falconer · Answer

Well, the general rule is that a noun of address should always be set off from the rest of the sentence with commas since it's syntactically unrelated to it.

Jill, come to my house.
Come to my house, Jill.
Come, Jill, to my house.

It doesn't matter where the noun of address is placed.

Clive A comma represents a place where you would naturally pause in speech.

While this is true, the comma's primary function is to serve as a separator; it doesn't necessarily indicate an audible pause.

"Hey John, do you have my money?"
"Hey, John, do you have my money?"
"Hey, John. Do you have my money?"

The top one isn't acceptable, whereas the other two are (I'd go with the last one myself, though). It just vexes me that I can't find a note on this anywhere, which seems to suggest that no such exception exists for conjunctions. That just feels wrong, though.

Nouns of address and coordinating conjunctions

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