Usage of commas for non-defining clauses

Question

U.S. President Joe Biden and Russia's Vladimir Putin have agreed "in principle" to attend a summit on Ukraine, proposed by France.I know that when there is a comma in front of 'proposed by France',  'proposed by France' is additional information and 'which was' as an non-defining relative pronoun is omitted like a summit, which was proposed by France.U.S. officials said the meeting, proposed by French President Emmanuel Macron, would occur only if Russia doesn’t invade Ukraine.I know that 'which was' is omitted between 'the meeting' and 'proposed by French President Emmanuel Macron' and  'proposed by French President Emmanuel Macron' is used as additional information and non-defining relative phrase.And then I was wondering if I understand the non-defining relative ones as defining relative phrases or clauses in spoken English because I can't hear or notice the commas, is there a problem and does it make big difference?I feel like although there are commas to tell it is additional information and non-defining relative clauses, sometimes, I think that the one with a comma and the one without a comma carry the very similar meaning.What do you native English speakers think? Thank you so much as usual in advance.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

anonymousI know that when there is a comma in front of 'proposed by France', 'proposed by France' is additional information and 'which was' as an non-defining relative pronoun is omitted like a summit, which was proposed by France.

Nothing has been omitted. Such phrases do what they do all by themselves. Think of "proposed" as an adjective (but I am not the grammarian here). Also, the comma in this case is optional. I would have included it as the writer has done because without it you have "Ukraine proposed by France", which lays a faint false scent for the reader. The comma is optional because what is proposed by France is not merely "a summit" but "a summit on the Ukraine" and because we really are talking about that particular summit, but who proposed can be left incidental.

anonymousI know that 'which was' is omitted between 'the meeting' and 'proposed by French President Emmanuel Macron' and 'proposed by French President Emmanuel Macron' is used as additional information and non-defining relative phrase.

Again, nothing has been omitted, but as in the first example the import is indeed as you say.

anonymousAnd then I was wondering if I understand the non-defining relative ones as defining relative phrases or clauses in spoken English because I can't hear or notice the commas, is there a problem and does it make big difference?

It often makes little difference, as in your first example. It makes a significant difference in your second example. If that clause is made defining, the sentence says something that may well be true but is not what you intend.

In speech, the idea of non-defining is conveyed with vocal inflection, using a deeper, rising tone or hurry or something for the clause. The commas do not necessarily represent a pause but are merely conventional in written English to aid the reader, who can't hear your voice, of course.

Usage of commas for non-defining clauses

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