Nitpicky Grammar Question
May 4th 2009 | 4:40 am
#46
Account Closed
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 138
Re: Nitpicky Grammar Question
"Well, hello, Kitty ...." (think Frankie Howerd, Kenneth Williams, et al.)
That seems fine. Different meaning, different context.
Could you imagine getting a Dear, John letter? (with the comma) LOL In the US a Dear John letter is what a woman writes to a man when she's breaking up with him. "Dear John, blah blah blah........."
It's NOT a Dear, John letter (with a comma). Dear, John, I am, through with you, I hope I am not, hurting you too much but...." (the comma addicts might like that.) Lose the commas!!! arrrrrrrrrrrrgh.
That seems fine. Different meaning, different context.
Could you imagine getting a Dear, John letter? (with the comma) LOL In the US a Dear John letter is what a woman writes to a man when she's breaking up with him. "Dear John, blah blah blah........."
It's NOT a Dear, John letter (with a comma). Dear, John, I am, through with you, I hope I am not, hurting you too much but...." (the comma addicts might like that.) Lose the commas!!! arrrrrrrrrrrrgh.
May 4th 2009 | 6:55 am
#47
Unmitigated Gall
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 16,162
From: it's still too dark to tell
Re: Nitpicky Grammar Question
Just noticed this thread had hit 4 pages. I thought surely something exciting must have happened so I clicked on it.
Sorry, my mistake, leaving now...
Sorry, my mistake, leaving now...
May 4th 2009 | 3:29 pm
#48
Thread Starter
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 8,497
From: Cincinnati, Ohio
May 6th 2009 | 2:15 am
#49
Forum Regular
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 94
Re: Nitpicky Grammar Question
To add to this NOT boring thread 
I looked it up and you are correct. I'm a person who is grammar-conscious and I've never seen the comma used after the word "Hi" in a salutation but apparently it is technically correct. Unusual, but correct.
It seems straightforward, but it's not. Although most people seem to think that hi is just a friendly substitute for dear, it isn't. Dear is an adjective, but hi is an interjection just like the words indeed, yes, and oh.
So technically Hi, Squiggly is a complete sentence that begins with an interjection, and an interjection at the beginning of a sentence is followed by a comma. So the correct way to write this is “Hi, Squiggly.†with a comma after hi and a period after Squiggly: Hi [comma] Squiggly [period]. You could also put an exclamation point at the end, depending on how excited you feel about the greeting.
The problem is that almost nobody knows that greetings should be punctuated this way, so it looks weird when you do it right. In fact, it's extremely rare to see an e-mail salutation that uses a comma after the hi. I'm always torn about whether to use the comma. It is correct, but it seems a bit pedantic given the widespread use of the incorrect alternative – especially when you are replying to someone who has already done it the wrong way. Use your own judgment. I usually put it in, but you'll be in good company if you leave it out.
Dear Squiggly, (correct)
Hi, Squiggly. (correct)
Hi Squiggly, (widespread to the point of becoming acceptable)
I looked it up and you are correct. I'm a person who is grammar-conscious and I've never seen the comma used after the word "Hi" in a salutation but apparently it is technically correct. Unusual, but correct.
It seems straightforward, but it's not. Although most people seem to think that hi is just a friendly substitute for dear, it isn't. Dear is an adjective, but hi is an interjection just like the words indeed, yes, and oh.
So technically Hi, Squiggly is a complete sentence that begins with an interjection, and an interjection at the beginning of a sentence is followed by a comma. So the correct way to write this is “Hi, Squiggly.†with a comma after hi and a period after Squiggly: Hi [comma] Squiggly [period]. You could also put an exclamation point at the end, depending on how excited you feel about the greeting.
The problem is that almost nobody knows that greetings should be punctuated this way, so it looks weird when you do it right. In fact, it's extremely rare to see an e-mail salutation that uses a comma after the hi. I'm always torn about whether to use the comma. It is correct, but it seems a bit pedantic given the widespread use of the incorrect alternative – especially when you are replying to someone who has already done it the wrong way. Use your own judgment. I usually put it in, but you'll be in good company if you leave it out.
Dear Squiggly, (correct)
Hi, Squiggly. (correct)
Hi Squiggly, (widespread to the point of becoming acceptable)
May 6th 2009 | 2:22 am
#50
Unmitigated Gall
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 16,162
From: it's still too dark to tell
May 6th 2009 | 2:35 am
#52
Ping-ponger
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 12,090
From: Yam Yam land
Re: Nitpicky Grammar Question
To add to this NOT boring thread
I looked it up and you are correct. I'm a person who is grammar-conscious and I've never seen the comma used after the word "Hi" in a salutation but apparently it is technically correct. Unusual, but correct.
It seems straightforward, but it's not. Although most people seem to think that hi is just a friendly substitute for dear, it isn't. Dear is an adjective, but hi is an interjection just like the words indeed, yes, and oh.
So technically Hi, Squiggly is a complete sentence that begins with an interjection, and an interjection at the beginning of a sentence is followed by a comma. So the correct way to write this is “Hi, Squiggly.†with a comma after hi and a period after Squiggly: Hi [comma] Squiggly [period]. You could also put an exclamation point at the end, depending on how excited you feel about the greeting.
The problem is that almost nobody knows that greetings should be punctuated this way, so it looks weird when you do it right. In fact, it's extremely rare to see an e-mail salutation that uses a comma after the hi. I'm always torn about whether to use the comma. It is correct, but it seems a bit pedantic given the widespread use of the incorrect alternative – especially when you are replying to someone who has already done it the wrong way. Use your own judgment. I usually put it in, but you'll be in good company if you leave it out.
Dear Squiggly, (correct)
Hi, Squiggly. (correct)
Hi Squiggly, (widespread to the point of becoming acceptable)
I looked it up and you are correct. I'm a person who is grammar-conscious and I've never seen the comma used after the word "Hi" in a salutation but apparently it is technically correct. Unusual, but correct.
It seems straightforward, but it's not. Although most people seem to think that hi is just a friendly substitute for dear, it isn't. Dear is an adjective, but hi is an interjection just like the words indeed, yes, and oh.
So technically Hi, Squiggly is a complete sentence that begins with an interjection, and an interjection at the beginning of a sentence is followed by a comma. So the correct way to write this is “Hi, Squiggly.†with a comma after hi and a period after Squiggly: Hi [comma] Squiggly [period]. You could also put an exclamation point at the end, depending on how excited you feel about the greeting.
The problem is that almost nobody knows that greetings should be punctuated this way, so it looks weird when you do it right. In fact, it's extremely rare to see an e-mail salutation that uses a comma after the hi. I'm always torn about whether to use the comma. It is correct, but it seems a bit pedantic given the widespread use of the incorrect alternative – especially when you are replying to someone who has already done it the wrong way. Use your own judgment. I usually put it in, but you'll be in good company if you leave it out.
Dear Squiggly, (correct)
Hi, Squiggly. (correct)
Hi Squiggly, (widespread to the point of becoming acceptable)
What's your source (where'd you "look it up")? Looks like someone's blog ...
... and what's the difference between an interjection and a greeting? Isn't Hi a greeting?
Dear, dear, dear, this is getting boring. (are commas all right in this context?)
And don't anyone even start on the all right vs. alright thing!
May 6th 2009 | 2:49 am
#53
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 10,109
From: North Charleston,SC. born in Stockport,UK.
May 6th 2009 | 5:14 am
#54
Forum Regular
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 94
Re: Nitpicky Grammar Question
What's your source (where'd you "look it up")? Looks like someone's blog ...
It was on a site that explained how to write a business letter. I also saw it on a few other reputable looking sites so I now think it's true.
Still looks weird to me as I've always seen it written "Hi John" and not
"Hi, John".
It was on a site that explained how to write a business letter. I also saw it on a few other reputable looking sites so I now think it's true.
Still looks weird to me as I've always seen it written "Hi John" and not
"Hi, John".
May 6th 2009 | 5:26 am
#55
I can't Re-Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 781
From: Back in the UK after 21 years away.
Re: Nitpicky Grammar Question
pursonally i dontk now whot awl the fuss abowt speelling and apospr....aprostor....prophotsory...those things, being, in the, rightplace is abowt. ifinkweshudalwjustritehowwelyke.
May 6th 2009 | 5:42 am
#56
Forum Regular
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 94
Re: Nitpicky Grammar Question
Here's a good source--it IS technically correct to use the comma after "HI" -------scroll down. (But if they're so informal that they're using the word "Hi" then they're informal enough to be able to omit the comma.
Subscribe to receive FREE grammar tips!
Delivered straight to your inbox!
Comma Confusion: Direct Address
Thank you for joining me for the next installment of the Comma Confusion Series. It's no wonder commas are so confusing―there are an endless number of rules for using them. The following rules and examples are based on those found in the tenth edition of The Gregg Reference Manual.¹
Rule: When addressing someone directly, use commas to set off the person's name or title.
Examples:
â— Mr. Brown, how long have you been in business?
â— Yes, ma'am, I would be glad to assist you.
â— Will you be attending the party tonight, Cheryl?
â— Good job, Spencer!
â— I believe, Mrs. Nance, that the transaction will be
approved momentarily.
On a related topic, many people struggle with the correct placement of commas in e-mail salutations. According to the guidelines provided by The Gregg Reference Manual, all of the following salutations are correct:
â— Marie,
â— Dear Marie,
â— Good afternoon, Marie,
â— Hello, Marie,
â— Hi Marie, *
* The Gregg Reference Manual notes that a salutation such as Hi Marie technically requires a comma after the word Hi as well as Marie. However, it also points out that this is a very informal salutation, and that inserting a comma after the word Hi would be carrying grammatical correctness to an extreme.
Subscribe to receive FREE grammar tips!
Delivered straight to your inbox!
Comma Confusion: Direct Address
Thank you for joining me for the next installment of the Comma Confusion Series. It's no wonder commas are so confusing―there are an endless number of rules for using them. The following rules and examples are based on those found in the tenth edition of The Gregg Reference Manual.¹
Rule: When addressing someone directly, use commas to set off the person's name or title.
Examples:
â— Mr. Brown, how long have you been in business?
â— Yes, ma'am, I would be glad to assist you.
â— Will you be attending the party tonight, Cheryl?
â— Good job, Spencer!
â— I believe, Mrs. Nance, that the transaction will be
approved momentarily.
On a related topic, many people struggle with the correct placement of commas in e-mail salutations. According to the guidelines provided by The Gregg Reference Manual, all of the following salutations are correct:
â— Marie,
â— Dear Marie,
â— Good afternoon, Marie,
â— Hello, Marie,
â— Hi Marie, *
* The Gregg Reference Manual notes that a salutation such as Hi Marie technically requires a comma after the word Hi as well as Marie. However, it also points out that this is a very informal salutation, and that inserting a comma after the word Hi would be carrying grammatical correctness to an extreme.
May 6th 2009 | 6:21 am
#57
Forum Regular
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 218
From: USA
Re: Nitpicky Grammar Question
Now i'm wondering if i'm being grammar,aticly correct 
When i receive e-mail information i reply with this sentence...
Thanks for the info Sandi, Charles.
The fact that i could be wrong has shaken me to my core.
When i receive e-mail information i reply with this sentence...
Thanks for the info Sandi, Charles.
The fact that i could be wrong has shaken me to my core.
