Saturday, May 06, 2006

A Founding Concept of Commas at the Boston Globe

GLOBE EDITORIAL
Plato in the paddock
May 6, 2006

A FOUNDING concept of Western philosophy, ascribed to Socrates by that peerless ventriloquist Plato, is the distinction between knowledge and opinion.

The past participial phrase "ascribed...Plato" is restrictive, so no commas should enclose it. It modifies "a founding concept." That designation means that there exists more than one founding concept, so the past participial phrase "ascribed..." identifies it.

The present editors carry on the tradition of abuse of commas of former editor Storin, below.

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