Comma before 'according to'

[CD Boogie]

I sure how the search function returns so I can track down this discussion the next time I'm confused about using a comma before according to -- which I never am...

 

[Junkie]

Listen, we can debate clauses and how to make that sentence better all day, which is really what you're nitpicking bullshirt boils down to. But that's not the kind of thing he's talking about, clearly. He just gave a crappy example, and you're now a dog with a forking bone who won't let it go. He's talking about attribution at the end of the sentence where the attribution isn't in regards to one small part of the sentence. He just wrote a shirtty forking sentence as an example of it. And in that case, according to grammar and style (and the local style was laid down to him by his boss), you use a forking comma.

Yes, there are some rare occasions where a shirtty writer will write a shirtty sentence where you wouldn't (I'm not calling the OP a shirtty writer because I don't think he'd ever write that shirtty sentence in a story). But in most of those cases, the question shouldn't be where the comma goes. It should be how to phrase things better. If you can't tell what the attribution goes with, it's a shirtty forking sentence whether you put a comma in or not.

But maybe he did mean it to be attribution for the one part of the whole sentence. In which case, the solution isn't to leave out the comma. He should re-write it to make it better. "Craig had a double cheeseburger for dinner and apple pie for dessert. It was a banner night, according to his friend, Ernie Johnson." That's probably the best way to do it.

So, sure, you're right. If you want to be a shirtty writer.

I think we're on the same side of the fence here. I was merely explaining how it might not need a comma, depending on the meaning of the example in the OP. And to simply say a comma is needed every time "according to" is used is wrong. Most times, yes. Most times in non-shirtty writing, probably. But every time? No. Lesson 1 for teaching writing, or anything: avoid absolutes. There's always an exception. And yeah, if style says to do it, do it. Then work hard to change a shirtty style book.

 

[JRoyal]

I think we're on the same side of the fence here. I was merely explaining how it might not need a comma, depending on the meaning of the example in the OP. And to simply say a comma is needed every time "according to" is used is wrong. Most times, yes. Most times in non-shirtty writing, probably. But every time? No. Lesson 1 for teaching writing, or anything: avoid absolutes. There's always an exception. And yeah, if style says to do it, do it. Then work hard to change a shirtty style book.

We are. I'm just being an ass (mostly playfully). I've had to work hard to change many shirtty styles in my days. And yet we still capitalize tournament here when we say "NCAA Tournament." Drives me forking insane.