Editor's Corner

Today’s quiz answers:

ABC – 4

BCA – 2

CCB – 5

BCC – 4

CCA – 81

CAA (Not on the option list, but I love you free thinkers.) – 1

1. Uncle Bluto is really _________________ man.

a. an old angry

b. a angry, old

c. an angry old

2. They grew up on ___________________ houseboat in Gig Harbor

a. a comfortable, little

b. a little, comfortable

c. a comfortable little

3. Tracy wanted to take a course with __________________ professor.

a. That interesting new Danish anthropology

b. That Danish interesting, new anthropology

c. That interesting, new, Danish, anthropology

The following information on using commas with coordinate adjectives (equal and reversible adjectives) is from The Copyeditor’s Handbook, by Amy Einsohn:

In principle, coordinate adjectives are those that equally and independently modify a noun, and their coordinate status is marked by the presence of either the word and or a comma in between them; for example:

a dull and error-filled book or a dull, error-filled book

a cool and humid climate or a cool, humid climate

Conversely, noncoordinate adjectives do not equally and independently modify a noun; instead, the first adjective modifies the unit comprising the second adjective (or even a third adjective) plus the noun:

a thick green book

a battered old canvas fishing hat

There are two “tests” for determining whether a pair of adjectives is coordinate. A pair of adjectives is coordinate if (1) one can place and between the adjectives or (2) one can reverse the order of the adjectives and still have a sensible phrase. The phrase “a long, restful vacation” passes both tests (a long and restful vacation; a restful, long vacation), and therefore the adjectives are coordinate. But “a long summer vacation” fails both tests (a long and summer vacation; a summer long vacation), and therefore the adjectives are not coordinate.

Kara Church | Senior Technical Editor

Symitar, A Jack Henry Company

8985 Balboa Ave. | San Diego, CA 92123