英文科技论文写作样式指南-标点符号之逗号（comma）

本文英文内容摘自

"Anne M. Coghill, Lorrin R. Garson. The ACS Style Guide: Effective Communication of Scientific Information, American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2006"

第二部分（Part 2. Style Guidelines）

第9章（9. Grammar, Punctuation, and Spelling）

第113–118页

 

Comma

逗号

 

Ø  Use a   comma before, but not after, the coordinating conjunctions “and”, “or”, “nor”,   “but”, “yet”, “for”, and “so” connecting two or more main clauses (complete   thoughts).

Ø  在连接两个或多个主句（完整思想）的并列连词“and”、“or”、“nor”、“but”、“yet”、“for”和“so”之前使用逗号，但不能在其之后使用逗号。

 

例1：Toluene and hexane were purified by standard procedures, and benzene was redistilled from calcium hydride.

例2：The role of organic templates in zeolite synthesis has been studied extensively, but no general principles have been delineated.

例3：Supported metals are among the most important industrial catalysts, yet only a few have been studied thoroughly.

例4：No dielectric constants are available for concentrated acids, so it is difficult to give a quantitative explanation for the results.

 

Ø  Use a   comma after a subordinate clause that precedes the main clause in a complex   sentence.

Ø  在复合句中主句前面的从句后面使用逗号。

 

例1：Although 40 different P450 enzymes have been identified, only six are responsible for the processing of carcinogens.

例2：Since the institute opened, plant breeders have developed three new prototypes.

例3： Because the gene and the molecular marker are so close on the chromosome, they segregate together in the progeny.

 

Ø  Use a   comma after most introductory words and phrases.

Ø  在大多数介绍性单词和短语后面使用逗号。

 

例1：However, the public is being inundated with stories about cancer-causing chemicals.

例2：Therefore, the type of organic solvent used is an important factor in lipase-catalyzed enzymatic synthesis.

例3：After 3 months, the plants grown under phosphorus-deficient conditions were evaluated.

例4：Thus, their motion is the result of the rotation of ferromagnetic domains.

例5：On cooling, a crystalline phase may develop in coexistence with an amorphous phase.

 

Ø  Use a   comma before the coordinating conjunction in a series of words, phrases, or   clauses of equal rank containing three or more items. (This comma is called the   serial comma.)

Ø  在包含三个或三个以上条目的一系列同等级别的单词、短语或从句中，在并列连词前使用逗号。（这个逗号称为序列逗号。）

 

例1：Water, sodium hydroxide, and ammonia were the solvents.

例2：The red needles were collected, washed with toluene, and dried in a vacuum desiccator.

例3：The compound does not add bromine, undergo polymerization by the Diels–Alder reaction, or react with electrophiles.

 

Ø  In   compound sentences containing coordinating conjunctions, the clause following   the conjunction is punctuated as if it were alone.

Ø  在包含并列连词的复合句中，连词后面的从句被打断，就好像它是单独的一样。

 

例1： The reaction proceeds smoothly, and by use of appropriate reagents, the yields will be enhanced.

例2： The compounds were separated, and after the filters had been washed, the experiments were completed.

 

Ø  Do   not use a comma to separate a verb from its subject, its object, or its   predicate noun.

Ø  切勿用逗号将动词与其主语、宾语或谓语名词分开。

 

错误示例1： The addition of substituted silanes to carbon–carbon double bonds, has been studied extensively.

正确示例1： The addition of substituted silanes to carbon–carbon double bonds has been studied extensively.

 

错误示例2：The disciplines described in the brochure include, materials science, biotechnology, and environmental chemistry.

正确示例2：The disciplines described in the brochure include materials science, biotechnology, and environmental chemistry.

 

错误示例3：The solvents used in this study were, cyclohexane, methanol, n-pentane, and toluene.

正确示例3：The solvents used in this study were cyclohexane, methanol, n-pentane, and toluene.

 

Ø  Do   not use a comma before the conjunction joining a compound predicate   consisting of only two parts.

Ø  切勿在连接仅由两部分组成的复合谓词之前使用逗号。

 

错误示例1：The product distribution results were obtained in sodium hydroxide, and are listed in Table 10.

正确示例1：The product distribution results were obtained in sodium hydroxide and are listed in Table 10.

 

Ø  Use   commas to separate items in a series that contains another series in   parentheses already separated by commas.

Ø  使用逗号分隔一个系列中的条目，该系列包含已用逗号分隔的括号中的另一个系列。

 

例1：The structure was confirmed with spectroscopy (1H NMR, UV, and IR), high-resolution mass spectrometry, and elemental analysis.

 

Ø  Use a   comma between two or more adjectives preceding a noun only if you can reverse   the order of the adjectives without losing meaning. If you can insert the   word “and”, the comma is correct.

Ø  在名词前面的两个或多个形容词之间使用逗号，前提是你可以颠倒形容词的顺序而不失去意义。若你能插入单词“and”，则逗号是正确的。

例1：

The intense, broad signals of the two groups confirmed their location.

The broad, intense signals of the two groups confirmed their location.

例2：

Sample preparation is a repetitious, labor-intensive task.

Sample preparation is a labor-intensive, repetitious task.

例3：

A powerful, versatile tool for particle sizing is quasi-elastic light scattering.

A versatile, powerful tool for particle sizing is quasi-elastic light scattering.

 

但是：

Polyethylene is an important industrial polymer.

The rapid intramolecular reaction course leads to ring formation.

The backbone dihedral angles were characterized by J couplings.

The local structural environment of the Mn cluster was determined.

 

Ø  Use a   comma before, but not after, the subordinating conjunction in a   nonrestrictive clause.

Ø  在非限制性从句中，在从属连词之前使用逗号，但不能在其后使用逗号。

 

错误示例1：The bryopyran ring system is a unique requirement for anticancer activity whereas, the ester substituents influence the degree of cytotoxicity.

正确示例1：The bryopyran ring system is a unique requirement for anticancer activity, whereas the ester substituents influence the degree of cytotoxicity.

 

Ø  Use   commas to set off nonrestrictive phrases or clauses.

Ø  使用逗号来设置非限制性短语或从句。

 

例1：The products, which were produced at high temperatures, were unstable.

 

Ø  Phrases   introduced by “such as” or “including” can be restrictive (and thus not set   off by commas) or nonrestrictive (and thus set off by commas).

Ø  由“such   as”或“including”引入的短语可以是限制性的（因此不能用逗号隔开）或非限制性的（因此可以用逗号隔开）。

 

例1：Potassium compounds such as KCl are strong electrolytes; other potassium compounds are weak electrolytes.

例2：Previously, we described a mathematical model including a description of chlorophyll degradation in foods.

例3：Divalent metal ions, such as magnesium(II) and zinc(II), are located in the catalytic active sites of the enzymes.

例4：Hydrogen-bonded complexes, including proton-bound dimers, are well-known species.

 

In   the first two sentences, the phrases are restrictive because the sentences do   not make their points without the phrases. In the third and fourth sentences,   the phrases are nonrestrictive because the sentences can make their points   without the phrases.

在前两句中，短语是限制性的，因为没有短语，句子就无法表达自己的观点。在第三句和第四句中，短语是非限制性的，因为句子可以在没有短语的情况下表达自己的观点。

 

Ø  An   appositive is a noun that follows another noun and identifies or explains the   meaning of the first noun.

Ø  同位语是一个紧跟在另一个名词后面的名词，用来识别或解释第一个名词的含义。

 

例1：My wife, Jeanne, is a biochemist at the National Institutes of Health.

例2：My son James plays baseball, and my son John plays soccer.

 

An   appositive is nonrestrictive (and therefore set off by commas) when it names the   only possibility. In the first sentence, Jeanne is a nonrestrictive   appositive. An appositive is restrictive (and therefore not set off by   commas) when it points out one of two or more possibilities. In the second   sentence, the names of the two sons are restrictive appositives.

当同位语指定唯一的可能性时，它是非限制性的（因此用逗号隔开）。在第一句中，Jeanne是一个非限制性同位语。当同位语指定两种或多种可能性中的一种时，它是限制性的（因此不用逗号隔开）。在第二句中，两个儿子的名字是限制性同位语。

 

Ø  Use   commas to set off the words “that is”, “namely”, and “for example” when they   are followed by a word or list of words and not a clause. Also use a comma   after the item or items being named. Use a comma after “i.e.” and “e.g.” in   parenthetical expressions.

Ø  当单词“that   is”、“namely”和“for   example”后面跟单词或单词列表而不是从句时，请使用逗号将它们隔开。还要在指定的一个或多个条目后使用逗号。在括号表达式中，在“i.e.”和“e.g.”之后使用逗号。

 

例1：The new derivatives obtained with the simpler procedure, that is, reaction with organocuprates, were evaluated for antitumor activity.

例2：Alkali metal derivatives of organic compounds exist as aggregates of ion pairs, namely, dimers, trimers, and tetramers, in solvents of low polarity.

例3：Many antibiotics, for example, penicillins, cephalosporins, and vancomycin, interfere with bacterial peptidoglycan construction.

例4：These oxides are more stable in organic solvents (e.g., ketones, esters, and ethers) than previously believed.

 

Ø  Use   commas to separate two reference citation numbers, but use an en dash (–) to   express a range of three or more in sequence, whether they are superscripts   or are on the line in parentheses. When they are superscripts, do not use a   space after the comma.

Ø  使用逗号分隔两个参考引文编号，但使用短划线（–）按顺序表示三个或三个以上的范围，无论它们是上标还是在括号中的行上。当它们是上标时，不要在逗号后使用空格。

 

例1： Experimental investigations10,14,18–25 concerned the relative importance of field and electronegativity effects.

例2：Certain complexes of cobalt were reported (10, 11) to have catalytic effects on hydrolysis reactions.

例3：Flash photolysis studies (3–7) demonstrated the formation of transient intermediate products such as triplet states.

 

Ø  Use a   comma before Jr. and Sr., but treat II and III according to the person’s   preference. Within a sentence, always use a comma after Jr. and Sr., but use   a comma after II and III only if they are preceded by a comma.

Ø  在Jr.和Sr.之前使用逗号，但根据个人喜好处理II和III。在一个句子中，总是在Jr.和Sr.后面用逗号，但只有在II和III前面有逗号的情况下，才在它们后面用逗号。

 

例1：William M. Delaney, Jr.

例2：Charles J. Smith, III

例3：John J. Alden II

例4：William M. Delaney, Jr., was elected to the governing board.

例5：Charles J. Smith, III, received a majority of the votes.

例6：John J. Alden II did not run for office this year.

 

Ø  Do   not use a comma preceding “et al.” unless commas are needed for other   reasons.

Ø  除非出于其他原因需要逗号，否则切勿在“et   al.”前面使用逗号。

 

例1：Saltzman et al.

例2：Saltzman, M. J., et al.

例3：Saltzman, Brown, et al.

 

Ø  In   dates, use a comma after the day, but not after the month when the day is not   given.

Ø  在日期中，在日期后使用逗号，但在没有指定日期的月份后不要使用逗号。

 

例1：June 15, 1996

例2：June 1996

 

When   giving a complete date within a sentence, use a comma after the year as well.

在句子中给出完整的日期时，也要在年份后使用逗号。

 

例3：On August 18, 1984, an extraordinary person was born.

 

Ø  When   a geographical location is named within a sentence and the name includes a   comma, use a comma at the end of the name as well.

Ø  当一个地理位置在句子中被指定，并且名称中包含逗号时，也可以在名称末尾使用逗号。

 

例1：Iona College, in New Rochelle, New York, is the CEO’s alma mater.

例2：The lead researcher, who obtained her education at the University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, addressed the reporters’ questions.

 

Ø  Use a   comma to introduce quotations.

Ø  用逗号引入语录。

 

例1：In the words of Pasteur, “Chance favors the prepared mind.”

例2：Pasteur said, “Chance favors the prepared mind.”

 

Ø  Do   not use a comma after a quotation that is the subject of the sentence.

Ø  切勿在作为句子主语的引号后使用逗号。

 

例1：“Chance favors the prepared mind” is a translation from the French. (The quotation is the subject of the sentence.)（引号内是句子的主语）