Dobrý den, píšu ohledně jedné otázky k britským čárkám. Vím, že se v AJ čárky neřeší tolik jako v ČJ a že je moje otázka spíše detail, ale píši jeden text, který bych měl rád co do interpunkce a gramatiky správně. Osobně vycházím z knihy Penguin Guide to Punctuation, která shrnuje britské čárkování. Ta věta, u které si nejsem jistý s interpunkcí, je: We do not usually provide the customers with services of this type, but if the need arises we are happy to assist with such services.

Podle knihy se vždy odděluje if clause od the main clause čárkami, když if clause předchází té hlavní větě. Nicméně kniha podotýká, že je třeba oddělulit ‘interrupting elements‘ od vět (např. as a result og that, however, in the end). Nejsem si jistý, zda-li bych měl oddělit tu if clause i od předložky, anebo jen od té věty potom. Mám tedy dvě možnosti:

(1) We do not usually provide the customers with services of this type, but, if the need arises we are happy to assist with such services. (2) We do not usually provide the customers with services of this type, but if the need arises we are happy to assist with such services.

Oprava: (1) We do not usually provide the customers with services of this type, but, if the need arises, we are happy to assist with such services.

If the need arises je odděleno z obou stran čárkou.

(2) We do not usually provide the customers with services of this type, but if the need arises, we are happy to assist with such services.

If the need arises je odděleno od následující věty čárkou.

Doporučuji: We do not usually provide the customers with services of this type but, if the need arises, we are happy to assist with such services. A comma after „type“ and before „but“ breaks up the sentence unnecessarily.

„The“ sounds odd here. We don't seem to be talking about defined customers, we're talking about any customers.

No results found for „do not usually provide the customers“. (Google)

Thank you so much, Dan. I forgot about the rule for articles – you are right.

Can I ask you why the definite article is used before the word ‘provision‘ in the following sentence: The provision of legal services is, by definition, understood as ‘representing clients before courts and other judicial bodies‘. It still confuses me a tad when to use the definite article before nouns denoting processes.

The translation of advertisements can be tricky, as it requires a wide-ranging grasp of persuasive techniques. Why is there used the definite article, when the writer is not talking about a particular translation, he/she is just talking about translating advertisements in general? Is it because he/she feels that he/she is defining a particular type of translation, as opposed to legal translation and so on?

Dobrý den, ještě mám dotaz k čárkám u situace, kdy v that-clause je if-clause nebo while-clause. Která z následujících verzí je správná, anebo zní lépe?

(1) It is argued that whilst such a policy can reduce unemployment, it can lead to increased inflation.

(2) It is argued that, whilst such a policy can reduce unemployment, it can lead to increased inflation.

There's nothing special about „British“ punctuation, and there's no Academy to pontificate on what is „right“ or „wrong“. The function of most punctuation in written English is to aid comprehension by breaking up long and complicated sentences into easier-to-understand chunks.

As far as commas are concerned, the only cast-iron rule is about their use in defining and non-defining clauses.

In your sentences above, (1) is fine. The comma after „that“ in (2) looks out of place and isn't necessary. In fact, it looks „wrong“.

Thank you – you've helped me a lot. 🙂