comma after 'thus' / 'however' [adverb]: thus, light is abundant

[ralife]

Hello, everybody.

I have a doubt about punctuation.

Whenever I use the word thus in the beginning of a sentence, is it mandatory that I place a comma?

Does the same apply to however?

ex.:
....thus, light is abundant and provides a cozy environment.

Thank you all for the help!

 

[MuttQuad]

Hello, everybody.

I have a doubt about punctuation.

Whenever I use the word thus in the beginning of a sentence, is it mandatory that I place a comma?

Does the same apply to however?

ex.:
....thus, light is abundant and provides a cozy environment.

Thank you all for the help!

Some will disagree with me, but I feel that the comma is necessary to the rhythm of the sentence. Same for introductory use of however, neverthless, and similar words.

If not being used as an "introductory," however, using the comma would be incorrect, as in:

Thus spake Zarathustra.

However hard you try, it won't work.

 

[Matching Mole]

It's certainly not mandatory. I think I would generally not use one. However, in your example thus does not appear to be at the beginning of the sentence. For all we know there may be another reason for using a comma after it. Could you give an example in a full sentence?

 

[ks20495]

It's true that the comma isn't mandatory. However (), I think there should be a comma anyplace you would normally pause in speech.

 

[a little edgy]

I agree with Matt and ks. "Thus" and "however," when used as introductory words in speech, are almost always followed by a pause. To me, this naturally leads to the use of a comma in writing.

I was invited to the party. However I got sick and couldn't go.

The second sentence above looks odd to me without a comma; it looks like "however" is introducing a clause of the sentence rather than being used as an introductory word.

 

[entangledbank]

'However' is about the only word that rhythmically requires a comma. Thus we find that none of the others do: I would read the preceding straight through; it is quite unnecessary to give it the separate fall-rise intonation corresponding to the comma.

 

[Renaissance man]

I would definitely use a comma. I use them after all conjuncts and disjuncts when they introduce a sentence.

However, sadly, nonetheless, still, so, interestingly enough, in my opinion, etc.

 

[a little edgy]

Thus we find that none of the others do: I would read the preceding straight through;

I would not, quite. I do agree that there is less of a pause after "thus" than after "however." Nevertheless, I do hear a slight pause. Furthermore, I hear one after "nevertheless" ... and "furthermore." Therefore, I put a comma after them, too.

Could this be a BE/AE difference in speech or perhaps only in conventions of punctuation? I have noticed that BE speakers tend to use fewer commas than AE speakers.