comma after 'why' [interjection]: "Why thank you," a voice says from

Rabelaisian

Senior Member
English - Canadian
Please have a look at these two lines of dialogue:

“They were incredible,” he says to himself.
“Why thank you,” a voice says from behind him.


Is that "Why thank you," which is said both calmly and briskly, okay without a comma after "Why"?

Thanks.

Source: me.
 
  • Yes, I wouldn't use a comma after this 'why', as it's always said smoothly with what follows. Actually that's not true, as it's never said these days, but I think when it was said, it was intonationally joined to the rest - as 'well' and 'now' often are today. ('Well I will then.' - 'Now that's another good point.')
     
    I would say "Why, thank you!" like "Whyyyy... THANK you!" - not smoothly at all. I would write it with a comma.

    Oh, yeah, in a case like that, I would definitely use a comma because there's a heavy pause there, but I was asking in regard to a specific situation like in my example where it is said smoothly and briskly without a pause.
     
    I was asking in regard to a specific situation like in my example where it is said smoothly and briskly without a pause.
    There is no such situation as far as I'm concerned. If it were said in the vacuum of space where there is no sound, I would write it like "". What's the point of that? ;)
     
    My point is that "Why thank you" fits the pattern of "[interrogative] [verb] [object]" - a question. As an exclamation - "Why, thank you!" - it needs the comma.
     
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