comma after 'why' [interjection]: "Why you, of course," I told him.

Rabelaisian

Senior Member
English - Canadian
"What do you want?" he asked suspiciously.
"Why you, of course," I told him.

"Why" is an interjection there and normally I would definitely put a comma after it, but in this case I don't feel the pause in the dialogue, so can it be omitted?

Thanks.
 
  • I think you should keep that comma, Rabelaisian, whether you feel the pause or not. If you omitted the comma, some readers would be puzzled. I would be puzzled. :)
     
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