comma before/after 'so much': target of 2 percent, so much so that

LQZ

LQZ

Senior Member
Canada
Mandarin
Inflation has been running well below the Fed’s unofficial target of nearly 2 percent, so much so that a few officials fear that the United States is at risk of the kind of deflationary spiral that has hobbled the Japanese economy for the better part of two decades. ---taken from the NYT

Dear all,

Should the red comma be put before so much? Does it sound better if put after so much? May I have your opinions? Thanks.



LQZ
 
    • The comma is correct and correctly placed.
    I might have used a semicolon instead, but then I like semicolons.

    Placing the break after so much would be very odd.
    What does "2 percent so much" mean?

    Perhaps a little expansion might help.
    Inflation has been running well below the Fed’s unofficial target of nearly 2 percent. It is so far below the target that a few officials fear that the United States...
     
    LQZ said:
    Inflation has been running well below the Fed’s unofficial target of nearly 2 percent, so much so that a few officials fear that the United States is at risk of the kind of deflationary spiral that has hobbled the Japanese economy for the better part of two decades. ---taken from the NYT

    Dear all,

    Should the red comma be put before so much? Does it sound better if put after so much? May I have your opinions? Thanks.



    LQZ
    Click to expand...
    Yes, it needs to be before it. In this case "so much so" refers to "running well below", it's running so well below the target that..
    I hope that makes sense.
     
    Yes, it's needed, LQZ. Actually, the comma isn't before "so much", it's before the whole phrase "so much so".

    "So much so" refers back to the previous clause - the idea is: Inflation has been running well below the Fed’s unofficial target of nearly 2 percent. It has been running so much below the target that a few officials fear....

    _________

    EDIT. Dear me - I thought I was typing quickly:D. At least we're all saying the same thing!
     
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