comma before past participle: real food, born of the earth

[6kwar]

Hi

I am trying to figure out why the writer added a comma. I read the rules but didn't find the reason.

McDonald’s wasn’t about fast food, the commercials suggested, but real food, born of the earth

In the quote, the first comma is understood. It points to some minor detail. Why did the author added a comma before born and after food?

Another question:
<< Second question deleted. >>
Thank you guys.

 

[PaulQ]

the commercials suggested, but real food, born of the earth. The comma is there to separate two linked ideas. It is a list comma. It also helps the reader - it is not real-food-born-of-the earth, but (i) real food and (ii) born of the earth.

 

[panjandrum]

The comma between food and born is, in my view, a gapping comma rather than a listing comma.
"real food" and "born of the earth" are not equivalent. "born of the earth" is a further description of "real food".
A fuller version might be "... but real food that is born of the earth."
The "gapping comma" represents the omission of "that is".
See http://www.informatics.sussex.ac.uk...ation/node12.html#SECTION00043000000000000000

 

[Pertinax]

The words "food born" can be spoken with or without a pause in-between, and the meaning is different in each case. The comma is the written expression of the pause.

"real food born of the earth" is "food that is both real and born of the earth"

"real food, born of the earth" is "real food, in the sense or with the derivative property that it is born of the earth".

"real food" is specifically contrasted to "fast food".

 

[6kwar]

Thank you guys. I think I got it.