comma indicating ellipsis: are stupid; your friends, intelligent

[wholegrain]

The comma is used to indicate that a word has been omitted

Can we say:

They are very stupid; your friends, intelligent.

Instead of

They are very stupid; your friends are very intelligent.

Some may say no, because "are very" are two words, but you can also say:

They are very stupid; your friends very intelligent.

 

[Tegs]

Hmm, I know what you mean, and yes, the comma can be used in that manner, but it sounds strange to me in the phrase you have given. It would be much more natural to use:
They are very stupid, while/whereas your friends are intelligent.
For some reason, this omission of "is" sounds much better to me:
He is a nurse, and she, a surgeon

 

[panjandrum]

Jack Sprat would eat no fat; his wife, no lean.


This is a gapping comma, in the terminology of THIS SITE.