Query: "," (comma) after "over time"

[k***@yamaha-motor.co.jp]

Hello. I'm a Japanese and I would appreciate it if some kind readers,
especially native English speakers, would help me with the usage of
comma after "over time" when "over time" is used at the beginning of a
sentence.

I wrote "Each environmental activity might be no more than a small dot.
*Over time* this dot will become a line, then the lines will form a
network of corporate-wide activity that will produce enormous
results.". I originally didn't put a comma after "over time", because I
didn't feel I need to, but my collegue (Japanese) insisted that I
should. He said it sounds odd withoug a comma and also said that if
"over time" is used at the middle of a sentence, not the beginning,
leaving out a comma would be acceptable. Are you, especially native
speakers, for or against the use of comma in this particular instance,
and also in general usage? Is there a prescribed rule on the use of
comma after "over time" when "over time" starts a sentence? Or it
totally depends on the sentence or the writer's taste? Thank you very
much for responding to my odd question... This kind of thing is
difficult for non-native English spekaer like me.

Thank you for your help,
Chatran

[Miss Elaine Eos]

Post by k***@yamaha-motor.co.jp
Hello. I'm a Japanese and I would appreciate it if some kind readers,
especially native English speakers, would help me with the usage of
comma after "over time" when "over time" is used at the beginning of a
sentence.
I wrote "Each environmental activity might be no more than a small dot.
*Over time* this dot will become a line, then the lines will form a
network of corporate-wide activity that will produce enormous
results.". I originally didn't put a comma after "over time", because I
didn't feel I need to, but my collegue (Japanese) insisted that I
should.

Your colleague is correct. The comma separates an optional phrase. You
could write "[e]ach environmental activity might be no more than a small
dot. Over time this dot will become a line, then the lines will form a
network of corporate-wide activity that will produce enormous results",
or you could write "[e]ach environmental activity might be no more than
a small dot. This dot will become a line..." Removing the phrase "over
time" does not change the meaning, so the optional phrase is offset by a
comma.

[k***@yamaha-motor.co.jp]

Hello Miss Elaine Eos. Thank you very much for your enlightenment. I
just wonder, not limited to this example and in my limited knowledge,
that it seems to me that many native English speakers prefer to skip
such a comma? I thought frequent use of punctuations distract the
reader's concentraction, so the native people would choose to skip the
use of commas despite what a grammar book says??? But this would simply
be just the writer's negligence or jut to save space. I apologize for
my insolent comment, but I'm interested to know what is more readable
and "sound authentic" style, since I'm not a native English speaker.

[Jack Hamilton]

Post by k***@yamaha-motor.co.jp
Hello Miss Elaine Eos. Thank you very much for your enlightenment. I
just wonder, not limited to this example and in my limited knowledge,
that it seems to me that many native English speakers prefer to skip
such a comma? I thought frequent use of punctuations distract the
reader's concentraction, so the native people would choose to skip the
use of commas despite what a grammar book says??? But this would simply
be just the writer's negligence or jut to save space. I apologize for
my insolent comment, but I'm interested to know what is more readable
and "sound authentic" style, since I'm not a native English speaker.

There's no single right answer. Personally, I think that more formal
writing requires the comma and less formal writing does not. It really
depends on the audience.


--
Jack Hamilton
California
--
<> Qui vit sans folie n'est pas si sage qu'il croit.
<> François VI, duc de La Rochefoucauld

[k***@yamaha-motor.co.jp]

Mr. Hamilton, thank you very much for your valuable suggestion. I think
you and Mss Eos both have a point. I try to learn styles of English
mostly from the Internet resorces, which are mostly in neutral tone and
where "less-comma" styles seem to be preferred. Thank you for reming me
that I should get to read more formal writings to see the difference.

Sincerely,
Chatran
Japan