# What Do Multiple Commas Mean? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 19, 2021, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-multiple-commas-mean/950947 "2021-09-19T21:39:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2021, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-multiple-commas-mean/950947/61 "2021-11-04T08:58:51Z")
Right. And how are the young folk of today supposed to have absorbed this information? It’s not like there’s an older generation typing like this, or is there? “Cc”, by comparison, is used all over the place, so there is a clear chain of knowledge from older generations to newer. I think the most likely explanation is that it is either a matter of “one comma means pause so multiple commas can mean a longer pause” or, like the earlier link suggests, it is a softer version of “…”. > [@rowrrbazzle](#): > > I thought the “cc” just indicated copies (plural), like “pp.” means “pages” as in “pp. 32-39”. It’s for carbon copy. bcc is “blind carbon copy”. > **[Definition of CC](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cc)** > > to send someone a copy of (an email, letter, or memo); also : to send a copy to (someone)… See the full definition ---
**Author:** ![Mallard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Mallard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mallard)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2021, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-multiple-commas-mean/950947/62 "2021-11-04T12:11:52Z")
If the letter is going to only one person “cc” is still the term used. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2021, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-multiple-commas-mean/950947/63 "2021-11-04T15:35:26Z")
I don’t think I have ever seen multiple commas used. But it would give me pause. Also pause, pause, pause, pause. If one is trying to be unconforming it would seemz that dere are e@sier W@z3, possibly old hat… ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2021, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-multiple-commas-mean/950947/64 "2021-11-07T03:52:52Z")
Aha. A prescriptivist. 😁 ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2021, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-multiple-commas-mean/950947/65 "2021-11-07T04:19:46Z")
🤔 👍 ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2021, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-multiple-commas-mean/950947/66 "2021-11-07T13:04:46Z")
I don’t waste much time on generational warfare but, if I wanted to write a Facebook list saying that today’s kids are soft and weak, “feels that ellipses are too ominous and hostile; needed a less scary version” would probably top the list. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2021, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-multiple-commas-mean/950947/67 "2021-11-07T19:28:27Z")
I learned forward slash and backslash from a cartoon similar to [this one](https://imgur.com/gallery/80Nsuca/comment/625491241?nc=1). Thanks for bringing the multiple commas to my attention. I had assumed it was just a typo or people not understanding ellipsis. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-multiple-commas-mean/950947.md?page=3)