Hi there! I am learning Esperanto for the first time (currently going through the Ana Pana course and enjoying it!), but this is bringing back memories of horrible English classes when I younger. One of the things I vaguely remembered, is that in English Grammar, it's generally frowned upon to use a comma & follow it with and, such as the following example.

My name is Keith, and I am from the UK.

Does the same rule apply in Esperanto?

Yes.

I have seen both forms in Esperanto:

Mia nomo estas Daniel kaj mi loĝas en Argentino.
Mia nomo estas Daniel, kaj mi loĝas en Argentino.

If the sentence is not too long, I would prefer the former (withouth a comma), but if it is very long, a comma may be a refreshing pause if you have to read it aloud, and besides the written form would better reflect the rythm of spoken language:

Mia nomo estas Daniel Alberto Cotarelo García, kaj mi loĝas en plurklimata hispanlingva apudmara respubliko en la plej suda parto de la Amerika kontinento.

Also, when there are more than two words or phrases that are true at the same time, the comma is almost mandatory as a separation between each word or group of words except that which is introduced by the conjuction:

Mi parolas la anglan, la hispanan kaj Esperanton.

Only for the sake of style or emphasis you may use "kaj" more than once (with or without comma):

Mi parolas la anglan kaj la hispanan kaj Esperanton.
Mi parolas la anglan, kaj la hispanan, kaj Esperanton.

Also for style effects you can omit the conjuction at all:

Mi parolas la anglan, la hispanan, Esperanton...
(this may imply that the list is incomplete and I speak more languages, which, mind you, is not the case.)

When I studied Spanish grammar (which, alas, I liked as much as you did your English classes), the former was called "polisindeton", and the latter "asindeton", both Greek words, so I expect they are technical words and may also be used in English).

In a nutshell: you may write it either way.

Regards,

Daniel

keithcleaver:Hi there! I am learning Esperanto for the first time (currently going through the Ana Pana course and enjoying it!), but this is bringing back memories of horrible English classes when I younger. One of the things I vaguely remembered, is that in English Grammar, it's generally frowned upon to use a comma & follow it with and, such as the following example.

My name is Keith, and I am from the UK.

Does the same rule apply in Esperanto?

danielcg:I have seen both forms in Esperanto:

Mia nomo estas Daniel kaj mi loĝas en Argentino.
Mia nomo estas Daniel, kaj mi loĝas en Argentino.

If the sentence is not too long, I would prefer the former (withouth a comma), but if it is very long, a comma may be a refreshing pause if you have to read it aloud, and besides the written form would better reflect the rythm of spoken language:

Mia nomo estas Daniel Alberto Cotarelo García, kaj mi loĝas en plurklimata hispanlingva apudmara respubliko en la plej suda parto de la Amerika kontinento.

Also, when there are more than two words or phrases that are true at the same time, the comma is almost mandatory as a separation between each word or group of words except that which is introduced by the conjuction:

Mi parolas la anglan, la hispanan kaj Esperanton.

Only for the sake of style or emphasis you may use "kaj" more than once (with or without comma):

Mi parolas la anglan kaj la hispanan kaj Esperanton.
Mi parolas la anglan, kaj la hispanan, kaj Esperanton.

Also for style effects you can omit the conjuction at all:

Mi parolas la anglan, la hispanan, Esperanton...
(this may imply that the list is incomplete and I speak more languages, which, mind you, is not the case.)

When I studied Spanish grammar (which, alas, I liked as much as you did your English classes), the former was called "polisindeton", and the latter "asindeton", both Greek words, so I expect they are technical words and may also be used in English).

In a nutshell: you may write it either way.

Regards,

Daniel

keithcleaver:Hi there! I am learning Esperanto for the first time (currently going through the Ana Pana course and enjoying it!), but this is bringing back memories of horrible English classes when I younger. One of the things I vaguely remembered, is that in English Grammar, it's generally frowned upon to use a comma & follow it with and, such as the following example.

My name is Keith, and I am from the UK.

Does the same rule apply in Esperanto?

Thanks. That's cleared that up for me.

keithcleaver:Hi there! I am learning Esperanto for the first time (currently going through the Ana Pana course and enjoying it!), but this is bringing back memories of horrible English classes when I younger. One of the things I vaguely remembered, is that in English Grammar, it's generally frowned upon to use a comma & follow it with and, such as the following example.

My name is Keith, and I am from the UK.

Does the same rule apply in Esperanto?

BTW, you can't compare the study of the grammar of a national language, with that of Esperanto.

When learning a national language, once you think you have learnt a rule, simply go on reading and a phrase will jump onto your eyes: "However, there are exceptions such as..."

In Spanish, we have the summit of incoherence in the following rule:

"No se escribe la letra zeta antes de e o i"
("Letter zed is not written in front of e or i" )

See? You can't even state the rule withouot making an exception to it! (Since the name of the letter "zeta" is in flagrant violation of the rule)

Not that you English speakers are free from such incoherences. How can you explain that the same word, "read", is pronounced differently depending on whether you refer to a present or a past action?

Lack of exceptions is a blessing all languages should be entitled to. Long live Esperanto!

Regards,

Daniel