Oh my God or Oh, my God?

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PlacidRan

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Example: Oh, my God, I love these flowers. Will you buy them for me?

or

Oh my God, I love these flowers. Will you buy them for me? (without a comma after oh)

Or are they both accurate?
 

PlacidRan

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Can someone help?
 

Barb_D

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I would not put that first comma there.
 

PlacidRan

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After researching, I found out that either is accurate, [STRIKE]but it is more technical with a comma.[/STRIKE]EDIT: People don't say O, MG. Without a comma would definitely be the correct version.
 
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emsr2d2

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I'm with Barb on this one. As far as I'm concerned "Oh my god (or God)" can be considered a phrase in its own right. Hence the much-used abbreviation these days "OMG" - we don't write "O, MG"
 

Barb_D

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Hence the much-used abbreviation these days "OMG" - we don't write "O, MG"

That's so funny you wrote that! I was thinking about using the exact same example! O, MG! What an amazing coincidence! ;-)
 

emsr2d2

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That's so funny you wrote that! I was thinking about using the exact same example! O, MG! What an amazing coincidence! ;-)

Great minds, and all that! :-D
 

Barb_D

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In your example the other day about the fish shop -- do you have "no" fish -- I was picturing the Monty Python sketch with the cheese shop. Was that in your mind too?
 

PlacidRan

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Ok. So if oh my God is accurate (without commas), is it acceptable to put a comma before God? As in, oh, God?
 

emsr2d2

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In your example the other day about the fish shop -- do you have "no" fish -- I was picturing the Monty Python sketch with the cheese shop. Was that in your mind too?

Ha ha! Actually, I wasn't, but now I am! Thanks for that. I'll be giggling for a while!:lol:
 

PlacidRan

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Thanks noted.

What about: Is it acceptable to put a comma before God? As in, oh, God?
 

emsr2d2

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Thanks noted.

What about: Is it acceptable to put a comma before God? As in, oh, God?

Again, I would be inclined to say that "Oh God" as an exclamation at the start of a sentence is a phrase in its own right and doesn't need a comma.

However, if it's not an exclamation, I guess you could have someone saying something like: "Oh, God, why are you doing this to me?"
In that example, "Oh" is the exclamation and then the person is asking God a direct question!
 

PlacidRan

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Thanks noted.
 
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