comma II

[Anonymous]

Are these sentences both correct:
1-She was talking about her husband in Japan.
2-She was talking about her husband, in Japan.

A-I think she could have talked about what her husband did, or what happened to him in Japan. I think if one uses the comma, the bit following it has been added as an afterthought like in: A1-She talked about what happened to her husband, in Japan.
B-But I think she could also have talked about her husband, who is Japan. In this case, should one use 1 or 2, or would both do?

 

[RonBee]

Re:

• She was talking about her husband in Japan.

I am 75% sure that her husband is in Japan. Context would probably make that clear.

Re:

• She was talking about her husband, in Japan.

I am 75% sure that she is in Japan. Again, context would probably clarify matters.

Either sentence could, of course, be written to remove any ambiguity. Either: "She was in Japan talking about her husband" or: "She was talking about her husband, who was in Japan."

Did I answer your question?

 

[navi tasan]

Thanks for all your relies. I might be becoming a nuissance these days with my questions.

If one wants to make it clear that she is in Japan, I think one could also go for:
In Japan, she talked about her husband.


But it seems to me that it is possible to use the sentences when neither is in Japan!

Consider:

I am thinking about John yesterday.
I am thinking about me in the 70s. (how I was back then)
I was talking about us in our youth.
I was talking about us on the waterfront.

I remember you in Japan. (How you were in Japan)
and:
She was thinking (or talking) about him in Japan. (They are both back now, but she is thinking about how he was and what he did in Japan.)

What do you think?

 

[RonBee]

Thanks for all your relies. I might be becoming a nuissance these days with my questions.

If one wants to make it clear that she is in Japan, I think one could also go for:
In Japan, she talked about her husband.


But it seems to me that it is possible to use the sentences when neither is in Japan!

Consider:

I am thinking about John yesterday.
I am thinking about me in the 70s. (how I was back then)
I was talking about us in our youth.
I was talking about us on the waterfront.

I remember you in Japan. (How you were in Japan)
and:
She was thinking (or talking) about him in Japan. (They are both back now, but she is thinking about how he was and what he did in Japan.)

What do you think?

I think everything you said makes sense.