obligatory/mandatory

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Help me, please.

Is the comma obligatory/mandatory in the above sentence?

Which word should I use? I see both being used and wonder which is the correct word.

Many thanks.

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Optional? Preferred?

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Coffee should be mandatory before posting, Hinge.. Twisted Evil

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Hi Francis

Am I right to say that you mean 'mandatory' should be used?

Thanks.

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YL,

No, I didn't mean that the comma is mandatory or obligatory.

My comment was a joke to Hingehead, who thinks neither mandatory nor obligatory should be used.

So, he was giving you a hint that he would choose optional or preferred instead (with which I agree).

Being a dilettante myself in English language, I was smiling because to a English student his comment didn't seem to convey enough meaning.

I'll not try to advise you in these matters by fear of being ridicule...

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The words obligatory and mandatory are synonymous. Either one can be used in a context such as this.

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Yes, Set, but what about the comma?

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I didn't understand him to be asking about the comma. The use of commas is something not currently agreed upon by English-speakers--i'd use it, but i'd also consider it foolish to insist upon it.

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Ok, it's optional then...

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Setanta wrote:

The words obligatory and mandatory are synonymous. Either one can be used in a context such as this.

Now that I've had that coffee....

Mandatory and obligatory aren't synonomous. I'd say they are analagous to the difference between 'law' and 'tradition'. There is a sense of proscription with 'mandatory', whereas 'obligatory' isn't as harshly enforced.

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You think your way and i'll think mine.

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hingehead wrote:

There is a sense of proscription with 'mandatory', whereas 'obligatory' isn't as harshly enforced.

So, should we proscribe one while prescribing the other? Twisted Evil

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Re: obligatory/mandatory

Yoong Liat wrote:

Help me, please.

Is the comma obligatory/mandatory in the above sentence?

Which word should I use? I see both being used and wonder which is the correct word.

Many thanks.

That's quite a complicated set of questions.

I would always use the comma.

"Obligatory" is the commoner word, but I would agree they are synonymous.
"Mandatory" is perhaps better reserved for more serious matters, and matters defined by law or regulations at that. Both are a bit too strong- I would suggest "necessary" is better here.

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The two are basically synonyms; nonetheless 'mandatory' implies a legalistic requirement while 'obligatory' implies a social requirement of some sort. You'd never hear 'obligatory' being used in any sort of a legal context.

Obligatory derives from 'liege' i.e. a feudal relationship, as do 'delegate' and a number of similar English words.

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Setanta wrote:

You think your way and i'll think mine.

No, I'm sorry Set, that's unacceptable :wink:

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Re: obligatory/mandatory

Yoong Liat wrote:

Help me, please.

Is the comma obligatory....?

Yes, I think it is.

Example

"Help me stay" is not the same as "Help me, stay"

It's better with the comma in imho even though in this case there is no potential ambiguity, as in my example.

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Please yourself

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solipsister wrote:

Please yourself

Please please me woah yeah, like I please you.

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come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on,

across the universe

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obligatory/mandatory

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