The problem with that interpretation is that you can’t have “libraries turning into drug-infested, libraries turning into sex dens.” because “drug-infested” is not a noun phrase a library can turn into like “sex dens” is. I also tried misinterpreting this comma as a comma between two adjectives, which doesn’t work because “sex” is not an adjective.
Maybe “Libraries turning drug-infested, into sex dens” fits your interpretation better. Does it?
I suppose, yes. The library is turning drug infested and into a sex den. The comma is replacing all the words “and into a.” Which is essentially what you wrote.
I guess i was trying to point out they were two separate situations and that drug infested is not describing the sex den. I was also trying to establish that commas can replace words and phrases. Although the example I gave above only replaced one word, it would make sense they would replace other words, as well, to shorten the headline.
I guess there are actual headline specific grammatical rules that are followed. While not a comprehensive list, some of these rules include leaving out auxiliary and some joining verbs, articles, conjunctions, etc, and replacing some words with various punctuation. Apparently, the list goes on.
I think they’re presenting it as two separate problems. Drug infested is not describing the sex den. It is drug infested. It is a sex den.
Edit: Here’s a good explanation: "A comma performs another kind of abbreviation in a headline, connecting two ideas without a linking word or phrase (often and)
The problem with that interpretation is that you can’t have “libraries turning into drug-infested, libraries turning into sex dens.” because “drug-infested” is not a noun phrase a library can turn into like “sex dens” is. I also tried misinterpreting this comma as a comma between two adjectives, which doesn’t work because “sex” is not an adjective. Maybe “Libraries turning drug-infested, into sex dens” fits your interpretation better. Does it?
I suppose, yes. The library is turning drug infested and into a sex den. The comma is replacing all the words “and into a.” Which is essentially what you wrote. I guess i was trying to point out they were two separate situations and that drug infested is not describing the sex den. I was also trying to establish that commas can replace words and phrases. Although the example I gave above only replaced one word, it would make sense they would replace other words, as well, to shorten the headline.
I guess there are actual headline specific grammatical rules that are followed. While not a comprehensive list, some of these rules include leaving out auxiliary and some joining verbs, articles, conjunctions, etc, and replacing some words with various punctuation. Apparently, the list goes on.
As a side-note to your helpful link, I really dislike it when headlines use a comma in place of an “and”. Like, use “&” if you really must.
Print is not exactly the main way people read the news now anyway, I think they can spare the pixels!
semicolon