commaspunctuation
In a Math.SE question, I used the sentence:
“some two of these propositions are true and the third one is false”, or in other words, “exactly 2 of 3 propositions are true”
Here I used “or in other words” to rephrase a statement for better comprehension, but I didn’t use a comma after “or”. On the Net, I see people both using and omitting the comma in that phrase. What is the correct punctuation in the phrase “or in other words” and why?
I think you've punctuated it correctly, period.
NOAD agrees with us:
Macmillan lists this usage as a third meaning of the word, with the qualifier SPOKEN:
The semicolon and comma are the best option. You have two independent clauses, one of which elides the subject and verb, so you use a comma to indicate ellipsis.
I am optimistic; Kevin, pessimistic.
Ethel lived to be ninety-one; her husband, only eighty-six.
This is noted in the Chicago Manual of Style §6.49, “commas to indicate elision”.
Best Answer
The comma after words needs to be complemented by one before in because in other words is an integral phrase interrupting the rest of the sentence.