Index: wp-content/themes/twentytwelve/functions.php
===================================================================
--- wp-content/themes/twentytwelve/functions.php	(revision 21762)
+++ wp-content/themes/twentytwelve/functions.php	(working copy)
@@ -336,19 +336,19 @@
 
 	// Translators: 1 is category, 2 is tag, 3 is the date and 4 is the author's name.
 	if ( $tag_list ) {
-		$utility_text = __( 'This entry was posted in %1$s and tagged %2$s on %3$s<span class="by-author"> by %4$s</span>.', 'twentytwelve' );
+		$utility_text = __( 'This entry was posted in %1$s and tagged %2$s on %3$s by %4$s.', 'twentytwelve' );
 	} elseif ( $categories_list ) {
-		$utility_text = __( 'This entry was posted in %1$s on %3$s<span class="by-author"> by %4$s</span>.', 'twentytwelve' );
+		$utility_text = __( 'This entry was posted in %1$s on %3$s by %4$s.', 'twentytwelve' );
 	} else {
-		$utility_text = __( 'This entry was posted on %3$s<span class="by-author"> by %4$s</span>.', 'twentytwelve' );
+		$utility_text = __( 'This entry was posted on %3$s by %4$s.', 'twentytwelve' );
 	}
 
 	printf(
 		$utility_text,
 		$categories_list,
 		$tag_list,
-		$date,
-		$author
+		$date . '<span class="by-author"> ',
+		$author . '</span>'
 	);
 }
 endif;