show category without linking?

I have not found this in the search yet. I did search.
Here is what I would like.
I would like for the <?php the_category(‘, ‘) ?> to not go to a link. I don’t mean that I want to delete any category. I want the name of category to show but I don’t want it to be linkable, like if someone click on the category name, it wouldn’t go anywhere. It would be just like any other text. I have no problem with it being linked in the side bar but what I do mind is that it is being linked in the post, next to the time and comment.