An Argument for the Oxford Comma

[roo_ster]

http://www.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2010/03/17/an-argument-for-the-oxford-comma

This description, published in The Times, of a documentary by Peter Ustinov:

"... highlights of his global tour include encounters with Nelson Mandela, an 800-year-old demigod and a dildo collector."

I am an Oxford Comma proponent.  I also think the semi-colon is under-utilized.

[Scout26]

I never knew that about him. 

And yes, I am also a huge fan of the oxford comma; simply because that's what I was taught. 

[bedlamite]

Then there's the old classic:

[lupinus]

Oxford comma FTW

[MechAg94]

Why is it called the Oxford comma?

I have seen a lot of people leave out that last comma when listing a string of things.  Never made sense to me.

[vaskidmark]

Why is it called the Oxford comma?

I have seen a lot of people leave out that last comma when listing a string of things.  Never made sense to me.

Google, and Bing, and all the other search engines get you to this: http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/words/what-is-the-oxford-comma

stay safe.

[Balog]

I'm more interested in why Roo is posting stuff from the Stranger, a Seattle alt-weekly best known as a good place for hardline marxist reporting and ads for a staggeringly diverse range of prostitutes.

[Devonai]

...and ads for a staggeringly diverse range of prostitutes.

I think you answered your own question.

As for punctuation, I am also a big fan of the semi-colon.  It helps my narratives flow more smoothly; using it helps me avoid short sentences (which I find annoying in general).

[roo_ster]

Are we not supposed to celebrate duhversitty?

[Phantom Warrior]

Is there an argument against the Oxford comma?

[Azrael256]

Is there an argument against the Oxford comma?

Have you ever bought an ink cartridge?

[Perd Hapley]

I have seen a lot of people leave out that last comma when listing a string of things.  Never made sense to me.

Somewhere along the line, I was taught to do it that way, so I thought it was correct. I developed the notions that "and" obviated the need for a comma, and that only the ill-educated would feel the need for one.

I have changed my mind.

[Hawkmoon]

Somewhere along the line, I was taught to do it that way, so I thought it was correct. I developed the notions that "and" obviated the need for a comma, and that only the ill-educated would feel the need for one.

I have changed my mind.

I vaguely remember being taught, a very long time ago, that there are two "schools" of thought on this. Apparently, the typical rule in American usage is, "When in doubt, leave it out." The rule in British English usage is, "When in doubt, leave it in."

Commas are widely mis-used in contemporary writing. For example, just the other day I saw a list of places that was written as

"Omaha, Nebraska, Toledo, Ohio, Phoenix, Arizona and Seattle, Washington."

Totally incorrect. Impossible to tell from the punctuation if Nebraska is a state, or a city we haven't previously heard of.

Don't get me started on placement of commas in sentences with subordinate clauses ...

[K Frame]

""Omaha, Nebraska, Toledo, Ohio, Phoenix, Arizona and Seattle, Washington."

That can easily be fixed by substituting the following... "A bunch of places no one would ever want to visit."

[Phantom Warrior]

Have you ever bought an ink cartridge?

I have, actually.  At one time I was buying them by the armload.  Does dropping a comma here and there really make much difference?  I could see it in the Henry Ford "change from 40 drops of solder to 39 on every...whatever it was."  But that was on every unit.  How many Oxford commas are there on your average page?  And how many more pages do you get out of an ink cartridge by not using Oxford commas?

(I'm asking honestly because I don't know.  But I have my doubts...)

[makattak]

I have, actually.  At one time I was buying them by the armload.  Does dropping a comma here and there really make much difference?  I could see it in the Henry Ford "change from 40 drops of solder to 39 on every...whatever it was."  But that was on every unit.  How many Oxford commas are there on your average page?  And how many more pages do you get out of an ink cartridge by not using Oxford commas?

(I'm asking honestly because I don't know.  But I have my doubts...)

I think it was just a joke because ink cartridges are priced as though they contain liquid gold...

[Tallpine]

I don't wear oxfords.  What about cowboy boot commas?   

[TechMan]

""Omaha, Nebraska, Toledo, Ohio, Phoenix, Arizona and Seattle, Washington."

That can easily be fixed by substituting the following... "A bunch of places no one would ever want to visit."

Hey now, them there is fighting words....    

[brimic]

I vaguely remember being taught, a very long time ago, that there are two "schools" of thought on this. Apparently, the typical rule in American usage is, "When in doubt, leave it out." The rule in British English usage is, "When in doubt, leave it in."

I misuses punctuation all the time because I get lazy about it. OTOH, I remember the middle school Nuns drilling the MLA rules into us with our writing assignments. I never heard of the Oxford comma, but its the same useage than I was taught.

[Neemi]

I was taught to use the Oxford comma in grade school. I cringe every time I edit it out in order to conform to more 'current' grammar.

[roo_ster]

I was taught to use the Oxford comma in grade school. I cringe every time I edit it out in order to conform to more 'current' grammar.

Do not you mean "conform to the dictates of troglodytes?"

[vaskidmark]

Do not you mean "conform to the dictates of troglodytes?"

And just when did troglodytes become "modern"?

OK, so they are younger than me, but still I would not call them "modern".

stay safe.

[MechAg94]

When I was taught in the 80's public school system, that comma was mandatory.  I never saw people leavers out until after college.  It still doesn't make sense to leave it out, IMO.  In some ashes, the series reads just fine, but as shown above, not always. 

[Tallpine]

I bequeath my estate equally between Tom, Dick and Harry.

or

I bequeath my estate equally between Tom, Dick, and Harry.


 

[vaskidmark]

I bequeath my estate equally between Tom, Dick and Harry.

or

I bequeath my estate equally between Tom, Dick, and Harry.


 

Legislative bodies and attorneys ignore their own style books at our peril.  The courts presume that the legislators/attorneys knew what they were doing and what the difference is between the examples above.  When the legislators or attorneys get sloppy we are the ones that get splattered.  The Oxford Comma does some little to prevent that from happening.

stay safe.