Armed Polite Society

Main Forums => The Roundtable => Topic started by: Hawkmoon on February 11, 2018, 04:32:16 PM

Title: Grammar DOES matter
Post by: Hawkmoon on February 11, 2018, 04:32:16 PM
http://www.newser.com/story/255252/5m-lawsuit-over-an-oxford-comma-is-settled.html

Omission of a comma in a law resulted in delivery drivers in Maine getting a big chunk of back pay.

Quote
But alas, notes the Times, "the resolution means there will be no ruling from the land’s highest courts on whether the Oxford comma—the often-skipped second comma in a series like “A, B, and C”—is an unnecessary nuisance or a sacred defender of clarity, as its fans and detractors endlessly debate."

FWIW, I've read that the comma is the most misused punctuation mark in the English language. And there's a tremendous disparity between the way Americans (in general) treat commas as opposed to how the English (in general) treat commas. I have a couple of friends from Europe who learned English from British teachers. One of them is fairly disciplined in his use of proper grammar and punctuation when he writes in English. The other? It's like he buys commas by the train car load and then needs to use them up before they go bad.
Title: Re: Grammar DOES matter
Post by: grampster on February 11, 2018, 04:51:04 PM
I, really, don't, care.
Title: Re: Grammar DOES matter
Post by: 230RN on February 11, 2018, 05:34:18 PM
You should care that is.

You should, care that is.

You should, care, that is.

"It's like he buys commas by the train car load and then needs to use them up before they go bad."

:D Sounds like me.
Title: Re: Grammar DOES matter
Post by: K Frame on February 12, 2018, 06:57:33 AM
I, really, don't, care.


Everyone knows that it's a double comma before and after really.

Imbecile!

:rofl:
Title: Re: Grammar DOES matter
Post by: Scout26 on February 12, 2018, 05:51:20 PM
"It's like he buys commas parenthesis by the train car load and then needs to use them up before they go bad."


Which would be me.