[Grammar] The Oxford Comma

[rec]

Some nice examples of why to use it.

 

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.

 

And this from a commenter on the previous:

 

That is my new favorite example of why the serial comma should be used. My old fave was "I'd like to thank my parents, George W. Bush and Oprah Winfrey."

Some cocktail-swilling mid-century print editor's aesthetic pet peeve notwithstanding, I think a case can be made that the serial comma, ugly or not, makes sentences like these clearer, and thus, is worthy of use.

[Cia]

 

An Argument for the Oxford Comma

 

 

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

 

 

LOL! I am a personal fan of the Oxford comma myself, but it does make for some humorous comments from time to time.

[MikeL]

[rustle]

A fan of the Oxford comma told me the AP dropped it from their style guide to conserve characters in the days of teletypes stop

[joann414]

LOL

[colinian]

I always use the Oxford (serial) comma. That way I don't accidentally come up with a gaffe like rec's old fave (which is my personal favorite). 

 

Colin

Edited December 13, 2013 by colinian

[asamvav111]

I am a fan of these too, especially so, since my initial learning in English language involved writing exceptionally long sentences, as favoured by my teacher, in archaic manner and also because in due process, I excelled in this technique all to well and started writing whole paragraphs in single sentences without period; but, it was hardly practical and gave anyone who read my writing a blasting headache, resulting into a change in my writing style that was mostly simple sentences. 

Edited December 13, 2013 by asamvav111