Why do People Misuse the Oxford Comma?

Options
UponThisRock
UponThisRock Posts: 4,522 Member
The serial comma (also known as the Oxford comma or Harvard comma, and sometimes referred to as the series comma) is the comma used immediately before a coordinating conjunction (usually and or or, and sometimes nor) preceding the final item in a list of three or more items. For example, a list of three countries can be punctuated as either "Portugal, Spain, and France" (with the serial comma) or as "Portugal, Spain and France" (without the serial comma).[1][2][3]

Opinions vary among writers and editors on the usage or avoidance of the serial comma. In American English, the serial comma is standard usage in non-journalistic writing that follows the Chicago Manual of Style.[4] Journalists, however, usually follow the AP Stylebook, which advises against it. It is used less often in British English,[5][6] where it is standard usage to leave it out, with some notable exceptions such as Fowler's Modern English Usage.[7] In many languages (e.g. Danish,[8] French,[9] German,[10] Greek,[11] Italian,[12] Polish,[13] Spanish[14]) the serial comma is not the norm and may even go against punctuation rules. It may be recommended in many cases, however, to avoid ambiguity or to aid prosody.
«1345

Replies

  • Cmh1211
    Cmh1211 Posts: 104
    Options
    i see what u did there... lol
  • lisaidem
    lisaidem Posts: 194 Member
    Options
    I'm calling you my boyfriend and there is nothing you can do about it. :flowerforyou:
  • KJVBear33
    KJVBear33 Posts: 628
    Options
    Because its fun to? :huh:
  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,522 Member
    Options
    I'm calling you my boyfriend and there is nothing you can do about it. :flowerforyou:

    I'll send you my list of demands
  • lisaidem
    lisaidem Posts: 194 Member
    Options
    I'm calling you my boyfriend and there is nothing you can do about it. :flowerforyou:

    I'll send you my list of demands

    And suddenly this is a hostage crisis.
  • xo_morgan
    xo_morgan Posts: 298
    Options
    "Gentlemen...Im the answer to your prayers"
  • vsmurrow
    vsmurrow Posts: 145
    Options
    Because they're undereducated, confused, and not willing to spend 20 seconds on Wikipedia like yourself, good sir.
  • AlayshaJ
    AlayshaJ Posts: 703 Member
    Options
    I was taught this, this, and this. My brain does this, this and this. Even after reading this I still do not know which is right, but I am extremely hungry and can't concentrate.
  • marnijojo
    marnijojo Posts: 235 Member
    Options
    The serial comma (also known as the Oxford comma or Harvard comma, and sometimes referred to as the series comma) is the comma used immediately before a coordinating conjunction (usually and or or, and sometimes nor) preceding the final item in a list of three or more items. For example, a list of three countries can be punctuated as either "Portugal, Spain, and France" (with the serial comma) or as "Portugal, Spain and France" (without the serial comma).[1][2][3]

    Opinions vary among writers and editors on the usage or avoidance of the serial comma. In American English, the serial comma is standard usage in non-journalistic writing that follows the Chicago Manual of Style.[4] Journalists, however, usually follow the AP Stylebook, which advises against it. It is used less often in British English,[5][6] where it is standard usage to leave it out, with some notable exceptions such as Fowler's Modern English Usage.[7] In many languages (e.g. Danish,[8] French,[9] German,[10] Greek,[11] Italian,[12] Polish,[13] Spanish[14]) the serial comma is not the norm and may even go against punctuation rules. It may be recommended in many cases, however, to avoid ambiguity or to aid prosody.

    **moist**
  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,522 Member
    Options
    The serial comma (also known as the Oxford comma or Harvard comma, and sometimes referred to as the series comma) is the comma used immediately before a coordinating conjunction (usually and or or, and sometimes nor) preceding the final item in a list of three or more items. For example, a list of three countries can be punctuated as either "Portugal, Spain, and France" (with the serial comma) or as "Portugal, Spain and France" (without the serial comma).[1][2][3]

    Opinions vary among writers and editors on the usage or avoidance of the serial comma. In American English, the serial comma is standard usage in non-journalistic writing that follows the Chicago Manual of Style.[4] Journalists, however, usually follow the AP Stylebook, which advises against it. It is used less often in British English,[5][6] where it is standard usage to leave it out, with some notable exceptions such as Fowler's Modern English Usage.[7] In many languages (e.g. Danish,[8] French,[9] German,[10] Greek,[11] Italian,[12] Polish,[13] Spanish[14]) the serial comma is not the norm and may even go against punctuation rules. It may be recommended in many cases, however, to avoid ambiguity or to aid prosody.

    **moist**

    Give me your number, we can talk prepositional phrases.
  • Qarol
    Qarol Posts: 6,171 Member
    Options
    :love:

    Grammar Porn!
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    Options
    jfk.jpg
  • CoryIda
    CoryIda Posts: 7,887 Member
    Options
    oxford-comma-12414.jpg
  • lisaidem
    lisaidem Posts: 194 Member
    Options
    Taso42--

    You should be teaching today's youth, if you aren't already.
  • CoryIda
    CoryIda Posts: 7,887 Member
    Options
    I love the Oxford Comma.
  • SwannySez
    SwannySez Posts: 5,864 Member
    Options
    I will await @FakeAPStyleBook's Twitter ruling on this while I continue to avoid it as I do other things Oxfordian out of sheer bloodymindedness.
  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,522 Member
    Options
    ^^^LOL @ both of these.
  • california_peach
    california_peach Posts: 1,858 Member
    Options
    jfk.jpg

    But, I prefer stripper Stalin to real Stalin.
  • lickmybaconcakes
    lickmybaconcakes Posts: 1,063 Member
    Options
    I don't that often but I might be guilty of not using it appropriately when writing in Danish or Spanish.
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,229 Member
    Options
    I would comment but I take my punctuation very seriously

    It could start a fight