The Oxford Comma Debate 1
Last Modified: 19/11/2016
A man explains why major language institutions still can't agree on whether the Oxford comma should be used.
- 1Say you're helping plan a friend's party,...
- 2...and he sends you a text asking you to bring Bob, a DJ and a clown.
- 3You're pretty impressed.
- 4You had no idea Bob was so multitalented.
- 5But when the day arrives, it turns out that he's not,...
- 6...and you were supposed to bring three different people.
- 7As you and Bob sit at the silent, clownless party,...
- 8...it occurs to you that the confusion could've been avoided...
- 9...simply by using another comma after DJ.
- 10This final comma in a list,...
- 11...placed directly before the main conjunction, such as "and", "or" or "nor",...
- 12...is called the serial comma or Oxford comma.
- 13And it has long driven grammar nerds crazy...
- 14...because even major language institutions can't agree on whether it should be used.
- 15Ironically, the Oxford comma is more common in the United States,...
- 16...where it's recommended by the MLA, the Chicago Style Manual...
- 17...and the US Government Printing Office, though not by the AP Stylebook.
- 18In the UK and other English-speaking countries,...
- 19...most style guides do not support the comma's use,...
- 20...with the exception of its namesake: the Oxford University Press.
- 21Why not use the serial comma?
- 22One of the main arguments...
- 23...is that the conjunction is usually enough to denote a separate entity.
- 24And where it's not, like in your ill-fated invite list,...
- 25...changing the order of terms will usually do the job.
- 26Journalists also dislike the comma...
- 27...because it takes up precious space and can make text look cluttered.
- 28Sometimes it can even create confusion of its own.
- 29For example, if your friend had asked for Bob, a DJ and a puppy,...
- 30...you'd probably figure out that they're three separate beings.
- 31Puppies are cute but they don't make great DJs.
- 32With the comma, you may think Bob is the DJ...
- 33...and all you need is him and a puppy
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