Oxford Comma - Yes or No

September 23, 2018, 03:01 PM

SIGnified

Was taught it and tested out of English comp w/ an A (2/50,0000).

However since then, in business was taught not to use it so I don’t any longer.

"Pacifism is a shifty doctrine under which a man accepts the benefits of the social group without being willing to pay - and claims a halo for his dishonesty." ~Robert A. Heinlein

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Never shoot a large caliber man with a small caliber bullet . . .

September 23, 2018, 03:19 PM

Balzé Halzé

quote:
Originally posted by henryaz:
quote:
Originally posted by Skins2881:
Yes, along with my double space after a period.

...and I double space from long habit. Though the SIGforum software collapses the extra space.

Because it's superfluous and serves no logical purpose anymore.

However, the Oxford comma does serve a logical purpose.

~Alan

Acta Non Verba
NRA Life Member (Patron)
God, Family, Guns, Country

Men will fight and die to protect women... because women protect everything else. ~Andrew Klavan

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September 23, 2018, 03:57 PM

Dallas239

quote:
Originally posted by Oat_Action_Man:
It depends on context. If the series is potentially confusing, then yes. If the series is not potentially confusing, then no.

This is the worst option. If you write this way, this would anyone know if you invited the strippers, JFK and Stalin, or if you just left out the comma? Using the serial comma will never cause confusion, but it can alleviate it. I use it always.

"I've spoken of the shining city all my political life, but I don't know if I ever quite communicated what I saw when I said it. But in my mind it was a tall proud city built on rocks stronger than oceans, wind-swept, God-blessed, and teeming with people of all kinds living in harmony and peace, a city with free ports that hummed with commerce and creativity, and if there had to be city walls, the walls had doors and the doors were open to anyone with the will and the heart to get here." -- Ronald Reagan, Farewell Address, Jan. 11, 1989

Si vis pacem para bellum
There are none so blind as those who refuse to see.
Feeding Trolls Since 1995

September 23, 2018, 06:47 PM

ensigmatic

quote:
Originally posted by sigfreund:
Taught?
My earliest memory of the preference of an English teacher was to not use it. Ultimately, I changed my mind for myself and use it regularly.

Same here.

"America is at that awkward stage. It's too late to work within the system,,,, but too early to shoot the bastards." -- Claire Wolfe
"If we let things terrify us, life will not be worth living." -- Seneca the Younger, Roman Stoic philosopher

Strive to live your life so when you wake up in the morning and your feet hit the floor, the devil says "Oh crap, he's up."

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September 23, 2018, 10:32 PM

LDD

Oxford Comma? Yes, see O'Connor v. Oakhurst Dairy, 851 F.3d 69 (1st Cir. 2017).

That missing comma cost the employer about $5 million in the above labor dispute case.

I don't make a big deal about it in other people's writing, unless I can't understand what they're saying. But in my own writing, I do use the Oxford comma.

September 23, 2018, 10:34 PM

46and2

But, if you're writing as yourself and in a casual conversation, the rules are largely irrelevant; write the way you speak aloud, and insert pauses/etc however you please.

September 23, 2018, 10:41 PM

flashguy

quote:
Originally posted by StorminNormin:
I was taught and still use the Oxford Comma although I had no clue it had a term.

"The Elements of Style" by Strunk emphatically calls for what is being called the "Oxford Comma". It's a wonderful little compendium of good English prose style.

flashguy

Texan by choice, not accident of birth

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TCB all the time...

September 24, 2018, 12:04 AM

DMF

An Oxford comma, or lack thereof, can be worth millions of dollars:

https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/09...ment-trnd/index.html

"A lack of an Oxford comma cost dairy $5 million."

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"He was never hindered by any dogma, except the Constitution." - Ty Ross speaking of his grandfather General Barry Goldwater

"War is the remedy that our enemies have chosen, and I say let us give them all they want." - William Tecumseh Sherman

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Mind. Over. Matter.

September 24, 2018, 12:24 PM

bcereuss

quote:
Originally posted by Whisp:

Correct me if I'm wrong (and I'm sure someone will!!)

but the proper sentence structure for the lower picture should be "We invited the strippers-JFK and Stalin."

I don't belive the picture accurately depicts the oxford comma debate.

Maybe why I'm not a linguist.