dystopia
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Serial Comma (Oxford/Harvard comma)
« on: January 05, 2008, 02:14:33 PM » |
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We seem to have lots of strong grammar opinions around here. What's your take on serial commas? The serial comma (also known as the Oxford comma or Harvard comma) is the comma used immediately before a grammatical conjunction (nearly always and or or sometimes nor) that precedes the last item in a list of three or more items. The phrase "Portugal, Spain, and France", for example, is written with the serial comma, while "Portugal, Spain and France", identical in meaning, is written without it.
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« Last Edit: January 05, 2008, 02:18:14 PM by dystopia »
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stroh
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Re: Serial Comma (Oxford/Harvard comma)
« Reply #1 on: January 05, 2008, 02:16:51 PM » |
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I guess I'm for it. That's the way I was taught.
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dystopia
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Re: Serial Comma (Oxford/Harvard comma)
« Reply #2 on: January 05, 2008, 02:20:43 PM » |
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I guess I'm for it. That's the way I was taught.
Yeah, I was taught that way, too. I had a disagreement with someone who used to write for various (U.S.) newspapers about it, though. I also noticed in the "In Honor of Jules" thread, that neither the panda nor the wombat had serial commas. |
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tdcoly
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Re: Serial Comma (Oxford/Harvard comma)
« Reply #3 on: January 05, 2008, 02:22:20 PM » |
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I was taught 'without.'
Also, period goes within quotes.
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dystopia
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Re: Serial Comma (Oxford/Harvard comma)
« Reply #4 on: January 05, 2008, 02:26:11 PM » |
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Also, period goes within quotes.
Good call. I always forget that.  |
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stroh
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Re: Serial Comma (Oxford/Harvard comma)
« Reply #5 on: January 05, 2008, 02:32:02 PM » |
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Well I think that's some serious, stupid *fudge*ed bull*feces* and dumb assed *feces*.
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gleek
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Re: Serial Comma (Oxford/Harvard comma)
« Reply #6 on: January 05, 2008, 02:46:27 PM » |
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Well, I think that's some serious, stupidly-*fudge*ed bull*feces* and dumb-assed *feces*!
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stroh
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Re: Serial Comma (Oxford/Harvard comma)
« Reply #7 on: January 05, 2008, 02:58:03 PM » |
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Well, I think that's some serious, stupidly-*fudge*ed bull*feces* and dumb-assed *feces*!
LMAO  |
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Clive
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Re: Serial Comma (Oxford/Harvard comma)
« Reply #8 on: January 05, 2008, 05:12:50 PM » |
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Against it. Without wanting anyone (Jules) to take it the wrong way, I was taught that the better one wrote, the less aid the reader required to navigate the text. Most of the arguments in favor (in that Wiki entry) can be easily and more effectively avoided by better crafting of the sentence.
I.e., don't hate the comma, hate the game.
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Fuzzy
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Re: Serial Comma (Oxford/Harvard comma)
« Reply #9 on: January 05, 2008, 05:27:36 PM » |
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I was taught 'against.'
And now that's how I roll.
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gleek
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Re: Serial Comma (Oxford/Harvard comma)
« Reply #10 on: January 05, 2008, 05:32:57 PM » |
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I always use a comma before the conjunction in a list but never use one before a terminating "too".
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BFBoy
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Re: Serial Comma (Oxford/Harvard comma)
« Reply #11 on: January 05, 2008, 07:24:12 PM » |
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I voted against, but I'll use it either way, depending on my mood.  Almost committed the ultimate gaff, by saying, 'but I'll go either way, depending on my mood'. |
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Walfredo
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Re: Serial Comma (Oxford/Harvard comma)
« Reply #12 on: January 05, 2008, 07:28:44 PM » |
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I was taught to use it in Elementary school but I always thought it was stupid. Then when I found out in college it wasn't cool anymore, I dropped it like a bad habit.
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Re: Serial Comma (Oxford/Harvard comma)
« Reply #13 on: January 05, 2008, 09:11:13 PM » |
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I voted "for it" because that's how I write. I suppose being taught to use it has something to do with that.
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Clive
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Re: Serial Comma (Oxford/Harvard comma)
« Reply #14 on: January 05, 2008, 09:30:32 PM » |
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I guess I'm for it. That's the way I was taught. Yeah, I was taught that way, too. I was taught 'without.' I was taught 'against.' Just wondering if you folks had opinions of your own or just meekly follow what you were taught?  It is revolting to have no better reason for a rule of law than that so it was laid down in the time of Henry IV.--Oliver Wendell Holmes |
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