How many of you believe in using the Oxford comma? How many of you don't? Why or why not? The Oxford comma separates the second-to-last and last item in a list. For example: We need to get eggs, milk, and bread. As opposed to: We need to get eggs, milk and bread. Here's why I use it, in short: Spoiler
I used to write with an oxford comma in elementary school but my teachers told me that, there isn't supposed to be a comma there. They even docked points from my papers for using it. Ever since, I've never used it and I don't think I can switch so easily. Though to be honest, this is the first time I've ever seen it with a name. For a second I had no idea what you were talking about.
I probably use it more than I’m supposed to. I only had one teacher ever explain how to use it properly.
I got a whole lecture on the usage of the oxford comma and it actually has to be used by students at my major, so I use it all the time. Example. This is what they actually used at the uni, aside from the names. I had a party with strippers, Bananaman and Mr. Banana. As opposed to I had a party with strippers, Bananaman, and Mr. Banana.
I think you've been talking to Getus too much. Then again, it beats the Stalin example. Your teachers are dead wrong. The Oxford comma is optional, but always highly recommended. Speaking for myself, I strongly believe that the Oxford comma is mandatory, and if you pass a work of some kind for me to proof, I will gut you if the Oxford comma is absent. From a practical standpoint, the comma also makes sense. I can give some rather humourous examples as the others above me have given, but I can also make an analog to spoken English: When a comma translates from written to spoken English, the comma generally indicates a transition or pause, like the speaker is taking a breath. ^Try speaking that sentence aloud to yourself. You'll find that you'll pause the sentence at each comma, rather than rushing on through, and you probably won't pause anywhere else along the way. You would not say "spoken English the comma" all in one breath without a break, would you? Despite that not being a 'list', the same analogy carries over to the Oxford comma flawlessly. I'll use StOwl's example: "We need to get eggs, milk, and bread." Speak that sentence out loud. Because it is a list, you will pause in your speech right after each item in the list, to signify you're moving from one item to the next one. "We need to get eggs" item 1 "milk" item 2 "and bread" item 3. You paused after each one, right? Now imagine removing the comma. I don't know about you, but there isn't any grocery store in my area that sells an item called "milk and bread". Those things are generally sold separately. You don't pause in between the two, and people are going to assume you are talking about one thing. You would never speak that sentence that way, so why would you ever write it that way?
I'll tell right now, the teacher who told me it was wrong to use that comma there was the same teacher who said "I wouldn't amount to anything" to my mother when I was still in the room. So, I don't think she was a very good teacher.
I'm conflicted, because I was always taught not to put a comma before the word 'and', but I also think the oxford comma makes more sense because it actually describes the way you say the words (which is the whole point of punctuation).
So, I asked one of my professors, and this was her response: "I think it is optional, but I prefer it for clarity. It is the comma with coordinate conjunction “and” that joins 2 independent clauses that is NOT optional!"
While it is optional, I prefer to use it as that was how I learned conjunctions of listings work. I remember a while back, there was a contract for a large company's workers to sue since there was no Oxford comma used. So, better safe than sorry I would say!
Okay, I want to hear this story. Can you give a bit more information about it (or even provide a link to something for reading)? This sounds too amazing to simply pass by.
This should be it! https://nytimes.com/2017/03/16/us/oxford-comma-lawsuit.html?referer=https://www.google.com/
That was absolutely beautiful; thank you. I'm compelled to click on a few of the links therein for further amusing reading. This is good stuff.
People who vehemently insist upon not using the Oxford comma I treat the same way as men who wear white socks with formal clothes and children with mohawk haircuts: I just don't trust them and don't want to be friends with them despite not (immediately) having a good reason for passing this judgement (although I'm usually proven right). Seriously, it's, it's... argh! Just use it! It's as important as syntax, spelling, and chosing the proper punctuation (contrary to "syntax, spelling and punctuation", because spelling and puctuation are not syntax, which is what the lack of an Oxford comma would imply).
I was always under the impression that you should never have a comma before the word 'and'. It wasn't until recently that I learned the Oxford comma was a thing and even now it always looks wrong to me.
