And then finally, Google Books. Again, maybe someone in academia would have had access to this but I was able to see scans of the original style guide that recommended the serial comma and the original style guide that had the rule against splitting infinitives.And for a language geek like me , that was so exciting to see the actual scans.
So because it was the Oxford University Press website and they write for newspapers and newspapers tend not to use the serial comma and that was why they had the advice not to use the serial comma . But everyone freaked out because if Oxford University didn't use the Oxford comma anymore, that would be sacrilege. And they quickly issued a statement and it was fun, excitement in the grammar world, kind of like +1'ing .
everyone. Good. So the serial comma is this comma before the final ëandí in a list. 'The lions COMMA tigers COMMA and bears'. Oh my. Itís that comma before the 'and'. Itís called the 'serial comma ' because you use it in a serial, a series like this. And it's also called the 'Oxford comma' because it's used by the Oxford University Press which is one of the biggest presses in the world. And there was a big kerfuffle a couple weeks
sheet. But it was actually for the PR department when you downloaded the whole .PDF, it was clear it was just for one department and the press often use, the press, I should back up. The serial comma is a style. So a lot of people will learn either you always use it or you never use it and they think that everyone else is wrong. But it's actually a style choice. So book publishers like Oxford University Press and the Chicago Manual of Style, they use the serial comma . But the Associated Press doesn't. They say to leave
So. Boy. Okay. Serial comma . Who knows what the serial comma is? Everyone? No. Good. Not everyone. Good. So the serial comma is this comma before the final ëandí in a list. 'The lions COMMA tigers COMMA and bears'. Oh my. Itís that comma before the 'and'. Itís called the 'serial comma ' because you use it in a serial, a series like this.
it out unless it causes confusion. So that's why you'll see it done both ways. So the other people who do it the way you donít do it are not wrong. It's just a style choice. So because it was the Oxford University Press website and they write for newspapers and newspapers tend not to use the serial comma and that was why they had the advice not to use the serial comma . But everyone freaked out because if Oxford University didn't use the Oxford comma anymore, that would be sacrilege. And they quickly issued a statement and it
and Jackie Kennedy.' Now that's really clear with the commas but if you leave out that second comma, you get 'To my parents, the Pope and Jackie Kennedy.' [audience laughter] So it's a made up example but there are instances where you need a serial comma to avoid confusion and often it's when the last things in your list could be paired in some way. We'll talk about ëlessí and ëfewerí. This is a commonly, commonly confused words. So this is Aardvark again. As I said, he likes
things you should look at. It's not God. It's not always right. I'm amazed how many people will just accept what Spell Checker tells them. It's very dangerous. So. Boy. Okay. Serial comma . Who knows what the serial comma is? Everyone? No. Good. Not everyone. Good. So the serial comma is this comma before the final ëandí in a list. 'The lions COMMA tigers COMMA and bears'. Oh my. Itís that comma before the
up. The serial comma is a style. So a lot of people will learn either you always use it or you never use it and they think that everyone else is wrong. But it's actually a style choice. So book publishers like Oxford University Press and the Chicago Manual of Style, they use the serial comma . But the Associated Press doesn't. They say to leave it out unless it causes confusion. So that's why you'll see it done both ways. So the other people who do it the way you donít do it are not wrong. It's just a style choice.
was fun, excitement in the grammar world, kind of like +1'ing . So, so here's an example, so people will say, 'Well, when would it ever be confusing to not have the serial comma ?' So this is a hypothetical book dedication: 'To my parents, the Pope, and Jackie Kennedy.' Now that's really clear with the commas but if you leave out that second comma, you get 'To my parents, the Pope and Jackie Kennedy.' [audience