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malthaussen

(18,281 posts)

20. I submit there is a subtle difference you're ignoring.

Thu Aug 14, 2025, 09:13 AM

Aug 14

Say we have a sequence of individual items that are otherwise unrelated, eg "Dodgers, Phillies, and Braves." That is different from a series of items in which a pair are otherwise related, eg "John, Alfred, and Dick and Jane" where, eg again, Dick and Jane are a married couple or otherwise always spoken of together.

IOW, I submit that omitting the final comma suggests that the last two elements in the sentence are related in some way besides being in the list.

-- Mal

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And then there's the Oxford comma [View all] Oeditpus Rex Aug 12 OP

I love it. Guess you could say I love clarifying ambiguity. 🤭 Polly Hennessey Aug 12 #1

Why use it Oeditpus Rex Aug 12 #5

Personally, I prefer a consistent style. unblock Aug 12 #7

"I love my parents, bob and jane." unblock Aug 12 #6

That sentence could (and should) easily be recast: Oeditpus Rex Aug 12 #8

Not to forget the missing (or extra) apostrophe. erronis Aug 12 #2

It's an anti-hacking measure. Hackers inject some code there. Not sure why hacking is problem w titles, but not reply.nt Bernardo de La Paz Aug 12 #3

Like when Dodgers fans complain Oeditpus Rex Aug 12 #10

I still get tripped up frequently when constructing a possessive with names that end with 's'. erronis Aug 12 #11

Yep. The family Roberts. PoindexterOglethorpe Aug 12 #14

In recent decades? WestMichRad Aug 12 #15

I was taught Oeditpus Rex Aug 12 #17

That's how Strunk and White do it. malthaussen Aug 14 #19

"Its a shame about it's abuse! " PoindexterOglethorpe Aug 12 #13

I try to avoid ambiguity, but it always finds me. Harker Aug 12 #4

I feel the same way to. lpbk2713 Aug 12 #9

At least too of us. erronis Aug 12 #12

Got into a battle over the Oxford Coma LogDog75 Aug 12 #16

Understanding meaning is the entire point of grammar Oeditpus Rex Aug 12 #18

I submit there is a subtle difference you're ignoring. malthaussen Aug 14 #20

You're doing what many Oxford comma adherents do: Oeditpus Rex Aug 14 #21

Of course not. malthaussen Aug 14 #22

... Oeditpus Rex Aug 14 #23

Vampire Weekend Coventina Aug 15 #24

Word Crimes, eh? OldBaldy1701E Aug 15 #25