Visual aid for the final serial comma
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If you ever have trouble remembering a minimal contrast for the final serial comma, a.k.a. the Oxford comma, here's a little visual help:
Strippers, JFK, and Stalin
(via Jeff Bishop)
Tal Cohen said,
September 18, 2011 @ 4:57 pm
But contrast that with using the Oxford Comma on the singular:
* We invited the stripper, JFK and Stalin.
* We invited the stripper, JFK, and Stalin.
Now it's the comma that introduces the oddity.
(Source: http://musingsofabibliophile.tumblr.com/post/10317862120/lesserjoke-musingsofabibliophile)
Sili said,
September 18, 2011 @ 5:54 pm
Plenty of those working for Oxford University Press, I'm sure.
Look. I hate the serial comma as much as the next guy, but learn to do some research before spouting off like this. This is hardly a new subject on LL, let alone the Internet.
[(myl) Thanks, Sili. I deleted the original comment, since the essential bit is preserved in your quote. After an appeal from Suzanne Kemmer, who's on a train to Nagoya, I've closed comments on this thread and deleted a few other existing comments for irrelevance, rudeness, lack of substantive or amusing content, etc.
In trade, here's a link to an earlier LL post which has 34 mostly relevant, civil, and informative comments, along with some useful links to posts elsewhere (and to Vampire Weekend's Oxford Comma anthem): "Merle Haggard's ex-wives", 10/24/2010.]
Steve Kass said,
September 18, 2011 @ 6:12 pm
[Shameless plug for the Cereal Comma.]
lukys said,
September 18, 2011 @ 6:47 pm
Solution: Speak Lojban!
Carl Offner said,
September 18, 2011 @ 8:35 pm
The joke I've always heard in this respect is about the student who dedicated his thesis to "my parents, the Pope and Mother Theresa."