Serial Comma Rules- Page 2
Serial Comma Rules
Phyllis Rogers Stone
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/16/07
#25re: Serial Comma Rules
Posted: 9/28/09 at 10:19am
Well, if they were addressing someone (Jane, in this case), wouldn't that be in quotation marks?
I just don't think there's as much ambiguity as others seem to think when it comes to not using a serial comma.
#26re: Serial Comma Rules
Posted: 9/28/09 at 10:23am
Yes, but imagine a book starting with a phone conversation, and the opening line is the one I suggested.
You won't know if I am talking to Jane or about Jane until something tips you off. The serial comma would tip you off.
It's just one example--and this is just my opinion--but I do think it avoids ambiguity.
Phyllis Rogers Stone
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/16/07
#27re: Serial Comma Rules
Posted: 9/28/09 at 10:29am
I don't know if that's a good example, because may books deliberately start on ambiguous notes.
And really if the book began with someone on the phone saying, "Jane, Phyllis and Tazber went to France," you'd assume in the next few lines you're going to find out who the caller is talking to.
#28re: Serial Comma Rules
Posted: 9/28/09 at 10:34amProbably. And if you want the reader to have to wait to find out, then no serial comma is the way to go. If you don't, then I'd recommend the serial comma.
Phyllis Rogers Stone
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/16/07
#30re: Serial Comma Rules
Posted: 9/28/09 at 10:38am
How about this:
"For her fifth birthday, young Liza Minnelli was given her very own camera and taken by Judy and Vincente to her first movie premiere. She enjoyed the film very much, and afterward took a picture of her parents, the star and director."
How many people were in the picture?
Updated On: 9/28/09 at 10:38 AM
#31re: Serial Comma Rules
Posted: 9/28/09 at 10:43amIf you're counting personalities, it really depends on how early in the day Liza took the photo.
Phyllis Rogers Stone
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/16/07
#32re: Serial Comma Rules
Posted: 9/28/09 at 10:55am
Plus, I've come into that paragraph without the need for context clues, except that you didn't say what the premiere was of, so who knows if it was a different star and director? A serial comma ain't gonna help that either way.
Sure, if it's going to cause unnecessary ambiguity, use it. But I still in think most cases it's unnecessary.
#33re: Serial Comma Rules
Posted: 9/28/09 at 10:59amThis thread went from informative to hilarious.
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
#35re: Serial Comma Rules
Posted: 9/28/09 at 12:38pmWho knew that a thread about commas could inspire the same passion that's usually reserved for a LuPone vs Peters thread?
#36re: Serial Comma Rules
Posted: 9/28/09 at 1:02pm
Continuing along the Liza angle:
"Liza, Lorna and Joey stopped doing drugs."
How many of Judy's kids does that sentence tell you stopped doing drugs?
(a) One.
(b) Two.
(c) Three.
(d) [Insert snarky response of your own.]
#37re: Serial Comma Rules
Posted: 9/28/09 at 1:35pm
I love the Oxford comma. I never used to use it, but it great on me. It really does add just a smidgen of extra clarity, so why not?
GodDAMN but I will never not grin like a loon when I see Phyllis's avatar. XD
#38re: Serial Comma Rules
Posted: 9/28/09 at 2:04pmThanks for that Cal! I recently posted a "s'" and was told it was wrong so I have been wondering what the rule was exactly.
TheatreDiva90016
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/10/04
#39re: Serial Comma Rules
Posted: 9/28/09 at 2:09pmNow I feel bad that Jane got screwed out of a trip to London.
#40re: Serial Comma Rules
Posted: 9/28/09 at 2:15pm
Well, in one of my examples she did go.
It's just that without the serial comma, we'll never know . . .
#41re: Serial Comma Rules
Posted: 9/28/09 at 4:19pm
#42re: Serial Comma Rules
Posted: 9/28/09 at 4:24pmI don't use a comma before the last item in a series, but that's been messing me up when it comes to APA style. It seems like it's better to include it and have it edited out than leave it off, as a rule of thumb.
#43re: Serial Comma Rules
Posted: 9/28/09 at 4:25pmCan you be arrested for being a serial comma?
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
#45re: Serial Comma Rules
Posted: 9/28/09 at 7:33pm
When I took a creative writing class in college we would workshop each other's pieces. Each student would have a copy and read along while the writer read aloud. We would correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors as well as make notes on story content. The writer would have to read all of the comments and make appropriate changes.
Anyway, I was one of the oldest students in the class and was noticing that I seemed to be the only student using the serial comma. I would add it to the copy I had but the students never added it in their revisions. Finally, I spoke up during one of our discussions and asked if the rules had changed since I had learned it. The professor said that in her class I was right and the others were wrong since she adhered to MLA format. Before that I was unaware that it was even considered correct to not use it since all of my papers had to be written in MLA style and it was what I learned in elementary school.
#46re: Serial Comma Rules
Posted: 9/28/09 at 8:23pmI think that GM should add fruit flavored commas to its Lucky Charms and have cereal commas.
Phyllis Rogers Stone
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/16/07
#47re: Serial Comma Rules
Posted: 9/28/09 at 9:23pm
I did not make this, but I found it on the internets.
Phyllis Rogers Stone
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/16/07
#48re: Serial Comma Rules
Posted: 9/28/09 at 9:24pmAlso when I first saw this thread I thought it was going to be singing the praises of the serial comma. But I guess then it would have been "Serial Comma Rules!"
#49re: Serial Comma Rules
Posted: 9/28/09 at 10:54pm
Maybe we should turn our attention to the vexing problem of commas, quotation marks, and question marks...
Inside or outside?
Phyllis Rogers Stone
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/16/07
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