Comments on: The Serial Comma is OK with Me http://www.dailywritingtips.com/the-serial-comma-is-ok-with-me/ Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:06:58 +0000 hourly 1 By: Bruce Kallick http://www.dailywritingtips.com/the-serial-comma-is-ok-with-me/comment-page-1/#comment-393812 Bruce Kallick Sun, 11 Dec 2011 09:29:48 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/?p=3880#comment-393812 To say that a certain statement is ambiguous to one person and not to another, or that it is ambiguous unless it is accompanied by examples, is a misuse of the word "ambiguous," it seems to me. To say that a certain statement is ambiguous to one person and not to another, or that it is ambiguous unless it is accompanied by examples, is a misuse of the word “ambiguous,” it seems to me.

]]> By: Maeve http://www.dailywritingtips.com/the-serial-comma-is-ok-with-me/comment-page-1/#comment-393800 Maeve Sat, 10 Dec 2011 22:55:54 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/?p=3880#comment-393800 Bruce, Re: <i>Strunk and White rule "In a series of three or more terms with a single conjunction, use a comma after each term except the last."</i> Taken with the examples, the rule probably isn't ambiguous for most readers, but I have had students who have asked me why the examples don't match the rule. They thought that the words "each term except the last" meant the last term before the conjunction. Really. Bruce,

Re: Strunk and White rule “In a series of three or more terms with a single conjunction, use a comma after each term except the last.”

Taken with the examples, the rule probably isn’t ambiguous for most readers, but I have had students who have asked me why the examples don’t match the rule. They thought that the words “each term except the last” meant the last term before the conjunction. Really.

]]> By: Bruce Kallick http://www.dailywritingtips.com/the-serial-comma-is-ok-with-me/comment-page-1/#comment-393707 Bruce Kallick Thu, 08 Dec 2011 10:53:32 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/?p=3880#comment-393707 Dear Maeve — Having disparaged "The Little Book" (Taking Another Look at Strunk and White), you now complain that its advice on the use of serial commas (In a series of three or more terms with a single conjunction, use a comma after each term except the last) seems ambiguous to you. To me it seems admirably clear and concise. What ambiguity do you perceive, I wonder? Dear Maeve — Having disparaged “The Little Book” (Taking Another Look at Strunk and White), you now complain that its advice on the use of serial commas (In a series of three or more terms with a single conjunction, use a comma after each term except the last) seems ambiguous to you. To me it seems admirably clear and concise. What ambiguity do you perceive, I wonder?

]]> By: Anto http://www.dailywritingtips.com/the-serial-comma-is-ok-with-me/comment-page-1/#comment-393472 Anto Wed, 30 Nov 2011 18:56:12 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/?p=3880#comment-393472 No I've never used it, must be what they taught in English at school. I also veer towards English spelling and away from American for the same reason probably. School for me was in Queensland during the 50's and 60's, which may help explain this habit. If I needed to justify not using the sc, the observation about commas actually standing in for conjunctions looks pretty sound to me. Also, the sc seems to my mind to introduce an element of plodding monotony to a sentence, but thats just me. No I’ve never used it, must be what they taught in English at school. I also veer towards English spelling and away from American for the same reason probably. School for me was in Queensland during the 50′s and 60′s, which may help explain this habit.
If I needed to justify not using the sc, the observation about commas actually standing in for conjunctions looks pretty sound to me.
Also, the sc seems to my mind to introduce an element of plodding monotony to a sentence, but thats just me.

]]> By: LInus http://www.dailywritingtips.com/the-serial-comma-is-ok-with-me/comment-page-1/#comment-393446 LInus Wed, 30 Nov 2011 01:29:44 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/?p=3880#comment-393446 No serial commas here. Just not the way I was taught the Queen's English. I may bow to or accept American English spellings but I draw the line at that. IMO, American English is dynamic, ever changing, so why not drop the redundant comma? No serial commas here. Just not the way I was taught the Queen’s English. I may bow to or accept American English spellings but I draw the line at that.
IMO, American English is dynamic, ever changing, so why not drop the redundant comma?

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