Katie needed something edited so I got out a pen and started reading. And when I needed to verify a certain grammatical rule I pulled out the old Chicago Manual of Style...and spent the next 30 minutes reading it like a novel. Because what the real party girls do on a Thursday night is read up on the proper use of a comma in a compound sentence. (Conclusion: historically, yes. But used more so now only if it is needed to clear up ambiguities.)
While we're on the subject, I'd like to go on the record as stating I am for the Oxford, or serial, comma, even though it is going the way of Pluto. I think it helps in clarification, continuity, and aesthetics.
And now I'm going to go put on a muumuu and find myself a few cats because I'm going to be alone for the rest of my life if I keep talking about commas.
Sign me up for the proliferation of the Oxford comma. There was an NPR blog post about it a while back. I'll see if I can find it.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2011/06/30/137525211/going-going-and-gone-no-the-oxford-comma-is-safe-for-now?ft=1&f=93568166
ReplyDeleteThat was quicker than I expected.
I don't mind the oxford comma, but I'm not entirely sold on it. I think there are instances where we don't need superfluous punctuation.
ReplyDeleteNerds unite!
I use as many commas as I can. So I am with you on that Oxford comma business. And Rachel, if you didn't keep us informed on the ever-changing rules of punctuation, we would all be at sea, grammatically speaking.
ReplyDeleteI'm casting my vote for use of the Oxford comma as well. One of my daughters and I had a long coversation about this just a few weeks ago...so, you're not alone in your ponderings along these lines.
ReplyDeletethen we'll be alone together.
ReplyDelete