LITTLE OLD LADY WITH THE RED PURSE

Grammar Review #3 -- The Oxford Comma

The Little Old Lady With The Red Purse asked me to help her out in today’s blog because she’s busy drying out from the rain and still stuttering from the three huge deer that ran past her while she was hunting for the Oxford comma.

She wants you to know the Oxford comma is the final comma used in a series of three or more things right before the conjunction.

Example: The woods is full of deer, spiders, snakes, and squirrels.

The little squiggly punctuation mark was invented back in 1500 AD by Aldo Manuzo, a Venetian printer, to aid readers, eliminate confusion, clarify meaning, add emphasis, and dictate pace. Isn’t that interesting? Ha!

Everyone has seen the need for a comma in this joke: “Let’s eat Grandma.”

The Oxford comma was re-enforced in 1905 by several printers. But its name came from Horace Hart, who was the printer and controller at Oxford University Press, when he wrote The Oxford Style Guide for his employees.

For several decades now scholars have been arguing about the need for the Oxford comma. More recently, the trend is to use fewer commas especially in a series unless they are definitely needed for clarity. Journalists have adopted this because it saves space. So NOT using one has really caught on. What do you think?

Here is The Little Old Lady With The Red Purse explaining it a little more clearly.

So like it or not, the Oxford comma is definitely optional in 2024.

It’ll Be OK.

~~~

“I wish correcting grammar on public signs wasn’t considered vandalism.” ~ The Type Set Co.

If you enjoy these crazy, random, grammar reviews every few weeks, please recommend That’s Good To Know to your family & friends. I’ll be back next week to share another story about aging. Thanks!