Larry Gusaas said on 09.04.2007 01:25:
Peter Reaper wrote:
Larry Gusaas said on 08.04.2007 21:48:
Peter Reaper wrote:
Michael Adams said on 08.04.2007 15:59:
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The quoted article does not say it is mandatory in any way anywhere.
Yes it does. Re-read it. It says: "*Separate* three or more items in
a series with a comma." That sounds pretty mandatory to me.
http://www.drgrammar.org/faqs/#26
True, but that does not make the article correct .A was previously
posted by Adrian Try "It's interesting - I was taught at school not
to use a comma before the 'and' in a list." I was taught the same.
Did you look at the article in Wikipedia?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_comma
The issue is not as clearcut as you claim it is.
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Also, I was merely pointing out an error in Adrian's signature
(which appears in *every* post of his) in the hope that he would
*welcome* the opportunity to correct a highly visible (but minor)
error and that he might appreciate the opportunity to learn
something about the language he is using. He even *thanked* me for it.
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He was very polite. Did you look at the Wikipedia article he cited ?
The comma was not necessarily an error according to some other opinions.
Yes, I did read it. Interesting read! It is pretty clear there that in
*American* English, the serial comma is virtually always used (see
"Style guides") (AP are traitors ;-) ). I also found the reasons (see
"Ambiguity") *for* its use far more compelling than those *against*
its use.
I live in America. Which part of it are you referring to? North, South
or Central?
That's an irrelevant distinction. Have you read the thread and the wiki
page?
Anyhow, it's a minor issue, and I never intended to make it any more
than that.
I found it interesting that the old empire (UK) and its (former)
colonies have a different (IMO less ideal) convention/rule for this.
Thanks for the history lesson. I always thought that the U.S. of A. was
a former British colony.
It was. Relevance?
As usual 'Americans' - in this context meaning
citizens of the U.S. of A. - think their way is always the right way. :-)
Just because many Americans think their way is the right way doesn't
mean they are *automatically* wrong. My reasons for preferring the
serial comma are based on reason and not national pride.
--
Regards,
Peter Reaper
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