Peter Reaper wrote:
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.
Is it? You said American English, not U.S. English. American could be
anywhere on tow continents.
Have you read the thread and the wiki page?
Of course. I wasn't sure you had read the Wikipedia article by your
previous comments.
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?
You stated that "the old empire (UK) and its (former) colonies have a
different (IMO less ideal) convention/rule for this". Since the U.S.A.
was a former colony, I was wondering who has the different rule that you
refer to.
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.
I never said they were.
My reasons for preferring the serial comma are based on reason and not
national pride.
Good. You have learnt something. Previously you were vehemently
insisting that using the serial comma was the only right way. Now you
acknowledge that it is just a preference.
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