Front Office Football Central - View Single Post - Grammar Police

revrew · 04-13-2008, 02:24 PM

dbd1963 - Dude, it's OFF-TOPIC for a reason. We scratch our balls in the on-topic forum. Here, we only scratch them if we can do it in a grammatically correct manner.

I am increasingly aggravated with the virtual elimination of the serial comma in today's writing. It is becoming widely accepted, especially in my field (publishing; I'm an editor by trade), to drop that last comma in a series: "planes, trains and automobiles" rather than "planes, trains, and automobiles." NOOO!

Here is a case where saving the extra keystroke actually hinders clear communications. I recall reading several articles where I read a series, only to be seriously confused by it, when placing the comma would have clarified the meaning. The serial comma should NOT be dropped. It is NOT acceptable to omit it. Period. I don't give a fig what the almighty Usage Panel says. Sticklers, unite!

04-13-2008, 02:24 PM	#178
revrew Team Chaplain Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Just outside Des Moines, IA	dbd1963 - Dude, it's OFF-TOPIC for a reason. We scratch our balls in the on-topic forum. Here, we only scratch them if we can do it in a grammatically correct manner. I am increasingly aggravated with the virtual elimination of the serial comma in today's writing. It is becoming widely accepted, especially in my field (publishing; I'm an editor by trade), to drop that last comma in a series: "planes, trains and automobiles" rather than "planes, trains, and automobiles." NOOO! Here is a case where saving the extra keystroke actually hinders clear communications. I recall reading several articles where I read a series, only to be seriously confused by it, when placing the comma would have clarified the meaning. The serial comma should NOT be dropped. It is NOT acceptable to omit it. Period. I don't give a fig what the almighty Usage Panel says. Sticklers, unite! __________________ Winner of 6 FOFC Scribe Awards, including 3 Gold Scribes Founder of the ZFL, 2004 Golden Scribe Dynasty of the Year Now bringing The Des Moines Dragons back to life, and the joke's on YOU, NFL! I came to the Crossroad. I took it. And that has made all the difference.