Are adjectival commas on the way out?

[Robinne Weiss]

I didn't even know I was a fan of the oxford comma until I looked up oxford comma.

So, speaking of commas...
I've been going through the manuscript I just got back from the assessor, and one of the things she notes is that I need to check to make sure my use (or not) of the Oxford comma is consistent throughout. I'm having trouble, though. In general, I prefer to leave it out where it doesn't clarify meaning (simple lists, like 'lock, stock and barrel'; I mean, why waste the ink, right? ). But when a list is more complex, I find the comma necessary to help the reader understand the sentence. Is it okay to be inconsistent? Or should I add the comma into the simple lists, because I use it in the complex ones? Or do I take it out of the complex ones and say "to hell with the reader!" Or do I ignore it altogether and go with whatever the publisher wants at some point in the mythical future when the book is published?

 

[Alistair Roberts]

In the end the point of the comma, is to make the sentence make sense. It can affect the whole meaning of a sentence, but I don't think there is an exact answer, to this curly question.

 

[Alistair Roberts]

And this from George Takei, taken from an advertising sign, to which he says grammar (or comma) matters. >
"Try our new baked beans and lemonade."
Leaving out the comma brings a whole new meaning to the sentence, and not one I'd care to try!!

 

[Bernard Stacey]

Presumably this means that Heston Blumental has never heard of commas for how else could someone come up with bacon ice cream?

 

[Nicole Wilson]

And this from George Takei, taken from an advertising sign, to which he says grammar (or comma) matters. >
"Try our new baked beans and lemonade."
Leaving out the comma brings a whole new meaning to the sentence, and not one I'd care to try!!

I saw that pic on Facebook too, but a comma wouldn't go there. Since there are only two list items, that pic is actually grammatically correct. Awkward and should have been reworded, but technically correct.

 

[Alistair Roberts]

I'd actually disagree, "baked beans, and lemonade", separates them (more) as two separate items rather than two ingredients of one item. At least I hope so otherwise, yuck!

 

[Nicole Wilson]

I'd actually disagree, "baked beans, and lemonade", separates them (more) as two separate items rather than two ingredients of one item. At least I hope so otherwise, yuck!

It's possible that this is a styling issue between US and other countries, but in a list of two, there's not supposed to be a comma. They should have said "Lemonade and baked beans" as that would have separated the baked from the lemonade, but grammatically what they put is correct. Only if there are three list items should there be a comma (and even that's debated).

 

[Amber Zade]

Yes, usually a comma would be two items. My understanding was the Oxford comma has to do with whether to put a comma in a list of two or more items. For instance, I had coffee, a banana, and a pastry for breakfast. The comma before the and .... my understanding is that some people like to leave it in ... I like to leave it there.

 

[Nicole Wilson]

The Oxford comma is for a series, which is three or more items. Though it's debated on its usefulness, it's only for 3+. Generally no comma is between just two items.

Here are a couple of references:
For two items
For the Oxford/serial comma

 

[Amber Zade]

The Oxford comma is for a series, which is three or more items. Though it's debated on its usefulness, it's only for 3+. Generally no comma is between just two items.

Here are a couple of references:
For two items
For the Oxford/serial comma

LOL ... I can't tell you if you're telling me I have it wrong or whether you're agreeing with me. I guess I'll go read the references.