We focus on pronunciation and fluency in the Pronunciation Pro Course, but this article will teach you a helpful Grammar tip to continue to help you learn!
So, you don’t know what the Oxford comma is, and you’re afraid to ask at this point?
It’s actually a tricky subject. That’s why the Oxford comma debate has been raging for so many years.
Fortunately, we’ve put together the ultimate guide to the Oxford comma. This is your chance to learn what it is, why it’s important, and why it keeps making everyone so angry.
What Is the Oxford Comma?
Imagine you are writing a list of things to pick up from the store. You might write “I need milk, eggs, and cheese.”
The Oxford comma is the comma you put after the next to last item in the list. It is also referred to as “the serial comma.”
This may sound straightforward. However, no one can really get on the same page when it comes to these commas.
The Oxford Comma Debate
As you know, there are very few stylistic grammar rules that are set in stone. Mostly, how you write certain things is determined by very specific style guides.
For example, journalism and other disciplines uses the AP style guide. And to this day, the AP style guide does not recommend using the Oxford comma.
According to the AP guide, our previous sentence would look like this: “I need milk, eggs and cheese.”‘
Words Mean Things
Beyond style guide preferences, debate over the Oxford comma is so intense because commas change the meaning of sentences. This means that adding or deleting an Oxford comma may dramatically change how your audience reads what you have written.
For example, let’s say you are texting your grandmother that is it time to eat dinner. Do you send “let’s eat, grandma” or “let’s eat grandma”?
In the first example, the serial comma puts a helpful pause in the message. In the second example, it looks like you are about to cannibalize your grandmother!
This is why some people think this debate goes beyond a style guide. If someone cannot understand what you have written, then whether you have the blessing of a style guide is relatively meaningless.
The need for clear communication is even more important in industries involving the medical field.
The Debate Deepens
You may not have expected a court of law to weigh in on this matter. However, thanks to a lawsuit, that is exactly what happened.
According to an old Maine law, employees could not receive overtime for doing certain kinds of jobs. Part of the law was written as “packing for shipment or distribution” of various goods.
The company Oakhurst Dairy tried to argue its drivers did not qualify for overtime because they only distributed and did not pack. The drivers pointed out that without the comma, it seemed as if packing was the only thing excluded.
The judge decided in favor of the drivers, and this cost Oakhurst $10 million dollars. All because of a missing comma!
The Bottom Line
Now you know all about the Oxford comma debate. But do you know who can help you really master the language?
At PronunciationPro, we have developed a system to help everyone speak English with ease and without an accent. To see how to get started, check out our competitive pricing packages today!
