{"id":551736,"date":"2023-02-14T18:00:54","date_gmt":"2023-02-14T15:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/why-is-the-oxford-comma-called-the-oxford-comma-lifesavvy\/"},"modified":"2023-02-14T18:00:54","modified_gmt":"2023-02-14T15:00:54","slug":"why-is-the-oxford-comma-called-the-oxford-comma-lifesavvy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/why-is-the-oxford-comma-called-the-oxford-comma-lifesavvy\/","title":{"rendered":"#Why Is the Oxford Comma Called the Oxford Comma? \u2013 LifeSavvy"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3d8b16d9ec9\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3d8b16d9ec9\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/why-is-the-oxford-comma-called-the-oxford-comma-lifesavvy\/#%E2%80%9CWhy_Is_the_Oxford_Comma_Called_the_Oxford_Comma_%E2%80%93_LifeSavvy%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;Why Is the Oxford Comma Called the Oxford Comma? \u2013 LifeSavvy&#8221;<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-2' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/why-is-the-oxford-comma-called-the-oxford-comma-lifesavvy\/#What_Is_an_Oxford_Comma_Really\" >What Is an Oxford Comma, Really?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/why-is-the-oxford-comma-called-the-oxford-comma-lifesavvy\/#What_Is_The_Oxford_Commas_Namesake\" >What Is The Oxford Comma\u2019s Namesake<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/why-is-the-oxford-comma-called-the-oxford-comma-lifesavvy\/#The_Plot_Thickens\" >The Plot Thickens<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/why-is-the-oxford-comma-called-the-oxford-comma-lifesavvy\/#Should_You_Use_the_Oxford_Comma\" >Should You Use the Oxford Comma?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CWhy_Is_the_Oxford_Comma_Called_the_Oxford_Comma_%E2%80%93_LifeSavvy%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>&#8220;Why Is the Oxford Comma Called the Oxford Comma? \u2013 LifeSavvy&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<div id=\"article-content-area\">\n<figure style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"type:primaryImage size-full wp-image-161423\" data-pagespeed-no-defer=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lifesavvy.com\/p\/uploads\/2020\/10\/bbba2484.jpg?width=1200\" alt=\"A dictionary entry shows the definition of comma.\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"type:primaryImage imagecredit\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/image-photo\/close-old-english-dictionary-page-word-397540531\">TungCheung\/Shutterstock.com<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>If you didn\u2019t know about the Oxford comma <em>before<\/em>\u00a0the band Vampire Weekend arrived on the music scene in the mid-2000s, you probably did afterward; their third single was centered around the hotly debated piece of punctuation. But have you ever wondered <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/redirect.viglink.com\/?key=432db143fab4826620fe7b8eb31c6901&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.grammarly.com%2Fblog%2Fwhat-is-the-oxford-comma-and-why-do-people-care-so-much-about-it%2F&amp;cuid=xid:{xid}&amp;___trxnet=vg\">why the Oxford comma is called the Oxford comma<\/a> in the first place?<\/p>\n<p>The truth, it turns out, is quite a bit more complex than you might expect. Although it\u2019s widely accepted these days that the term \u201cOxford comma\u201d does, in fact, refer to the fact that this type of comma is well-known for its inclusion in the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/global.oup.com\/academic\/authors\/author-guidelines\/house-style\/\">Oxford University Press house style<\/a>, the actual history of the term is much hazier.<\/p>\n<p>What\u2019s more, the Oxford comma <em>itself<\/em> existed long before the Oxford University Press house style came along\u2014even if it didn\u2019t go by that name until recently. Here\u2019s everything you need to know about this divisive piece of punctuation.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Is_an_Oxford_Comma_Really\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"autotoc_anchor_0\">What Is an Oxford Comma, Really?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The term \u201cOxford comma\u201d is just another way to refer to a particular type of comma known more broadly as <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/global.oup.com\/academic\/authors\/author-guidelines\/house-style\/\">the serial comma<\/a>. The serial comma is used when listing three or more things in a series; specifically, it\u2019s the comma that appears immediately after the second-to-last item in the list and before the coordinating conjunction that leads into the final item.<\/p>\n<p>For example, in the following sentence:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cFilbert\u2019s spread of tea, jam, and spaghetti marinara was perhaps an unorthodox choice for breakfast, but he enjoyed it all the same.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>The comma between \u201cjam\u201d and the conjunction \u201cand\u201d is a serial comma.<\/p>\n<p>For what it\u2019s worth, Grammarly sums up the definition of the serial comma a bit more succinctly, calling it simply, \u201c<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/redirect.viglink.com\/?key=432db143fab4826620fe7b8eb31c6901&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.grammarly.com%2Fblog%2Foxford-comma-debate%2F&amp;cuid=xid:{xid}&amp;___trxnet=vg\">the last comma in a list<\/a> of three or more things\u201d; however, as many other definitions point out, the details do matter. The placement between the penultimate list item and the coordinating conjunction is specific to the serial comma. <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.inkforall.com\/comma-before-and\">If there\u2019s no coordinating conjunction<\/a>, then the comma that appears after that second-to-last item <em>isn\u2019t<\/em> a serial comma.\u00a0Note also that serial commas only appear in lists of three or more items; if you\u2019re only listing two items, no commas are used.<\/p>\n<div class=\"product-box  \">\n<div class=\"product-img product-img-noaward\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/m.media-amazon.com\/images\/I\/317Tv9y4GdL._SL160_.jpg\" height=\"147px\" width=\"147px\" alt=\"\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>There\u2019s evidence of the serial comma\u2019s use centuries ago; for example, it can be found in the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/firstfolio.bodleian.ox.ac.uk\/download\/pdfs\/F-mnd.pdf\">first folio of Shakespeare\u2019s <em>A Midsummer Night\u2019s Dream<\/em><\/a>, which was printed in 1623. The stage directions at the top of Act I, scene ii\u2014that is, the scene in which the \u201crude mechanicals\u201d are introduced\u2014state, \u201cEnter Quince the Carpenter, Snug the Ioyner, Bottome the Weauer, Flute the bellowes-mender, Snout the Tinker, and Starueling the Taylor.\u201d In this sentence, the comma following \u201cSnout the Tinker\u201d is a serial comma.<\/p>\n<p>Of course, this prompts the essential question: If the serial comma has been around for so long, why is it so frequently referred to as the <em>Oxford<\/em> comma today? The short answer is that the serial comma is used in the Oxford University Press\u2019 house style\u2014but of course, there\u2019s a lot more to it than just that.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Is_The_Oxford_Commas_Namesake\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"autotoc_anchor_1\">What Is The Oxford Comma\u2019s Namesake<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The Oxford University Press has long been known for its stringent style rules; indeed, it\u2019s been considered authoritative in this regard for over a century. The rules for the press\u2019 style were first codified\u00a0in <em>Hart\u2019s Rules for Compositors and Readers at the University Press, Oxford<\/em>\u2014the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/self.gutenberg.org\/articles\/Hart%27s_Rules?View=embedded%27\">style guide Horace Hart assembled<\/a> for internal use and circulated around the press starting around 1893.<\/p>\n<p><em>Hart\u2019s Rules<\/em> was later published as a reference book for the general public in 1904\u2014and although it doesn\u2019t refer specifically to the serial <em>or<\/em>\u00a0Oxford comma, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/archive.org\/details\/rulesforcomposi00bradgoog\/page\/n46\/mode\/2up\">it <em>does<\/em> include several examples<\/a> of correct comma usage that utilize the serial comma. For instance, the sentence \u201cPeter was a wise, holy, and energetic man\u201d is among the first listed in the section on commas.<\/p>\n<div class=\"product-box  \">\n<div class=\"product-img product-img-noaward\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/m.media-amazon.com\/images\/I\/4107tYwqrTL._SL160_.jpg\" height=\"147px\" width=\"147px\" alt=\"\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><em>Hart\u2019s Rules<\/em> is still in print today and is still used by the Oxford University Press as a style resource for its writers and editors\u2014although the press does note that its own <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/global.oup.com\/academic\/authors\/author-guidelines\/house-style\/\"><em>Instructions for Authors<\/em>\u00a0 \u201ctake[s] precedence\u201d<\/a> whenever there are any deviations between these <em>Instructions<\/em> and the current edition of <em>Hart\u2019s Rules.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The <em>Instructions for Authors<\/em>, which are available online, begin the section on Oxford University Press\u2019 (OUP) house style with the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/global.oup.com\/academic\/authors\/author-guidelines\/house-style\/\">\u201cSerial or Oxford comma.\u201d<\/a> This comma is, notes the guide, \u201ca hallmark of OUP house style and must be used in both British and US style.\u201d Its usage is described as follows: \u201cIn a list of three or more items, insert a comma before the \u2018and\u2019 or \u2018or.&#8217;\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, the current edition of <em>Hart\u2019s Rules<\/em>, titled <em><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/redirect.viglink.com\/?key=432db143fab4826620fe7b8eb31c6901&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3D3uwGtj8i_vkC%26amp%3Bpg%3DPA63%26amp%3Bsource%3Dgbs_toc_r%26amp%3Bcad%3D4%23v%3Donepage%26amp%3Bq%26amp%3Bf%3Dfalse&amp;cuid=xid:{xid}&amp;___trxnet=vg\">New Hart\u2019s Rules: The Handbook of Style for Writers and Editors<\/a><\/em>, notably includes this tidbit about the serial comma:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cSuch a comma is known as a serial comma. For a century it has been a part of Oxford University Press style to retain or impose this last comma consistently, to the extent that the convention has also come to be called the Oxford comma.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>These days, the OUP is almost inseparable from the comma that bears its name.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Plot_Thickens\"><\/span>The Plot Thickens<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"display: block; position: relative; z-index: 100; width: 44px; height: 44px; background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.65); float: right; margin-bottom: -44px;\"><br \/>\n<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/link\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lifesavvy.com%2F153535%2Fwhy-is-the-oxford-comma-called-the-oxford-comma%2F&amp;media=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lifesavvy.com%2Fp%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F10%2F81e81c1f.jpg&amp;description=Why+Is+the+Oxford+Comma+Called+the+Oxford+Comma%3F\" aria-label=\"Pin this on Pinterest\"><br \/>\n<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"44\" height=\"44\" viewbox=\"0 0 32 32\" role=\"img\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M15.164 18.532c-.011.039-.022.072-.03.106-.503 1.97-.56 2.408-1.076 3.322-.246.436-.524.847-.832 1.242-.034.044-.067.102-.136.088-.076-.016-.082-.084-.09-.145-.083-.599-.128-1.2-.108-1.803.026-.788.123-1.058 1.139-5.327a.295.295 0 0 0-.024-.178c-.244-.656-.291-1.32-.079-1.995.459-1.456 2.11-1.567 2.398-.366.178.743-.292 1.716-.653 3.152-.299 1.186 1.097 2.03 2.29 1.163 1.1-.798 1.527-2.71 1.446-4.067-.16-2.703-3.125-3.287-5.005-2.417-2.157.997-2.647 3.67-1.673 4.891.123.156.219.25.177.408-.062.245-.117.49-.185.734-.05.182-.202.247-.385.173a2.212 2.212 0 0 1-.9-.675c-.827-1.024-1.064-3.049.03-4.763 1.21-1.9 3.463-2.668 5.52-2.435 2.457.28 4.01 1.958 4.3 3.863.133.867.038 3.006-1.18 4.518-1.402 1.737-3.672 1.852-4.72.786-.08-.082-.145-.178-.224-.275\" fill=\"#FFF\"\/><\/g><\/svg><br \/>\n<\/span><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-161426\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.lifesavvy.com\/p\/uploads\/2020\/10\/81e81c1f.jpg\" alt=\"A comma is inscribed on a wooden block.\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><\/p>\n<p>But the plot thickens here as well: In Peter H. Sutcliffe\u2019s 1978 book\u00a0<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/redirect.viglink.com\/?key=432db143fab4826620fe7b8eb31c6901&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DrAUmnk2VNT4C%26amp%3Bprintsec%3Dfrontcover%23v%3Donepage%26amp%3Bq%3D%2522oxford%2520comma%2522%26amp%3Bf%3Dfalse&amp;cuid=xid:{xid}&amp;___trxnet=vg\"><em>The Oxford University Press: An Informal History<\/em><\/a>, the \u201cinvention\u201d of the Oxford comma is attributed not to <em>Hart\u2019s Rules\u00a0<\/em>or even to the Oxford University Press itself. Instead, it\u2019s attributed to indexer Frederick Howard Collins.<\/p>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/babel.hathitrust.org\/cgi\/pt?id=mdp.39015033595789&amp;view=1up&amp;seq=7\">Collins\u2019 <em>Author\u2019s and Printer\u2019s Dictionary<\/em><\/a>, which was originally published under the title <em>Author &amp; Printer: A Guide for Authors, Editors, Printers, Correctors of the Press Compositors, and Typists<\/em> in 1905, was an answer to some issues Collins had with <em>Hart\u2019s Rules<\/em>: They were, wrote Collins in the preface to the second edition (which was also printed in 1905), \u201cnot altogether in accordance with the practice of many of our best printers, and, being intended for compositors and readers only, was not sufficiently complete for authors.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"product-box  \">\n<div class=\"product-img product-img-noaward\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/m.media-amazon.com\/images\/I\/51NP0gKIeSL._SL160_.jpg\" height=\"147px\" width=\"147px\" alt=\"\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>The <em>Author\u2019s and Printer\u2019s Dictionary<\/em> has included a <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/babel.hathitrust.org\/cgi\/pt?id=mdp.39015033595789&amp;view=1up&amp;seq=36&amp;q1=comma\">subsection for the entry on \u201cand\u201d<\/a> since the very beginning which discusses \u201c, and\u201d\u2014that is, the serial comma (Remember, serial commas must appear before a coordinating conjunction, such as \u201cand.\u201d).\u00a0In this subsection, Collins points to Herbert Spencer as a definitive source on the serial comma, quoting a letter Spencer wrote at length:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cWhether to write \u2018black, white, and green,\u2019 with the comma after white, or to leave out the comma and write \u2018black, white and green\u2019\u2014I very positively decide in favour [sic] of the first. To me the comma is of value as marking out the component elements of a thought, and where any set of components of a thought are of equal value, they should be punctuated in printing and in speech equally. Evidently therefore in this case, inasmuch as when enumerating these colours [sic] black, white, and green, the white is just as much to be emphasized as the other two, it needs the pause after it just as much as the black does.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Spencer\u2019s letter makes what seems to be the first overt argument in favor of the serial comma laid down in any grammatical or style guide up until that point\u2014including <em>Hart\u2019s Rules.<\/em> It\u2019s perhaps for that reason that Sutcliffe attributes the <em>Author\u2019s and Printer\u2019s Dictionary<\/em> with the \u201cinvention\u201d of this kind of comma, despite evidence of its usage in print several hundred years previously.<\/p>\n<p>For what it\u2019s worth, the <em>Oxford English Dictionary<\/em> itself currently lists Sutcliffe\u2019s book as the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/redirect.viglink.com\/?key=432db143fab4826620fe7b8eb31c6901&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.oed.com%2Fview%2FEntry%2F135568%3FredirectedFrom%3Doxford%2Bcomma%23eid32306909&amp;cuid=xid:{xid}&amp;___trxnet=vg\">first recorded instance<\/a> of the phrase \u201cOxford comma.\u201d The context within the book itself seems to imply that the term was already known at that point\u2014which, as <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/comdesres.com\/origin-of-the-oxford-comma\/\">Jasso Lamberg pointed out<\/a> at\u00a0his website Comdesres in 2015, is a little weird (Wrote Lamberg, \u201cNot to criticize the OED, but it seems a bit incredible that the first ever usage of the term in print would be so late. Especially as the text seems to refer to the term as something commonly known.\u201d)\u2014but, alas, that\u2019s where the written trail of the phrase itself seems to go cold.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Should_You_Use_the_Oxford_Comma\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"autotoc_anchor_3\">Should You Use the Oxford Comma?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Regardless of how the Oxford comma got its name, there\u2019s one other key element to the story: The debate over whether or not the Oxford or serial comma should be used in the first place.<\/p>\n<p>Although many other style guides beyond the Oxford University Press\u2019 house style, such as\u00a0<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/cmosshoptalk.com\/2020\/02\/11\/oxford-chicago-and-the-serial-comma\/\">Chicago Style<\/a> and <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/apastyle.apa.org\/style-grammar-guidelines\/punctuation\/serial-comma\">APA Style<\/a>, stipulate the use of the Oxford comma, others, such as the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/redirect.viglink.com\/?key=432db143fab4826620fe7b8eb31c6901&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.grammarly.com%2Fblog%2Fwhat-is-the-oxford-comma-and-why-do-people-care-so-much-about-it%2F&amp;cuid=xid:{xid}&amp;___trxnet=vg\">AP Style guide<\/a> used in journalism and reporting, do not. Additionally, many grammarians feel quite strongly about whether or not the Oxford comma is indeed correct\u2014and are willing to defend that position on public forums quite fiercely. So: What gives?<\/p>\n<p>Interestingly, the arguments both for and against the use of the Oxford comma usually revolve around ambiguity. Those who argue <em>for<\/em> the use of the serial comma note that omitting it can often create ambiguity in a sentence\u2014and frequent ambiguity that can render the sentence absurd at that.<\/p>\n<div class=\"product-box  \">\n<div class=\"product-img product-img-noaward\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/m.media-amazon.com\/images\/I\/51GpOBwc1CL._SL160_.jpg\" height=\"147px\" width=\"147px\" alt=\"\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>A frequently cited example involves a (probably apocryphal) book dedication, which, when written without an Oxford comma, reads, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mentalfloss.com\/article\/33637\/best-shots-fired-oxford-comma-wars\">\u201cTo my parents, Ayn Rand and God\u201d<\/a>\u2014the implication being that the writer\u2019s parents are Ayn Rand and God. However, placing an Oxford comma after \u201cAyn Rand\u201d and before the conjunction \u201cand\u201d resolves the ambiguity: When written as such, it reads, \u201cTo my parents, Ayn Rand, and God,\u201d making it much clearer that the parents, Ayn Rand, and God are all separate entities.<\/p>\n<p>However, as Gus Lubin pointed out at Business Insider in 2013, a minor change to the book dedication example shows <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/do-you-need-the-oxford-comma-2013-9\">how the Oxford comma can create ambiguity<\/a>\u00a0as well.\u00a0If instead of \u201cTo my parents, Ayn Rand, and God,\u201d the dedication reads \u201cTo my mother, Ayn Rand, and God,\u201d it\u2019s unclear whether the mother and Ayn Rand are separate entities, or whether Ayn Rand is <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/redirect.viglink.com\/?key=432db143fab4826620fe7b8eb31c6901&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.grammarly.com%2Fblog%2Fappositive%2F&amp;cuid=xid:{xid}&amp;___trxnet=vg\">an appositive referring to the mother<\/a>\u2014that is, that the mother <em>is<\/em> Ayn Rand.\u00a0In this case, the ambiguity is resolved with the removal of the Oxford comma: \u201cTo my mother, Ayn Rand and God.\u201d<\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<p>These days, whether or not you use the Oxford comma is as much about personal preference as it is about whether you\u2019re writing for a particular audience. Love it or hate it, you\u2019ll always have to think about it. Choose wisely\u2014and if you get stuck on whether or not to use it, you can always <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=P_i1xk07o4g\">hum this song<\/a> to help yourself out.\n<\/div>\n<p><script>\nsetTimeout(function(){\n  !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)\n  {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?\n  n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};\n  if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';\n  n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;\n  t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];\n  s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window, document,'script',\n  'https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');\n  fbq('init', '267914477473431');\n  fbq('track', 'PageView');\n  },3000);\n<\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Technology category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.lifesavvy.com\/153535\/why-is-the-oxford-comma-called-the-oxford-comma\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Why Is the Oxford Comma Called the Oxford Comma? \u2013 LifeSavvy&#8221; TungCheung\/Shutterstock.com If you didn\u2019t know about the Oxford comma before\u00a0the band Vampire Weekend arrived on the music scene in the mid-2000s, you probably did afterward; their third single was centered around the hotly debated piece of punctuation. But have you ever wondered why the&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":551737,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.lifesavvy.com\/p\/uploads\/2020\/10\/bbba2484.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-551736","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/551736","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=551736"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/551736\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/551737"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=551736"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=551736"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=551736"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}