Monday, March 21, 2016

Oxford comma battle

My husband and I have only two areas of contention. Not bad for being together going on four years.


The garbage can under the sink and the Oxford comma.
I collect compost in a cute little can on top of the counter and throw it out immediately. He has this ugly, space taking thing that is under the sink and the top opens each time you open the door forcing me to look at and smell garbage. Our cans, bottles, papers are stored separately for easier disposal. We are agreed there.

Now for the Oxford comma.  He's pro and I'm ante.
What is a comma for when used in a series? It is a replacement for the word and.
"By remembering that the listing comma is a substitute for the word and, writers can avoid error by mentally replacing each comma in a list of adjectives with the word and." http://www.dailywritingtips.com/when-a-comma-means-and/
Try, whenever you see the comma before the word and, read it aloud and say and for the comma and see how it sounds. 

Example:
  1. Jane, Bill, and Joan went shopping.
  2. Jane, Bill and-and Joan went shopping
Who knows, you might like the and-and or you might want to get help for stuttering. 

As for the garbage under the sink. He is going to the states next month. I will borrow an axe from a neighbor while he is in the States later in April. It will feel good to destroy that bloody can.
Never again will I be faced with looking at or smelling garbage when I am reaching for a sponge, laundry detergent, etc.

As for the comma, I will read his stuff and stutter along with the ,and or and-and.
I do love him more than garbage and comma issues.



1 comment:

Ginger Dawn...A Spice Below The Horizon said...

I was always told to not do the oxford comma by an editor. The reason for this is the audience of readers are more for the comma. It is a flow issue for some I guess. Lets face it... the only people that I see who use the oxford comma are from certain places in Europe.