Comma Of The Week (2)
Where do you stand on the Oxford Comma? Are you a
Rees-Moggite or do you think it has a place?
A couple of years ago I pointed out what can go wrong if a
comma is omitted or incorrectly placed (https://windowthroughtime.wordpress.com/2017/03/26/comma-of-the-week/)
and the issue has raised its head once more.
Some time ago you would have taken it as read that the
British Library would have the last word on all matters grammatical. But not
these days. A new sign erected outside its prestigious London building has
divided the social media world. Should the sentence “The whole wealth of
human knowledge, endeavour and experience to date” have had a comma after
endeavour?
I’m no grammarian but I always use an Oxford comma if I am
listing three or more items so by my yardstick, there should have been one on
the sign. Others, though, think it is just a vulgar Americanism and if the
sentence makes sense without one, leave it out.
I think this debate will outrun even Brexit.
