Comments on: Happy Punctuation Day!

By: Kris Amundson

Kris Amundson — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 21:47:52 +0000

I am delighted to say that while Ed Sector usually abides by the dictates of the AP Stylebook, we are strongly in favor of the serial comma. I knew I liked these people.

By: Sara

Sara — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 21:20:29 +0000

Wow, your journalist daughter could not disagree more with you. While I agree that it is at times necessary (as in your sentence above), many other times it is simply a waste of space. AP Stylebook FTW!

By: Steve Vaughan

Steve Vaughan — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 19:43:26 +0000

How about “To my parents, to Mother Teresa and to Pope John Paul II?” Much better.

By: Kris Amundson

Kris Amundson — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 15:31:58 +0000

Not so much. Here’s my favorite example of a sentence that needs a serial comma. (This is from a book dedication.) “To my parents, Mother Teresa and Pope John Paul II.” Means something altogether different when you write, “To my parents, Mother Teresa, and Pope John Paul II.”

By: Steve Vaughan

Steve Vaughan — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 14:52:09 +0000

Oh no, Kris. I’ve always liked you, but your support for the serial comma makes me question my judgement. The serial comma is unecessary and ugly. Away with it!