Jürgen Speaks: Oxford Commas

[kaasirpent]

Hello! Jürgen, here.

Vampire Weekend has a wonderful, catchy song called "Oxford Comma" which starts

Who gives a fuck about an Oxford comma?

For those of you who aren't grammar Nazis, the "Oxford comma" is that final comma in a list of items separated by commas.

At the grocery story, I bought milk, eggs, flour, cinnamon, and butter.

The one before "and butter."

In most cases, it's a matter of style whether you leave the Oxford comma off or use it. As long as you're consistent within a document, do as you please. It truly doesn't matter. Most of the time.

There are a few rare cases, however, where it changes the entire meaning of the sentence if you leave it out.

For instance, the other night, I went to dinner at Bones with my friend Zach and his parents, who were here in Atlanta and graciously invited me to join them. On the menu was something called a "Mixed Grill." Under the item, the description was given as

A six-ounce fillet, lamb and pheasant sausage.

Those of us at the table talked about whether this was two items

a fillet
a sausage made of both lamb and pheasant

or three items

a fillet
lamb
a sausage made of pheasant

We asked the server, and he said it was three distinct items. I halfway expected him to say, "You know, we get that question a lot," but he didn't. Hmph. Must not be as many grammar Nazis in Atlanta as I thought.

I debated telling the restaurant that they need a comma between "lamb" and "and."

But frankly, it was so good, they can do whatever they want. :)

I just thought it served as a good example why there are occasions when the Oxford comma isn't (or shouldn't be unless you're plying the reader with delicious, melt-in-your mouth fillet mignon, lamb chops, and pheasant sausage with a cherry demi-glace) optional.

Comments

for the record

[whitetigertail.livejournal.com]

I give a *flip* very much. I refuse to follow all those lazies out there who leave it out *because they can*. I am a perfectionist who delights in the Oxford comma.

[oxlahun.livejournal.com]

My favorite argument for the Oxford comma is the dedication "I would like to thank my parents, God and Ayn Rand."

[oneeyeddaruma.livejournal.com]

...even funnier than just the thought of God and Ayn Rand as a couple is the thought that he took her last name!

[siercia]

And here I was hoping for a 6 oz sausage made of filet, lamb and pheasant.

Not much of a mix to that grill, however!

[dorsai.livejournal.com]

Huh.

I never knew it had a name, but I had it drilled into me at a young age that one should always use the 'Oxford comma'. I'm otherwise terrible about proper use of commas, but this I am good at. :)

Thinking about it, though, I can see why the comma could be left off on the menu example you provided. As far as I remember, one doesn't use commas for a list of only two items; thus, the presence of the comma indicates that it's a list of more than two items, meaning that the lamb and pheasant aren't cohabiting inside the sausage.

Massachusetts Pedant Reporting In

[etherial.livejournal.com]

'Round here, it's called the Harvard Comma.

[kaasirpent]

I thought of that, but given the public understanding of grammar in this country...

Let's just say that I didn't feel that I could assume much. :)