Comments on: In Praise of the Serial Comma http://booksquare.com/in-praise-of-the-serial-comma/ Dissecting the publishing industry with love and skepticism Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:02:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Maxine http://booksquare.com/in-praise-of-the-serial-comma/comment-page-1/#comment-118385 Maxine Fri, 10 Feb 2006 22:19:14 +0000 http://www.booksquare.com/archives/2006/02/09/1802/#comment-118385 Have you read "Eats, shoots and leaves" by Lyn Truss? Sounds as if you have much in common with her. I found out on Saturday that Kurt Vonnegut does not believe in the semi colon. It is my favourite piece of punctuation. Have you read “Eats, shoots and leaves” by Lyn Truss? Sounds as if you have much in common with her.
I found out on Saturday that Kurt Vonnegut does not believe in the semi colon. It is my favourite piece of punctuation.

]]> By: SusanGable http://booksquare.com/in-praise-of-the-serial-comma/comment-page-1/#comment-118381 SusanGable Fri, 10 Feb 2006 14:30:00 +0000 http://www.booksquare.com/archives/2006/02/09/1802/#comment-118381 While I am in complete agreement with the need for the serial comma, in Jill's sort of defense (g), I have to tell you all that the publisher Jill (and I) writes for doesn't use it. It's against the house style. Which irks me. I think it's needed. And as I haven't been able to retrain myself (restrain myself? LOL) from using it, my mss get turned in with the dasardly (CORRECT!) piece of punctuation. I also haven't retrained myself to stop putting two spaces after the period when I type. (I do, however, think dessert before veggies is NOT a criminal act. And I do have a set way I like the TP hung in my house. LOL.) While I am in complete agreement with the need for the serial comma, in Jill’s sort of defense (g), I have to tell you all that the publisher Jill (and I) writes for doesn’t use it. It’s against the house style.

Which irks me. I think it’s needed. And as I haven’t been able to retrain myself (restrain myself? LOL) from using it, my mss get turned in with the dasardly (CORRECT!) piece of punctuation. I also haven’t retrained myself to stop putting two spaces after the period when I type.

(I do, however, think dessert before veggies is NOT a criminal act. And I do have a set way I like the TP hung in my house. LOL.)

]]> By: ed http://booksquare.com/in-praise-of-the-serial-comma/comment-page-1/#comment-118377 ed Fri, 10 Feb 2006 05:51:27 +0000 http://www.booksquare.com/archives/2006/02/09/1802/#comment-118377 Meow, he said. He also quoted Chandler, "When I split an infinitive, God damn it, I split it so it will stay split and when I interrupt the velvety smoothness of my more or less literate syntax with a few sudden words of bar-room vernacular, that is done with the eyes wide open and the mind relaxed and attentive." Meow, he said. He also quoted Chandler, “When I split an infinitive, God damn it, I split it so it will stay split and when I interrupt the velvety smoothness of my more or less literate syntax with a few sudden words of bar-room vernacular, that is done with the eyes wide open and the mind relaxed and attentive.”

]]> By: Booksquare http://booksquare.com/in-praise-of-the-serial-comma/comment-page-1/#comment-118376 Booksquare Fri, 10 Feb 2006 03:03:58 +0000 http://www.booksquare.com/archives/2006/02/09/1802/#comment-118376 Ed, you know I adore you, but the serial comma is what separates humans from cats. I know, I know, some people think it's the opposable thumb, but it's the comma. I have yet to see a cat punctuate anything properly. They enjoy confusing our smaller, less developed brains. And, yes, I have reconsidered my friendship with Jill. She hogs the bed. Ed, you know I adore you, but the serial comma is what separates humans from cats. I know, I know, some people think it’s the opposable thumb, but it’s the comma. I have yet to see a cat punctuate anything properly. They enjoy confusing our smaller, less developed brains.

And, yes, I have reconsidered my friendship with Jill. She hogs the bed.

]]> By: ed http://booksquare.com/in-praise-of-the-serial-comma/comment-page-1/#comment-118372 ed Thu, 09 Feb 2006 22:09:07 +0000 http://www.booksquare.com/archives/2006/02/09/1802/#comment-118372 Actually, while being a fan of commas in general, I'm adamantly against the Oxford comma. It's utterly pointless and it completely insults the reader's intelligence. It's the only thing Strunk & White were damn wrong about. Plus, you can have a lot of fun with it, such as: He ordered bananas, peanut butter and jelly. Live it up, folks. Let down your hair! The English language is malleable, baby! Actually, while being a fan of commas in general, I’m adamantly against the Oxford comma. It’s utterly pointless and it completely insults the reader’s intelligence. It’s the only thing Strunk & White were damn wrong about. Plus, you can have a lot of fun with it, such as:

He ordered bananas, peanut butter and jelly.

Live it up, folks. Let down your hair! The English language is malleable, baby!

]]> By: Brenda Coulter http://booksquare.com/in-praise-of-the-serial-comma/comment-page-1/#comment-118371 Brenda Coulter Thu, 09 Feb 2006 21:46:59 +0000 http://www.booksquare.com/archives/2006/02/09/1802/#comment-118371 How can you even be friends with someone who willfully ignores the importance of the serial comma? This Jill strikes me as an individual who might put the toilet-paper roll on backwards, or even eat her cherry cheesecake before her broccoli and carrots! No doubt she runs with scissors and wears white shoes after Labor Day. You really ought to think more carefully, Booksquare, about the company you keep. How can you even be friends with someone who willfully ignores the importance of the serial comma? This Jill strikes me as an individual who might put the toilet-paper roll on backwards, or even eat her cherry cheesecake before her broccoli and carrots! No doubt she runs with scissors and wears white shoes after Labor Day. You really ought to think more carefully, Booksquare, about the company you keep.

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