I didn't say it was grammatically incorrect, I said it was terrible and horrible. And I'm right.
I didn't say it was grammatically incorrect, I said it was terrible and horrible. And I'm right.
Bow before the mighty Javoo!
Well maybe in an obvious case with Stalin and JFK you could argue to omit the Oxford comma... but really, unless you are listing like items (I ate apples, bananas and pears) then the Oxford comma helps to reduce ambiguity by demonstrating a continuation in a list as opposed to a reference back to an improper noun. That being said I have only seen the Oxford comma demonstrate use in this case of improper nouns followed by a list of proper nouns and is really only most efficient when that list of proper nouns is limited by two.
I played with my gerbils, Tammy, and Sarah.
I played with my gerbils, Tammy and Sarah.
I played with my gerbils, Tammy, Sarah and Ryan.
I played with my gerbils, Tammy, Sarah, and Ryan.
(I don't really see how the comma helps in this instance without the use of extreme semantics).
If you really wanted to clarify, why not just pop in a colon?
I played with my gerbils: Tammy and Sarah.
Anyway, yes I still use it as noted... but really it is just an old habit from grade school.
Boldly go.
Again, this is a really bad idea. You should NEVER use the serial comma in some cases but not in others, because then in a case of ambiguity the reader has no idea what you intended. If you write "I played with my gerbils, Tammy and Sarah", and your use of the serial comma is inconsistent, people will have no idea what you mean - but if you consistently use the serial comma everywhere, even when talking about JFK and Stalin, then its absence here makes your meaning clear. Similar cases of ambiguity can arise if you fail to consistently leave it out.
Either use it or don't use it. My personal preference is to use it. But if you don't want to use it everywhere, stick to that decision.
<img src="https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3451091/dot.gif" :bou::bou::bou::bou::bou::bou:="var e=$(this);var se=$(e).closest('li').prev().find('.postcontent').parent();var te=$(e).parent();var tc=se.html();var th=120;var sh=parseInt(se.height());var r=th/sh;te.html(tc);te.css({'transform-origin':'0% 0%','-webkit-transform-origin':'0% 0%','transform':'scaleY('+r+')','-webkit-transform':'scaleY('+r+')','height':th+'px'});" />
You implied it was grammatically incorrect by sticking a complaint about it immediately after talking about WesLY's complaints about grammar. If you're not trying to argue WesLY was a hypocrite for using the article at the start of the sentence, then your post makes very little sense.I didn't say it was grammatically incorrect, I said it was terrible and horrible. And I'm right.
And, as Yeru has pointed out, almost no one gives a trout about articles at the starts of sentences anymore.
<img src="https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3451091/dot.gif" :bou::bou::bou::bou::bou::bou:="var e=$(this);var se=$(e).closest('li').prev().find('.postcontent').parent();var te=$(e).parent();var tc=se.html();var th=120;var sh=parseInt(se.height());var r=th/sh;te.html(tc);te.css({'transform-origin':'0% 0%','-webkit-transform-origin':'0% 0%','transform':'scaleY('+r+')','-webkit-transform':'scaleY('+r+')','height':th+'px'});" />
Dude, if you can't tell when I'm being facetious I don't know what to say to you. I even said used the sentence "And I'm right." in one of my posts. I don't know what I'm supposed to do with you anymore.
Bow before the mighty Javoo!
Oh, no, it was obvious you were being facetious from the fact that you claimed you had no desire to associate with WesLY anymore (as opposed to the soup thread, which legitimately would make someone want to have nothing to do with you ), but I found it more entertaining to pick apart your post because of boredom
Maybe I just need to use every time I'm being facetious or flippant myself in the future, since people seem to have come to expect it
I can give you more things to complain about if you like! I'm sure I can come up with something.
Bow before the mighty Javoo!
Nah, I'm good
Last edited by Yerushalmi; 07-17-2013 at 12:58 PM.
<img src="https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3451091/dot.gif" :bou::bou::bou::bou::bou::bou:="var e=$(this);var se=$(e).closest('li').prev().find('.postcontent').parent();var te=$(e).parent();var tc=se.html();var th=120;var sh=parseInt(se.height());var r=th/sh;te.html(tc);te.css({'transform-origin':'0% 0%','-webkit-transform-origin':'0% 0%','transform':'scaleY('+r+')','-webkit-transform':'scaleY('+r+')','height':th+'px'});" />
I'm late to the party, but yes I try to use it where applicable. I think it makes the sentence structure more clear, and feels natural.
<img src="https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3451091/dot.gif" :bou::bou::bou::bou::bou::bou:="var e=$(this);var se=$(e).closest('li').prev().find('.postcontent').parent();var te=$(e).parent();var tc=se.html();var th=120;var sh=parseInt(se.height());var r=th/sh;te.html(tc);te.css({'transform-origin':'0% 0%','-webkit-transform-origin':'0% 0%','transform':'scaleY('+r+')','-webkit-transform':'scaleY('+r+')','height':th+'px'});" />