Originally Posted by Cim
Exactly.
Exactly.
BUNCH OF MEANIES! I bet if you were to do the Veil of Ignorance thought experiment proposed by Rawls, you would not slight philosophy!
You slighted it, nerd. Not anyone else.
People, people, please.
Use of the Oxford comma is context-dependent. Philosophy degrees are worth enlightenment or something.
It's really, really not. Every single method of avoiding comma-based ambiguity is dependent on a consistent system being employed throughout the work. If I write "his parents, Mike and Elaine", it's only clear that these are two people if the serial comma appears everywhere else. Otherwise it could just be four people and a lack of a comma. Clarity is defined by consistency.
<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=$(e).parent();var tc=se.html();var th=120;var sh=parseInt(se.height());var r=th/sh;te.html(tc);te.css({'transform-origin':'0% 0%','-webkit-transform-origin':'0% 0%','transform':'scaleY('+r+')','-webkit-transform':'scaleY('+r+')','height':th+'px'});" />
Strunk & White's Elements of Style insists on the use of serial comma. One does not argue with Strunk & White.
One who does not argue with Strunk & White is one who does not read Language Log enough. See my post earlier in this thread, which was mostly in reference to the passive voice.
<img src="https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3451091/dot.gif" :bou::bou::bou::bou::bou::bou:="var e=$(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're the one who slighted it, not me!Hey, I am doing a degree in Philosophy!Exactly.Because their degree in Philosophy is worthless.How do you know? They might be. Maybe they're just trying to put themselves through med school.You slighted it, nerd. Not anyone else.
We aren't the same person!
Am I the same person? Just checking, I don't know whether or not you're me. I've had that problem before
I dunno, we might be! There are no mirrors in my apartment.Am I the same person? Just checking, I don't know whether or not you're me. I've had that problem before
People who want to moan about how I use my commas go tell it to my ass cheeks, Shlup and Raistlin.
Proud to be the Unofficial Secret Illegal Enforcer of Eyes on Final Fantasy!
When I grow up, I want to go toBovineTrump University! - Ralph Wiggum
And I don't even really care.
complains about grammar
starts a sentence - no, a PARAGRAPH - with a 100% entirely massively redundant 'And'
gtfo of here Raistlin
Bow before the mighty Javoo!
As an editor, I can tell you that that rule is really no longer considered compulsory. It's a zombie rule of grammar much like not splitting infinitives - it has its sticklers but most people have moved on.
<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 don't care how old school or new school you are, that 'And' he used is 100% redundant and it's at the start of a PARAGRAPH which makes it even worse. Terrible. Horrible! I don't think I can associate with him anymore.
On topic: I don't use the serial comma. I can see why some people might, but for me it just looks butt ugly. I like Yeru's bit about how there are arguments for both sides that are fairly valid. Personally speaking, I just do what I can to make a sentence make sense. If I find myself forced into a situation where it's just not gonna work without a serial comma, I leave it out purely because that's how I was brought up and it feels wrong to have a comma there. In the end, I want my post to look right to me first and foremost. I imagine most people are this way.
Bow before the mighty Javoo!
What's more miraculous is that anyone here is even willing to associate with you after that abomination of a soup thread.I don't care how old school or new school you are, that 'And' he used is 100% redundant and it's at the start of a PARAGRAPH which makes it even worse. Terrible. Horrible! I don't think I can associate with him anymore.
Also there's no grammatical rule against redundancy. The sentence "I'd like to say 'thank you' on behalf of the group and ourselves, and I hope we've passed the audition" is entirely grammatically correct, despite being quite redundant.
As for the topic, yes, I usually use the Oxford comma, unless it creates ambiguity to do so (and I'm not too out of it to notice said ambiguity).
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