Re: Using commas in lists

[Sean O'Donnell-Brown <s-odonnell-brown -at- BGU -dot- EDU>]

Dean said:

>Why would anyone need justification NOT to use the last comma, other
>than precedent and editor's okay?  One good reason is the 20th-century
>trend toward less punctuation.  Being taught in grade school actually
>seems like a pretty good reason, since it would seem to reflect an
>established precedent.  Either that or grade-school teachers formed a
>cabal to wickedly eliminate the last comma from the language.

>All we need for justification is enough people who say it's okay.

>--Dean

>> From: David Oberstadt <daveo -at- VNET -dot- IBM -dot- COM>
>> ....                                  I have never heard
>> any justification for not using the last comma.

Dean--

Please don't take this as a flame--because it's not. I intend no disrespect.

Admittedly, people use the word "reason" colloquially, without thinking
daily; generally, not a problem. I just find it interesting that you use
the word "reason" when talking about following authority, convention,
trends, or "the crowd." It takes very little reasoning, it seems to me, to
do something based merely on convention, on the edict of some so-called
"authority," or in an attempt to follow the trends set by others.

IMHO, it takes reason to anticipate potential ambiguities and to choose to
write consistently. Not that you don't do that yourself.

Respectfully,

Sean (O'Donnell-Brown)
Writer and Editorial Assistant
Curriculum Publications Clearinghouse/NCRVE-MDS
Macomb, Illinois  U.S.A.
sodonnell -at- ccmail -dot- wiu -dot- bgu -dot- edu

(Disclaimer: I do not presume to speak for anyone other than myself.)

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