Why do journalists hate the Oxford comma?

Journalists often skip the Oxford comma (the comma before "and" in a list) primarily due to the Associated Press (AP) Stylebook, which prioritizes brevity, space-saving (historically for print), and clarity through sentence structure rather than punctuation. While the AP style generally omits it in simple series, it is required if omitting it creates ambiguity, pushing writers to restructure sentences for better clarity, with the core philosophy being that the sentence should be clear on its own.

Why is the Oxford comma so controversial?

The Oxford comma (or serial comma) is controversial because it's a stylistic choice with strong arguments for and against its use, mainly revolving around clarity vs. redundancy, with proponents arguing it prevents ambiguity (e.g., "my parents, Ayn Rand, and God") while opponents find it unnecessary clutter or lazy, believing good writing should avoid confusion by restructuring sentences, as seen in different style guides like Chicago (use it) vs. AP (avoid unless needed). 

Why don't journalists use the Oxford comma?

AP Style, Why Do You Hate the Oxford Comma? A lot of people think the Oxford comma is hated by the AP Stylebook and journalists alike, but that isn't exactly true. Firstly, the omission of the Oxford comma came from early printing presses. They wanted to save paper and ink, so they chose to omit the Oxford comma.

Is it grammatically correct to not use the Oxford comma?

Because the Oxford comma is optional, using it and not using it are both grammatically correct.

Why do Brits not use the Oxford comma?

Most British style guides do not require it, with The Economist Style Guide noting most British writers use it only to avoid ambiguity.

You Don't Need an Oxford Comma

Does nyt use the Oxford comma?

There are also some style guides that discourage the use of the Oxford comma, for instance, The New York Times Stylebook, the Associated Press Stylebook (or AP Stylebook), The Economist Style Guide, and The Canadian Press Style Guide.

What is the serial comma in Chicago style?

Comma Usage in Chicago Style

The most important is that Chicago 'strongly recommends' using a serial (or Oxford) comma for lists of three or more items. This means adding a comma before the final conjunction to prevent ambiguity: No Serial Comma: She invited her parents, the headteacher and the janitor.

What is the Harvard comma rule?

Use a serial comma (also called an Oxford comma, Harvard comma, or series comma) between elements in a series of three or more items. Factors of personality include extraversion, conscientiousness, openness to experience, agreeableness, and neuroticism.

Why does AP style not use the Oxford comma?

The rationale for AP's logic is deeply rooted in past practice and a time when print ruled because presses could save paper and space by not using the Oxford comma. Regardless, the debatable standard to not have a comma following the second-to-last item in a list of three items or more stands.

What percentage of people use the Oxford comma?

Whether you're aware of it or not, there's a good chance that you regularly use the Oxford Comma — a poll from FiveThirtyEight found that 57 percent of Americans always use it, meaning more than half of Americans are grammatically alienated from their news by the absence of that all-important comma.

Does the New Yorker use the Oxford comma?

At The New Yorker, copy editors consider use of the Oxford comma a sacred responsibility: “ … it is a copy editor's duty to deploy the serial comma, along with lots of other lip-smacking bits of punctuation, as a bulwark against barbarianism.” OK, then. Among Content Bureau editors and writers, opinions also vary.

Is the Oxford comma unprofessional?

Most, including The Chicago Manual of Style, strongly recommend its use, since it prevents ambiguity. The Associated Press Stylebook, meanwhile, suggests avoiding Oxford commas—except in instances where including the comma prevents confusion.

Does the Canadian press use the Oxford comma?

If you're in journalism or communications in Canada, you likely follow The Canadian Press Stylebook, which doesn't use the Oxford comma. (They're less common in British English too.)

Why is the Oxford comma being removed?

Short answer: It's purely a matter of style and you can use it or not. But beware of the effect that appositives can have on your use! Long answer: The serial comma (also known as the Oxford comma) is the optional comma used before the last and in a list of items.

Why do Americans use the Oxford comma?

Americans use the Oxford comma (or serial comma) primarily for clarity and to prevent ambiguity in lists, ensuring each item is distinct, with major style guides like Chicago and MLA requiring it, unlike the AP Stylebook which omits it unless needed for clarity, making its use common in academia and publishing for precision. Its inclusion ensures sentences like "I love my parents, Lady Gaga, and the Pope" clearly separate three entities, rather than implying the parents are Lady Gaga and the Pope.
 

What is an example of the Oxford comma causing confusion?

Confusing: I have invited my parents, Lloyd and Marilyn. Note: Without the Oxford comma, it is not clear whether Lloyd and Marilyn are the parents or separate invitees. In other words, it is not clear if there are four invitees or two. Better: I have invited my parents, Lloyd, and Marilyn.

Why do people think the Oxford comma is wrong?

First is an example of its non-use: We invited the strippers, JFK and Stalin. This sentence can be seen as using an appositive where JFK and Stalin are the names of the strippers. Or one can insist that there are three different entities/groups being mentioned.

What's the big deal about the Oxford comma?

So, the serial or Oxford comma is the comma you put before an 'and' or 'or' in a list of at least three things. The Oxford comma ensures that it's exactly clear what you mean. Leaving it out can cause a lot of confusion!

Does MLA require the Oxford comma?

In general writing conventions, whether the Oxford comma should be used is actually a point of fervent debate among passionate grammarians. However, it's a requirement in MLA style, so double-check all your lists and series to make sure you include it!

What is the Howard comma?

The Howard Comma is proposed as a fundamental constant in a finite, wave- based. universe framework, where energy is quantized and confined within a closed, harmonic system.

Does German use the Oxford comma?

As in English, commas are used in German to separate items in a list. The general rule is to place a comma after each item in the list, but in German there is no “Oxford comma” so you don't need to put a comma before und(and) or oder(or).

Why don't lawyers use the Oxford comma?

Usually, the Oxford comma is the safest way to avoid ambiguity, though there are no guarantees. But inconsistent use in a single document or across multiple documents invites litigation—so avoid it.

Is it good morning john or good morning john?

Both "Good morning, John" (with a comma) and "Good morning John" (without a comma) can be used, but "Good morning, John," is grammatically correct for a direct address, setting the name apart as a vocative, while the version without the comma is common in informal writing like texts, though it technically creates a different meaning or lacks proper punctuation. For formal or clear writing, the comma is recommended; without it, the phrase can sound like "John of good mornings" or be ambiguous.
 

What style guides discourage the Oxford comma?

Style guides that discourage the use of the Oxford comma: The New York Times Stylebook, the Associated Press Stylebook (or AP Stylebook), The Economist Style Guide, and The Canadian Press Style Guide advise against the use of Oxford commas.

Is there a comma in Martin Luther King Jr. Day?

For example, the Associated Press says not to use a comma before designations such as Jr. and Sr. and specifically does not include a comma in the name Martin Luther King Jr. Day.