Comma chameleon. Or everything you need to know about ",".

The diminutive comma is the subject of an inordinate amount of debate. In particular: When listing a series of items in a sentence, does one include a comma before the word “and” at the end of a list? Among persnickety people who discuss such things, this is known as the “Oxford comma.”
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I have clients that are firmly entrenched at both ends of the argument: always “[comma] and…” or never “[comma] and…” Clients who pay their invoices in a timely manner are allowed to choose their preference and receive my grateful compliance.

When writing for myself, I am firmly entrenched in the middle. In some cases a comma before the last item in a series adds clarity and is, in my opinion, necessary. Otherwise, the inclusion or exclusion of a serial comma is at the writer’s discretion.

According to the Oxford University Press, “The 'Oxford comma' is an optional comma before the word 'and' at the end of a list.” They should know. Oxford is the only university in the world named after a punctuation mark.

By definition, the Oxford comma is optional, included or excluded at the writer’s choice. In my view, the utility of a comma is dependent on context.

For example: The 80’s revival included performances by Adam Ant, Echo and the Bunnymen, and Siouxsie and the Banshees.

• Removing the last comma in this series could lead the reader to believe the concert debuted a new super-group formed of Echo, Siouxsie, Bunnymen, and Banshees. While this union might produce heretofore-unimagined musical possibilities, the comma placement clarifies that three acts appeared separately.

In other musical news: Headbanging fans screamed above the hyper-amplified thrashing of Metallica, Slayer and Megadeth.

• The absence of the Oxford comma here creates no ambiguity. On the other hand, inclusion would not alter the reader’s understanding. The writer gets to choose.

Finally: The aging metalheads carped that today’s bands are crap compared to Led Zeppelin, Blue Oyster Cult, and Deep Purple.

• I am inclined to include the serial comma here. Since multiple words identify each item in the series, I argue that including the comma helps more clearly separate each complex item in the list. That said, I certainly would not disparage a writer who might exclude the comma before “and” in a similar instance.

When contemplating commas, my advice is for each writer to punctuate in a style that most effectively communicates his or her intended meaning.

(Note: This entry's title may elicit grins among readers who grew up in the 80’s. Younger readers may wish to Google “Boy George.”)