The Third Post in a Row That Mentions Commas
I never would have guessed that of all the potentially controversial opinions I listed in my last post, the most incendiary would be the Oxford comma. I thought I might get howls from American Idol fans, but they were strangely silent. I did not expect pained dissatisfaction from the grammatically passionate. It is good to know that, although we may disagree on the Oxford comma, we at least agree that the issue is not trivial.
We’ll just have to arm wrestle over the rest.
Speaking of punctuation, I have reached the uncomfortable stage of pregnancy where I resemble a pair of parentheses. I roll when I walk, rumbling along in the duck waddle of the circumferentially challenged. Strangers look at my belly first when I enter a room. I don’t blame them; it’s quite unavoidable.
And I still have more than two months to go.
Right now I am barely awake and I must go to bed before my grammar and spelling degenerate into something unrecognizable, much like my figure.
Antique Mommy
I do not know what the Oxford comma is. There, I admitted it.
Better to look like parenthesis than brackets I suppose.
Happy Geek
I had to google Oxford comma.
I did know the concept though, I had always just referred to it as “the dumb way to list things.”
Minnesotamom
You simply must do an ode to the apostrophe (including all its proper usages). But it can wait until autumn. I’ll be around, Lord-willing.
brother
Veronica,
I refuse to google “oxford comma” and will lose no sleep over it.
Glad to know the pregnancy is going well. Perhaps your baby will share an August birthday with two other people in the family
brother
NOBLE PIG
I love your description of yourself…I’m sorry you are uncomfortable.
Jennifer
I once had a client insist I use the Oxford comma in a translation. He was Italian and referred to it as the “American comma”. I dutifully went back and inserted that comma wherever he thought it should be. I think he even asked for discount because I had initially left it out.
This is the first time I’ve seen it called an Oxford comma. I don’t know whether I believe in it or not! Sometimes I like it, sometimes not, but I am not very consistent with my punctuation. Oh well.
Beth
I am still holding strong for the Oxford Comma. I believe it is the right way to do things. My husband disagrees. It’s not the first time, ha.
Two months to go, yikes. Which pregnancy is this for you? I have four little tater tots myself.
Sue
That’s probably good advice (the whole going to bed before grammar degenerates thing). I should try that sometime instead of posting at 1 in the morning.
Emily
Ah, I know how you feel! I’ve got three months to go and already I have swollen ankles and a DECIDED pregnancy waddle!
Miscellaneous From Missy
Only 28 days left for me! (Sorry.)
Kelly @ Love Well
Great ending. Sometimes, I just need to say that, Veronica. I love your writing simply because it’s beautiful and so well done.
Pieces
I love the way you have described your appearance. I also can’t believe that the comma was the most controversial part of your manifesto. I am on the fence with that one. Now I know why I always waver when writing a serial list–both ways are deemed correct despite the fact that I was taught to use the Oxford comma in school.
Jamie
When I was six months pregnant with my first, I had people telling me, “Oh, it looks like you’re going to pop any day now!”
I usually tried to fix a believable smile on my face and respond pleasantly, but oh, it was so tempting to snip, “Yes, I know; I had to get a Commercial driver’s license just so that I could navigate my unwieldy body into a comfortable sleeping position at night.”
Hope the next couple of months pass quickly for you.