Posted by Robert Dilley on December 19, 2003 at 05:05:30 from 216.211.4.136 user rdilley.
In Reply to: Re: Oxford Comma posted by Dave Thewlis on December 19, 2003 at 03:55:26:
Very diffidently (and, of course, politely) I beg to differ with Dave. In a listing, US practice would be to write "A, B, C, and D" while in the UK in would be normal to write "A, B, C and D" on the principle, as stated, that the other commas replace a series of "ands".
Stylistically, I prefer the latter use -- perhaps because I was UK-educated -- but I do not consider the former incorrect. At times, in fact, it is necessary to have the final comma. "Hikers in the mountains are advised to avoid rockfalls, bogs, trespassing on private property, and bears" reads very differently if written "Hikers in the mountains are advised to avoid rockfalls, bogs, trespassing on private property and bears".
Though it probably would be advisable to avoid trespassing on bears, come to that. They have very powerful lawyers.