Complex Singularities

Sad but true, the noble Oxford comma is being unceremoniously dropped from the Oxford Writing and Style Guide. Here is an explanation of the new recommended usage, which is I think very similar to Lynne Truss’s preferred usage from Eats, Shoots and Leaves:

Here’s an explanation from the style guide: “As a general rule, do not use the serial/Oxford comma: so write ‘a, b and c’ not ‘a, b, and c’. But when a comma would assist in the meaning of the sentence or helps to resolve ambiguity, it can be used – especially where one of the items in the list is already joined by ‘and’ [for example]:  They had a choice between croissants, bacon and eggs, and muesli.”

Good ol’ Ox, your vast and far-ranging contribution to pernickety punctuation sectarianism will be sore missed…

You can read the whole story here.