Style, commas, and more
Interesting discussion of whether there should be a comma between the second-to-last item in a list and the “and”: Dr. Weevil: Strunk And Disorderly.
I favor the comma there for two reasons:
1. In speaking, I would naturally tend to pause there.
2. It helps avoid confusion.
The only real arguments against it are that it is redundant and that it takes up space. Well, I can understand that in a newspaper, where space is at a premium, it might make sense. But unless space is a problem, I can’t see how it would be harmful to include the comma, whereas it is easy to come up with examples where omitting the comma would lead to confusion.
I always use a comma in this situtation, it bugs me when others don’t. Thus everyone should use them for that reason alone! :-)
Yes on the comma. Logical to include because reader then knows that last two items on list are not a related pair but are to be considered as separate. Omit comma and reader might infer connection between items unintended by author.
See British pop group from sixties called: \”Dave, Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick, and Tich.\” Omit the last comma only if Mick and Tich are Siamese twins.
(Your link to original article appears to be dead, BTW.)