The Oxford Comma: What is It and Why Is it Important?

The Oxford comma, also referred to as the “serial comma” or “Harvard comma”, is the comma used before the final conjunction in a list of three or more items. It is an optional piece of punctuation in the English language and one that is debated amongst writers and editors all around the world. But why is it so important and what is the difference between using and not using it?

History of the Oxford Comma

The Oxford comma was named after Oxford University and is thought to have originated in the late 1800’s when printers and editors at the university chose to add this piece of punctuation. It is also thought that printers of the time may have simply added the comma for brevity’s sake, allowing them to fit more text onto a page without long sentences, instead of it being necessary in all cases. Alternatively, some believe that the comma has been used as far back as the Middle Ages and was a punctuation mark used in Anglo-Saxon manuscripts.

Why Use the Oxford Comma?

The short answer is clarity. The Oxford comma removes any ambiguity in a sentence, making sure the reader fully understands what is being written. Take the following sentence for example:

“I’d like to thank my parents, Barack Obama and Bill Gates.”

In this case, it is not clear whether the writer is thanking three individuals (i.e. their parents, Barack Obama, and Bill Gates) or if their parents are Barack Obama and Bill Gates. To avoid any confusion, the sentence can be adjusted and the Oxford comma included, making the sentence much clearer:

“I’d like to thank my parents, Barack Obama, and Bill Gates.”

The Oxford comma can also prevent confusion when writing lists of items. It guarantees that each element in the list is clearly separated from the next, so there is no risk of them being conflated. For example, take the following sentence:

“I’m going to buy apples, oranges and bananas.”

Without the Oxford comma the sentence could imply that you’re buying a mixture of apples, oranges, and bananas (e.g. apples and oranges that were blended with bananas). To avoid any confusion in this instance, you could use the Oxford comma and adjust the sentence:

“I’m going to buy apples, oranges, and bananas.”

Opposition to the Oxford Comma

The Oxford Comma is by no means a universally accepted piece of punctuation, and there has been much debate around its necessity over the years. Some believe that it is not needed and its removal does not impair understanding of the sentence, leading to the argument that it should simply not be used.

The most common reason for opposing the Oxford Comma is brevity, with some believing it to be one character too many in the grand scheme of a sentence. This is why some style guides and newspapers that are under strict word count rules choose to omit it from their writing.

Conclusion

The Oxford Comma is a piece of punctuation with a rich history and debated use. While it has become a well accepted part of written English for many, whether it should be used or omitted is still an area of digital writing and editing that is argued over. Ultimately, though, it is down to preference and practicality, and the decision should be taken on a case-by-case basis.