[78-L] Grammatically incorrect

[Julian Vein]

Graeme Jaye wrote:
> Hi Cary
> 
> On 18/09/2009 you wrote;
> 
> CG> Getting back to Mary Travers, I think that it's unfortunate
> CG> that for all these years, "Peter, Paul and Mary" was incorrect.
> CG> The Chicago Manual of Style indicates that it should have an extra
> CG> comma: "Peter, Paul, and Mary."
> 
> Must be an "across the pond" thing.
> 
> In the UK, I was taught that a comma should *never* precede 'and'. But
> then, what do we Brits know about the English language?
> 
> Looking at it, at a more basic level, the comma indicates a slight
> pause in the spoken text.  That being the case, try reading the two
> versions out loud incorporating these pauses.  Which one flows better?
> 
> Graeme Jaye
-------
The comma makes "Mary" either sound like an afterthought ("and, by the 
way, Mary") or an emphasis ("and not forgetting Mary"!). Incidentally, I 
don't put a comma before "etc".

      Julian Vein


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