An important poll about commas

I say, just take the win. They can easily take the day back.

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The engagement of this topic overshadows that of the topic of gum desire. The passion runs deep for this topic. Passion for the question of “Who wants gum?” is a shallow puddle by comparison. It’s splish splash splish splash over there. Over here, it’s CANNONBALL!

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Comma one. Comma all. The comma poll will soon close. Have your voice heard on this important topic!

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I wanna know who the rebel is.

There’s ONE guy. There’s always ONE.

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Here’s something that will make your brain hurt: Mystery Science Theater 3k

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Where were you when this other poll was being written?:

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Where was I? Livin’ in Deep Thirteen

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It’s just a borrowed language online. You should really just relax.

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You hold commas in your hands? You’re weird.

But that results in creativity!

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I actually keep them in a sack. So you can take my sack of Oxford commas from my cold, dead hands. :smiley:

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I confess I suspect OP.

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The poll is currently saying that out of 84 votes, only 99% are in favor of 3000. So which .84 of us is voting for the bad thing, I ask you??

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I read that too.

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I’ve gone back and forth on the Oxford comma for years, currently in “no comma” mode. I like the structure it gives to a sentence, but I feel it also breaks the rhythm of it. I’ve adopted the notion that the comma is meant as a literal pause when speaking, so I use that as my guidepost, mentally “speaking” sentences when in doubt to see how they feel.

“And” certainly isn’t a substitute for commas, but in the Oxford case I feel it generally works.

The older I get, the more I’m warming up to the Douglas Adams School of Writing, which is basically: follow accepted grammatical norms, but throw them all out the window on occasion if your thought can be better conveyed without them.

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Of course, Mystery! is already a thing…

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Good thing Joel decided not to call it Mystery Science Theater 2525. Man wouldn’t be alive if women don’t survive.

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Oxford comma - I use it when needed to make the meaning clear, and don’t when it doesn’t.

I tend to overuse commas anyway, and generally go back and take half of them out.

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Oxford is just a twenty minute train ride away for me, so periodically I go and stock up on commas. If I’m going to use them, they may as well be authentic.

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So you’re saying it’s an inauthentic Oxford Comma if grown outside Oxfordshire? Otherwise it’s what? An OED-subtle pause?

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