Interesting!

I've always been an advocate of the Oxford comma, but our editors frown on our using it. They usually win, though this might be good evidence to convince them otherwise.

http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=31653

The Oxford comma doesn't always resolve ambiguity. Wikipedia gives this real example:

"By train, plane and sedan chair, Peter Ustinov retraces a journey made by Mark Twain a century ago. The highlights of his global tour include encounters with Nelson Mandela, an 800-year-old demigod and a dildo collector."

An Oxford comma in the second sentence would not resolve the ambiguity about whether the encounters involved 2 people or 3 people.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: goofy,

I'd think with the Oxford comma, it would be three, but without - two. Then again, recall that I am a literalist. This seems very black or white to me, but I am sure it doesn't to others.

quote:

The highlights of his global tour include encounters with Nelson Mandela, an 800-year-old demigod, and a dildo collector."

This is ambiguous because "an 800-year-old demigod" can be interpreted as an appositive describing Mandela. Or it can be interpreted as another item in the list. Mandela is not a dildo collector, but he might still be a demigod.

Who might imagine Mandela to be 800 years old? Logic tells me that there were two people; three would be impossible - unless one were long dead.
It does suggest that there are many frustrated women somewhere along his journey.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Geoff,

Here's a better example (better because we can't use real world knowledge to resolve the ambiguity)

quote:

They went to Oregon with Betty, a maid, and a cook.

Are there 2 people: a maid named Betty and a cook. Or are there 3 people.

Condisering how overpopulated Oregon has become, it must be three. However, I concede that this is a good example for general purposes.

quote:

...an 800-year-old demigod and a dildo collector...

I suspect that habit accounts for his having only attained demigod status.

Or perhaps one? Betty who is both a maid and a cook.