The Oxford Comma

[alnorth]

Saw this on 538, and figured I'd poll the board on this highly controversial subject. Hopefully this isn't too off-topic here on Food Planet. (Why hasn't the lounge been renamed to that yet, by the way?)

The Oxford comma is the last comma before the "and" in a list of 3 or more things. For example, which one of these looks correct to you:

Denver, Oakland, and San Diego can all go to hell. (oxford comma)

Denver, Oakland and San Diego can all go to hell. (no oxford comma)

[BucEyedPea]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

Maybe actors have trouble doing a Helvetica or Garamond accent.

Ha! Ha! Well sans-serifs, like Hevetica, are even harder to read. Serifs are best for lots of reading of text. The x-height on Garamond is a bit small.

I'm just curious is all.

[BucEyedPea]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

As a westerner, I also want two spaces because that's our culture. We're used to lots of open space out here. You easterners can cram all your words into a little space if you want, but out here we're all about big skies and wide-open sentence construction.

Must be why we read twice as fast, while you slow pokes take your time. We're the intellectuals.

[underEJ]

Originally Posted by BucEyedPea

Really? Very interesting. I knew there was strict formatting and all or a screenplay is never looked at but tossed in the trash. I didn't know it extended to the font. I wonder if it has to do with how the entire page is formatted too? What is "under EJ?"

I think it has two reasons. The industry is very nostalgic, and the image of screenwriter slaving over typewriter pages is not going to change anytime soon. More pragmatically, we are also beholden to producers who need to mark up a script to break it down, and performers who need to find their way to dialogue easily while rehearsing. Standardizing is the best idea, and since it has always been standardized, why change it?

underEJ was a location in arrowhead stadium in the shorthand of the kids from my neighborhood growing up. Now that the ring of honor is gone, none of us would be able to find our way around with the old code, though. That particular spot was the location where you could find Willie Lanier enjoying the game and chat with retired Chiefs.

[lcarus]

Rain Man is a word claustrophobic

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by BucEyedPea

Must be why we read twice as fast, while you slow pokes take your time. We're the intellectuals.

You people don't take the time to appreciate a well-placed semi-colon or elegant tilde. You've lost the ability to appreciate the natural beauty of the sentence.

[underEJ]

Originally Posted by underEJ

I think it has two reasons. The industry is very nostalgic, and the image of screenwriter slaving over typewriter pages is not going to change anytime soon. More pragmatically, we are also beholden to producers who need to mark up a script to break it down, and performers who need to find their way to dialogue easily while rehearsing. Standardizing is the best idea, and since it has always been standardized, why change it?

I forgot one. It also sells screenwriting software.

[lcarus]

Originally Posted by DaFace

As mentioned, web sites natively ignore two spaces in a row.

I feel like the damn internet is oppressing my paragraph structuring preference. I'm outta here!

[BucEyedPea]

Originally Posted by underEJ

I think it has two reasons. The industry is very nostalgic, and the image of screenwriter slaving over typewriter pages is not going to change anytime soon. More pragmatically, we are also beholden to producers who need to mark up a script to break it down, and performers who need to find there way to dialogue easily while rehearsing. Standardizing is the best idea, and since it has always been standardized, why change it?

Well now! I think that makes perfect sense, especially the marking-up which I've seen. The extra space would allow that. Reminds me of my few few years in my industry before widespread use of computer, where the designer had to mark-up a typewritten document for the typesetter. That's what those marked-up screenplays remind me of.

Courier looks like typewriter characters. It also has that wide and higher x-height which must be easier to see when rehearsing lines. Okay, I think I get it plus all the background info. Thanks.

underEJ was a location in arrowhead stadium in the shorthand of the kids from my neighborhood growing up. Now that the ring of honor is gone, none of use would be able to find our way around with the old code, though. That particular spot was the location where you could find Willie Lanier enjoying the game and chat with retired Chiefs.

Interesting. I didn't know he was referring to a poster was all. Thanks for the additional info.

[Fire Me Boy!]

Originally Posted by BucEyedPea

I would like to know the rationale for that. Is there one?

It's about timing. One page of properly formatted screenwriting is generally 1 minute of screen time (unless the page is action heavy with little dialogue).

[BucEyedPea]

Originally Posted by underEJ

I forgot one. It also sells screenwriting software.

Well, I think software designers look to serve different professions.

[BucEyedPea]

Originally Posted by Fried Meat Ball!

It's about timing. One page of properly formatted screenwriting is generally 1 minute of screen time (unless the page is action heavy with little dialogue).

Yeah, my daughter who attends Florida State as a creative writing major and film minor, told me that. She's working for a film marketing firm up there this summer.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by lcarus

Speaking of unnecessary commas...

Should be a period there homie

Or at least a semicolon. (no, I am not going to look up the semicolon rule to verify)

I admit that I overuse commas, so I'm probably the right person to put up the poll.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by Fried Meat Ball!

Actually, a semicolon there would have been correct.

Not to mention the correct use of it's.

hah, I'll be damned, so my semicolon comment was right?

[lcarus]

Originally Posted by alnorth

hah, I'll be damned, so my semicolon comment was right?

Supposedly a semicolon is used correctly when you have 2 short sentences that are hooked together that don't (but could) use the conjunctions "and" or "but". Or that is one rock solid use for a semicolon. There are some other uses but that is one I know of. You should never connect 2 sentences with a comma. Not that anyone is going to give a shit.

[Fire Me Boy!]

Originally Posted by alnorth

hah, I'll be damned, so my semicolon comment was right?

Yes.