2.2 Announcement comma - Please no comma before 'and'

[Chris and/or Diana Johns <ch...@thejohnses.plus.com>]

With regard to Noirin Plunkett's suggestion for consistency (unless it was
'tongue in cheek'), I'd suggest that consistency would be better achieved by
getting Harvard to take out any 'Harvard commas' that precede the word 'and'
in other instances similar to the example given, which was:

> >We consider this release to be the best version of Apache available and
> >encourage users of all prior versions to upgrade.
>
to which Noirin had suggested:
> 'For consistency with the Harvard commas elsewhere in the file, there
> should be a comma after available.'

Given a fresh piece of paper I'd see no need for the suggested comma in such
a circumstance.
I do see a need to not have such a comma in such a simple sentence
construction. My received teaching on this matter over the last 54 odd years
seems still to be the correct course.

If 'Harvard' won't agree, then possibly a better way to avoid the
inconsistency, if that's so important, would be to spread the sentiments
expressed over two sentences, viz.

"
We consider this release to be the best version of Apache available.
We therefore encourage users of all prior versions to upgrade.
"

But I'd much prefer 'Harvard' to have written English in the first place.


Chris Johns




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Re: 2.2 Announcement comma - Please no comma before 'and'

[Maxime Petazzoni <ma...@bulix.org>]

> You'll note that the Harvard comma is also regularly referred to as
> the Oxford comma. It's not confined to the New World, by any
> means. It's a style issue, and I don't think there's any right or
> wrong answer.

The word 'and' already act as a link between the two parts of the
sentence. Adding a comma before it is useless. If you real want to use
a comma-like séparator, you can use a semicolon and remove the 'and'.

In French for example, this rule apply and I believe it is the same in
English.

My 2 ¢,
- Sam

-- 
Maxime Petazzoni (http://www.bulix.org)
 -- gone crazy, back soon. leave message.

Re: 2.2 Announcement comma - Please no comma before 'and'

[Noirin Plunkett <fi...@nerdchic.net>]

On Wed, Nov 30, 2005 at 11:07:27PM -0000, Chris and/or Diana Johns wrote:
> With regard to Noirin Plunkett's suggestion for consistency (unless it was
> 'tongue in cheek'), I'd suggest that consistency would be better achieved by
> getting Harvard to take out any 'Harvard commas' that precede the word 'and'
> in other instances similar to the example given, which was:

No, it was in earnest. Whether or not to use the commas is a decision
for the author. However, the document should be internally consistent.
This was the one example I noted without the Oxford comma, and I always
feel it's best to go with the majority, in questions of style.

> If 'Harvard' won't agree, then possibly a better way to avoid the
> inconsistency, if that's so important, would be to spread the sentiments
> expressed over two sentences, viz.
> "
> We consider this release to be the best version of Apache available.
> We therefore encourage users of all prior versions to upgrade.
> "

That would also be fine

> But I'd much prefer 'Harvard' to have written English in the first place.

You'll note that the Harvard comma is also regularly referred to as the
Oxford comma. It's not confined to the New World, by any means. It's a
style issue, and I don't think there's any right or wrong answer.

Noirin

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