b'language mattersComma DramaBY KRISTEN DI GENNAROE ach semester in my college writing classes, I ask students to share their pet peeves about language. Invariably someone mentions the use of commas and the classic meme compar-ing Lets eat, Grandma with Lets eat Grandma. An on-line version even includes the caption commas save lives. Im unaware of a situation in which a comma saved a life, but I know of a legal case in which its absence cost a com-pany millions of dollars. The comma in Lets eat, Grandma is necessary (to avoid potential cannibalism?), but the comma in the legal case is optional. Yes, its the contentious Oxford comma. Ellen Jovin, a grammar groupie who toured the country collecting gram-mar rants and language questions, notes that the Oxford comma is the one issue people mentioned in all 50 states. A reader of Matters Magazine in-cludes it on his list of pet peeves as well. Although I tend to use the Oxford comma in my own writing, I dont usually object to its absence in other peo-ples writing. Matters Magazine, in fact, only uses the Oxford comma when needed for clarity. Yet theres clearly something about this tiny character that sparks discussion if not debate.Also known as the serial comma, the Oxford comma is the optional comma before the final item in a (written) list, as in I need to buy a loaf of bread, a container of milk,CELEBRATE and a stick of butter (another memorable meme). Its also perfectly acceptable to write I need to buyR SPECIAL OCCA S Ia loaf of bread, a container of milk and a stick ofOU WITH US! O Nbutter. As it pertains to punctuation, the comma isYmore an issue of style than grammar. And style is about options. ATIf its optional, why all the fuss? For those opposing its use, perhaps the name, associated with the eminent university, adds an air of pretension. Or it creates unnecessary clutter before and or or, words that already signal the end of the list. For those in favor, perhaps slow readers (such as myself) or those who read aloud, the commas presence coincides with a speakers intonation.I suspect the strong feelings that this particular punctuation point evokes stem from it not really being an option at all. Writers who follow the AP styleM A P L E W O O Dguide are told that omitting the comma is preferable, but writers who followMake memories with friends, family, or colleaguesthe APA style guide are told the comma is required. So the choice doesntin a private, hands-on cooking & dining experiencereally exist for many writers. Take away peoples choices and they suddenlyled by a professional chef in our beautiful, loft-like space.have very strong preferences when they were previously indifferent. For readers who believe the Oxford comma is worth fussing over, remember3-hour, 3-course events . 10 person minimum, 20 maxits just a comma. Commas may lose lawsuits, but theyre unlikely to lose lives. BYOB (wine & beer) welcome!What are your thoughts? Is the Oxford comma worth all the fuss? Can its adopters and omitters co-exist without further comment? Please share your thoughts on these and other language matters with your local linguistContact Dawnat languagematters@mattersmagazine.com.dawn@kitchentablemaplewood.comKristen di Gennaro is an associate professor of English at Pace University, where she teaches courses in linguistics. She lives in Maplewood and sometimes gathers language data during her commute on the train. To quote a poster in her office,kitchentable.maplewood Kitchen Table MaplewoodKeep your mouth openlinguists need data!language matters /21'