The Apocolypse has arrived.

RiverPlate

::GASP::

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2554549/U-S-academic-claims-punctuation-mark-abolished-English-language-little-loss-clarity.html

The death of the comma? U.S. academic claims punctuation mark could be abolished from English language with 'little loss of clarity'

aggiebug

ahhhhhhh.

Leeba25

Nope. I might have to quit the English language if that happens. 

In fact, I'm also a big fan of the Oxford comma. 

EliStar

WHAT!!!!! 

No. That is not happening. Sorry. 

sfgiantsjo

How can there be little loss of clarity?!?!? True or not, the below image disproves that argument.

RiverPlate

They were talking about this on the radio this morning.  The dj suggested instead the removal of the apostrophe, expecially on signs, since it's usually used incorrectly.  Which is true, signs seem to randomly toss in apostrophes - the pet store next to my daughter's school is called Just Parrot's and I did some work for a government agency who had signs on all recycling bins saying Thank's for Recycling!

head/desk

SusieBW

Leeba25 said:

In fact, I'm also a big fan of the Oxford comma. 

Me too!

SusieBW

I didn't read the article, but seriously, little loss of clarity?  Is it because people have gotten so used to poor grammar that they just read around it now?  Like, "I knew they didn't really mean that Nelson Mandela was an 800 year old demigod or a dildo collector, no worries about the commas!"

Also, I am a comma over-user.  I love them.

Leeba25

SusieBW said:

Leeba25 said:

In fact, I'm also a big fan of the Oxford comma. 

Me too!

I was just going to post this picture!!!!  

Love it. 

sfgiantsjo

Commas are our friends. Love the comma. Use the comma. BE the comma.

MrsC7

This is one small step for txt speak, one giant step into the handbasket of hell.

sfgiantsjo

This is especially concerning to me, seeing as I am reading a book on the history and origin of Punctuation, symbols, and typographical marks. 

ohioloveyou

Commas are so needed. I saw something similar the other day about how you're only supposed to put one space after a period...but I always learned to put two.

mrsvedo

j*&p*

ohioloveyou said:

Commas are so needed. I saw something similar the other day about how you're only supposed to put one space after a period...but I always learned to put two.

I think this has evolved over time, too. My teachers always taught me to use two spaces after a period growing up, but it seems to be the standard for professional writing to use one space now. 

What I hate is when people get all snotty and look down their noses at two spacers (I've seen weird ranty articles and blog posts about this subject). What the heck? Who cares? This doesn't interfere with meaning at all. Easily fixable with find and replace. 

Commas on the other hand...

ThisModernLove

I always use two spaces after a sentence.  I will also always use the comma.  I will also always correct others who do not use that glorious comma.

sassypants527

Young_Love

The period thing is because of the transition from the typewriter to the computer. You needed 2 spaces for appropriate space on a typewriter, but computers do the appropriate spacing for you, so only one strike of the space bar is needed. 

RiverPlate

I like 2 spaces afer a period.  I also like that when I'm using my phone, 2 spaces after a word autocorrects to a period.  However, most of the stuff I write for work is page-limited - summary of x must be 1 page, etc. - so 1 space is the accepted norm.

RevJen

Young_Love said:

The period thing is because of the transition from the typewriter to the computer. You needed 2 spaces for appropriate space on a typewriter, but computers do the appropriate spacing for you, so only one strike of the space bar is needed. 

I know this.  I just can't stop.

sassypants527

RevJen said:

Young_Love said:

The period thing is because of the transition from the typewriter to the computer. You needed 2 spaces for appropriate space on a typewriter, but computers do the appropriate spacing for you, so only one strike of the space bar is needed. 

I know this.  I just can't stop.

This.  I haz an old.