In a single click, improve the aspects of professional writing that matter most. Enforce the legal writing and style rules you know, from the sources you trust. Whether to use the serial comma is a style issue, which is. Briefcatch is a firstofitskind, sophisticated editing tool that will improve any document by generating instant feedback and suggestions. For example, newspapers do not use the serial comma to save space. For those who are unfamiliar with the oxford or serial comma, it refers to the punctuation convention of inserting a comma before the. In the lawyers book of rules for effective legal writing, thomas r. Aug 08, 2019 the chicago manual of style, section 6.
When any of the items in the series contains a conjunction, the absence of the serial comma can mean trouble. Mar 21, 2014 the oxford comma, otherwise known as the serial comma, perhaps is one of the best ways to incite an online riot. Stylewriter software to edit your legal documents the uk law society and the american bar association now recommend all legal writing should be in plain english. Through these courses, students learn to perform legal analysis and to write clearly and persuasively. There is a serious question whether legalese should even be used in legal writing. Mar 15, 2017 the serial comma is especially important in legal writing. Briefcatch teams up with you to help make your writing shine. In addition, creative writing is a different animal altogether.
First, either using the serial comma or omitting the serial comma will introduce ambiguity. Ideal for editors, writers and allout grammar nerds. With the exception of newspapers, most publications use the serial. The serial comma is the comma before the final and in a series. The government printing office style manual, gpo for short, is a handbook produced by the united states government publishing office. Serial comma definition of serial comma by the free. Other writers omit the serial comma if the final two items in the series have a closer logical connection than the other items.
Sep 16, 2010 first, either using the serial comma or omitting the serial comma will introduce ambiguity. The oxford comma vs harvard comma vs serial comma the last comma in that sentence above is an oxford comma, also known as the serial comma or the harvard comma. Improve your legal writing skills with this punctuation guide the attic. Mention the two words, and almost all hell breaks loose. Serial comma definition of serial comma by the free dictionary. This comma precedes the final item in a list or series, before the word and or or.
When any of the items in the series contains a conjunction. This contentious comma is the serial comma, often called the oxford. While briefcatch is an excellent way to tighten up an individual project, it is also an incredible educational tool because it offers immediate feedback and constructive criticism. Legalese definitely has no place in non legal writing. Jul 16, 2014 as someone who has done a fair bit of legal writing, i can not afford, or tolerate, unintended ambiguity. If you find a list of three or more items in a sentence not separated by a serial comma on this web site, send me an email. Mar 23, 2005 i just looked it up in 5 legal style books, and all 5 recommend a full set of serial commasthat is, a comma before the and or or in a series. May 02, 2017 but those who have imbibed the serialcomma koolaid including garner, h. Information and translations of serial comma in the most comprehensive dictionary definitions resource on the web. A tiny comma can be worth a lot, so lets talk seriously about the serial comma. Leading style guides, such as the red book, the elements of style, and bluebook, give us the rules.
Anal retentiveness, ap stylebook, associated press, comma, commas, english grammar and usage, grammer pole of the weak, legal writing, oxford comma, oxford university press, reader polls, serial. A former large firm litigator, josh also serves on the staff of the john marshall law schools writing resource center. A serial comma simply means that a comma will separate each element in a series of three or more, even before the coordinating conjunctions and and before or. Briefcatch works with you right inside your document. In business writing, you may use it or omit it according to. Improve your legal writing skills with this legal punctuation guide. The oxford comma, otherwise known as the serial comma, perhaps is one of the best ways to incite an online riot. It doesnt matter whether those items are nouns, gerund, adjectives, or more complicated terms. The serial comma rule is a style for presenting items in a list. Therefore, comma usage in technical writing is based on the. In english language punctuation, a serial comma, or series comma also called an oxford comma or harvard comma, is a comma placed immediately before the coordinating conjunction usually and or or in a series of three or more terms. Best legal writing programs top law schools us news. But those who have imbibed the serialcomma koolaid including garner, h.
Without that telltale oxford comma, the law could be read to exclude only packing whether it was packing for shipment or. Legal checking perfectit proofreading software for professionals. Aug 26, 2011 english grammar and usage, reader polls. Put citations in the text, not in footnotes, unless the court says otherwise. Josh taylor is an attorney and the head of legal content strategy at the legal software company smokeball. Legal writing, plain english, legal drafting, legal citation, persuasive writing, cle, plain language. Learn to write your legal documents in clear english by using stylewriter on your contracts, agreements and letters to your clients. But this is likely to be viewed differently by different people.
The boots came in black, brown, black and gray, tan and brown and wine. In general writing, the oxford comma is deemed optional, to be placed. However, sometimes, i find it more confusing if the serial comma is omitted. A lawyers guide to writing blog archive serial comma in legal. Everyone takes part, from marketers to writers to professors, and everyone has an opinion. Style writer stylewriter software to edit your legal.
As a compromise, guberman suggests using legal writing guru bryan garners practice of including the caption, the court, and the year of the decision in the text and relegating the reference matter to the footnotes. If that list of exemptions had included an oxford comma after shipment it would have clearly marked the last items in the list as activities a driver. Serial comma synonyms, serial comma pronunciation, serial comma translation, english dictionary definition of serial comma. Leading style guides, such as the red book, the elements of style, and bluebook, give. How a comma can change the law legal grammar rules. By staci zaretsky welcome to above the laws latest friday series. Theres quite an extensive explanation of the ins and outs of the oxford or serial comma here youll notice that the writer of the article says that a serial comma or series comma also called oxford comma and harvard comma is a comma placed immediately before the coordinating conjunction usually and, or, or nor in a.
Splitting a comma separated string through serial arduino. It is used for clarity in a sentence, and its use is often a matter of style, sometimes causing disagreement in publishing and literary circles. Fowler, karen elizabeth gordon and the chicago manual of style 2 clamor for ubiquitous serial commas, especially in legal writing where ambiguity is anathema. Aldus manutius also known as aldo manuzio was a 15thcentury italian printer who introduced the comma as we know it, as a way to separate things. Avoid the most common comma crimes committed by counsel. Specific revision points to consider english composition. I have seen my best friend skiing, flying, and crashing. For example, a list of three countries might be punctuated either as france, italy and spain without the serial comma or france, italy, and. Thus, federal lawnot plainlanguage advocates or wellmeaning academics or a faction of forwardthinking lawyers, but federal lawdictates that a complaint must contain a short and plain statement of the claim. When considering grammar and legal translation risks are even higher. Haggard says, the serial comma is essential in legal writing because it promotes. Ap stylethe style guide that newspaper reporters adhere to. Of all punctuation marks, the comma is the one most often debated in courthouses.
Mar 22, 2017 the federal rules of civil procedure are part of the supreme law of the land. Advocates of the serial comma include me and pretty much every other copy editor i know, fowler and strunk and white. For example, when the serial comma is omitted, i can mistake a. Wordrake is the first and only automated inline editing software for professionals. The oxford or serial comma is the final comma in a list of things. I have somehow been given to understand that the controversy regarding this use of the comma arose in the context of the interschool rivalry between oxford and cambridge. The comma in this position is known as the serial comma.
For instance, last summer, i visited chile, peru, bolivia, and argentina. Theres quite an extensive explanation of the ins and outs of the oxford or serial comma here youll notice that the writer of the article says that a serial comma or series comma also called oxford comma and harvard comma is a comma placed immediately before the coordinating conjunction usually and, or, or nor in a series of three or. For example, a list of three countries might be punctuated either as france, italy and spain without the. The serial comma is typically required in academic writing and typically omitted in journalism. He is a member of the national speakers association and speaks frequently on writing, marketing, and integrity for smallbusiness owners. It is a good idea to put a comma before the last item in a series. Serial commas and serial semicolons by erika suffern serial commas. But adding a serial comma removes the possibility of ambiguity. A lawyers guide to writing blog archive serial comma in. Modern legal writing style dictates that legal documents should be clear, uncomplicated, and consistent. The serial comma is the comma before and in a series of words. Using colons and semicolons in memos and briefs attorney. Also known as the serial comma, its the comma used between the secondtolast and the last item in a list. According to the website box office mojo, the topgrossing movies of all time in the united states are currently avatar, titanic, and the dark knight.
If a comma had been there, the law would have explicitly ruled out those who. Legalese definitely has no place in nonlegal writing. Style writer stylewriter software to edit your legal documents. In journalistic punctuation style, you use commas according to what you think are the needs for clarity. To oxford comma, or not to oxford comma, that is the question. Jun 15, 2017 serial commas and serial semicolons by erika suffern serial commas.
Best legal writing programs top law schools us news rankings. I just looked it up in 5 legal style books, and all 5 recommend a full set of serial commasthat is, a comma before the and or or in a series. Serial commas and serial semicolons the mla style center. The infamous oxford comma commgap international language services. Youll get instant feedback and suggestions tailored to your needs. Legal checking perfectit proofreading software for. Learn to write your legal documents in clear english by using stylewriter on your. The commas that cost companies millions bbc worklife. The comma that is found right after bolivia is an oxford comma. Just as there is confusion about its use, there is also confusion about the origin of the oxford comma.
It is designed for printers of federal government documents and has been adopted by government writers as the authority on matters of style, that is, questions of language that are not black and white but grey. In the name of consistency, and perhaps even sanity, consider committing to these eight comma commandments. So my arduino is receiving a string from serial, comprising of three values separated by commas, im trying to separate these values into three different variables, the rest i can do. Patti and her friends are debating about the serial commathe comma that comes before the final conjunction in a list. Mistakes in legal grammar rules can change entire rulings, like with oakhurst dairy. The oxford comma, which is sometimes referred to as a serial comma, is the final comma in a sentence containing list of things, usually coming before and or or. Check for use of the oxford serial comma and consistent. Eight commandments from the loftiest law firms to the grandest judicial chambers, i see the same comma errors time and time again. Dec 30, 2010 patti and her friends are debating about the serial commathe comma that comes before the final conjunction in a list. The serial comma, also known as the oxford comma, arouses strong feelings. In legal writing, place a comma at the end of each item listed, including the item listed immediately before the and. Use of the oxford comma is stylistic, meaning that some style guides demand its use while others dont.
However, for most allpurpose writing, the serial comma is the correct choice. You can drop the serial or oxford comma if you want to. With the exception of newspapers, most publications use the. Last week, the united states court of appeals for the first circuit decided a case that addressed the oxford comma and how omitting it from a sentence can create ambiguity for those who are unfamiliar with the oxford or serial comma, it refers to the punctuation convention of inserting a comma before the conjunction in a series of three or more itemsa. Aug 26, 2011 anal retentiveness, ap stylebook, associated press, comma, commas, english grammar and usage, grammer pole of the weak, legal writing, oxford comma, oxford university press, reader polls, serial. In the civilian world, the use of the serial comma is. Where did the oxford comma come from, and why is it so. Legal writing is a vital skill for any practicing lawyer. As garner observes, whether to include the serial comma has sparked many arguments. You are hereby notified that a default judgment has been entered. The infamous oxford comma commgap international language. Perhaps no mark of punctuation ruffles feathers more than the serial comma also called series comma, oxford comma, and harvard comma. Its name is always pretentious, and its purpose is always the same. The oxford comma can be a useful tool in writing, as it can help make lists much clearer.