評論
打印
With the comma, you may think Bob is the DJ, and all you need is him and the puppy.
加了逗號之后你可能會以為鮑勃就是DJ，而你要叫上的是兩樣事物，DJ鮑勃和狗。
The argument over the Oxford comma has raised such strong passions over the years that a sort of truce has been reached.
關于牛津逗號的爭論在很多年引起過大家的熱烈關注，直至后來大家達到共識，同意停戰。
The common wisdom is that its use is optional, and depends on whether it will help to avoid confusion.
通常的觀念是認為如果逗號可以幫你在一句話里避免歧義，你可以自由選擇是否用它。
For one thing, you're supposed to keep your use or avoidance of the Oxford comma consistent throughout a whole piece of writing.
你要做到在一篇文章里，無論使不使用逗號都要前后一致，要么你就通篇用，要么反之。
So, using it only where necessary is not an option.
所以，能不用還是盡量不用。
And the very idea of a grammatical rule being optional is a bit odd.
而任何關于我們可以選擇性遵從語法規則這樣的論調多少有點奇怪。
Imagine that you hadn't messed up the party planning, and read the next day that "everyone had a great time, ninjas, pirates, vikings, old and young."
想象一下，如果你順利策劃了那個聚會，第二天，你朋友給你發了一條短信，說昨晚個個都開心，忍者啦，海盜啦，維京人啦，老的小的。
If the Oxford comma were standard, you would notice it missing and conclude that old and young must describe the awesome guests already listed.
如果牛津逗號是要規范使用的，你會發現它在這里缺失了，你推斷老的和小的指的就是之前提到很酷的忍者什么的。
But as things stand, you will always wonder whether it means that a bunch of regular, boring kids and old people showed up as well.
但是還有一個可能性，你會質疑這老的小的是不是指另外一個在聚會上出現過的無趣小孩和老人。
Ultimately, the serial comma may be useful or annoying,
歸根結底，連續逗號可以是有用的也可以是煩人的，
but your opinion on it, as for many optional things, probably has something to do with whichever style you were raised on.
就像對待別的可選規則一樣，要和你打算使用的文體和格式，保持一致。
Your high school teachers favored it? It's likely you're still using it.
你高中老師喜歡它？那么你可能也會一直用它。
Your first editor hated it? You probably do, too.
你第一個編輯上司痛恨它？你可能也一樣。
And maybe so much hairsplitting over a tiny squiggle on a page is a bit silly.
在一篇字跡難辨的手稿文章里，那么多的吹毛求疵讓人覺得大可不必。
After all, there are so many bigger problems to worry about.
畢竟這個世界上充滿了更多更大的煩心事。
But sometimes, little things can make a big difference.
但有時候，小小的改變可能大不一樣。
