How much is a comma worth? $5 million
Feb 12th 2018, 1:41 pm
#1
Lost in BE Cyberspace
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How much is a comma worth? $5 million
Now I know that we have the spelling police and the punctuation police on here at times which can be a bit of fun or deadly serious to some.
Here is an interesting article about the use or lack of use of the Oxford comma.
A $5-million overtime dispute in Maine hinged entirely on the lack of an Oxford comma | National Post
I wonder what the lawyers fee's were and how much this case cost overall besides the 5 million settlement?
Pedantic's feel free to correct my post but then ask yourself DILLIGAF.
Here is an interesting article about the use or lack of use of the Oxford comma.
A $5-million overtime dispute in Maine hinged entirely on the lack of an Oxford comma | National Post
I wonder what the lawyers fee's were and how much this case cost overall besides the 5 million settlement?
Pedantic's feel free to correct my post but then ask yourself DILLIGAF.
Feb 12th 2018, 3:07 pm
#2
Seasoned Maritimer
Joined: Jun 2005
Location: Fredericton, New Brunswick CA
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Re: How much is a comma worth? $5 million
I'm assuming that mistake was deliberate.
Feb 12th 2018, 3:09 pm
#3
Joined: Feb 2012
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Posts: 18,186
Re: How much is a comma worth? $5 million
Feb 12th 2018, 3:37 pm
#4
Joined: Dec 2001
Location: Dixie, ex UK
Posts: 52,439
Re: How much is a comma worth? $5 million
When I first heard about the case a few months ago, I read that Maine legislation explicitly eschews the Oxford comma. As is beautifully demonstrated in the case, the addition or absence of a comma can substantially change the meaning of a sentence with a list in it.
That said, the legislation could have been better worded, for example with numbers or bullets to mark each distinct item in the list, and avoid the risk of adjacent items being incorrectly coalesced into single items on the list. I hear that the legislation has been redrafted with semi-colons to demarcate items in the list.
That said, the legislation could have been better worded, for example with numbers or bullets to mark each distinct item in the list, and avoid the risk of adjacent items being incorrectly coalesced into single items on the list. I hear that the legislation has been redrafted with semi-colons to demarcate items in the list.
Feb 12th 2018, 9:22 pm
#5
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Posts: 28,994
Re: How much is a comma worth? $5 million
When I first heard about the case a few months ago, I read that Maine legislation explicitly eschews the Oxford comma. As is beautifully demonstrated in the case, the addition or absence of a comma can substantially change the meaning of a sentence with a list in it.
That said, the legislation could have been better worded, for example with numbers or bullets to mark each distinct item in the list, and avoid the risk of adjacent items being incorrectly coalesced into single items on the list. I hear that the legislation has been redrafted with semi-colons to demarcate items in the list.
That said, the legislation could have been better worded, for example with numbers or bullets to mark each distinct item in the list, and avoid the risk of adjacent items being incorrectly coalesced into single items on the list. I hear that the legislation has been redrafted with semi-colons to demarcate items in the list.
Feb 12th 2018, 9:26 pm
#6
Still alive
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 28,994
Re: How much is a comma worth? $5 million
When I first heard about the case a few months ago, I read that Maine legislation explicitly eschews the Oxford comma. As is beautifully demonstrated in the case, the addition or absence of a comma can substantially change the meaning of a sentence with a list in it.
That said, the legislation could have been better worded, for example with numbers or bullets to mark each distinct item in the list, and avoid the risk of adjacent items being incorrectly coalesced into single items on the list. I hear that the legislation has been redrafted with semi-colons to demarcate items in the list.
That said, the legislation could have been better worded, for example with numbers or bullets to mark each distinct item in the list, and avoid the risk of adjacent items being incorrectly coalesced into single items on the list. I hear that the legislation has been redrafted with semi-colons to demarcate items in the list.
I work with a doctor now with his fancy Oxford education whose grammar has to be the worst I've encountered in ages. He inserts commas in the most bizarre places and starts new paragraphs in the middle of a subject. It drives me absolutely mad.
Feb 12th 2018, 10:50 pm
#9
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Feb 12th 2018, 10:59 pm
#10
Account Closed
Joined: Jan 2006
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Re: How much is a comma worth? $5 million
New wording of the legislation.
The canning; processing; preserving; freezing; drying; marketing; storing; packing for shipment; or distributing of:
Would have been possibly interesting if this had gone to court to see how the courts would have ruled, but I am sure that would have cost the company more in the long run, easier to settle and make the problem go away.
The canning; processing; preserving; freezing; drying; marketing; storing; packing for shipment; or distributing of:
Would have been possibly interesting if this had gone to court to see how the courts would have ruled, but I am sure that would have cost the company more in the long run, easier to settle and make the problem go away.
Feb 13th 2018, 3:21 pm
#12
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Re: How much is a comma worth? $5 million
This thread reminded me of a similar one...
It was more about the very similar subject than about the number of responses!
Feb 13th 2018, 4:06 pm
#14
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 12,830
Re: How much is a comma worth? $5 million
Mizuho Securities Co. lost at least 27 billion yen ($225 million) on a stock trade due to a typing error.
Typing Error Causes $225M Loss at Tokyo Stock Exchange | Fox News
Typing Error Causes $225M Loss at Tokyo Stock Exchange | Fox News
Feb 13th 2018, 5:21 pm
#15
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