Grammar's great divide: The Oxford comma - TED-Ed

文法分水嶺：牛津逗號 - TED-Ed

譯者: Taiho Huang 審譯者: Dong Mao

Say you're helping plan a friend's party,

假設你在幫忙朋友辦派對

and he sends you a text

而他傳了封簡訊給你

asking you to "bring Bob, a DJ and a clown."

要你「帶DJ小丑包柏」

You're pretty impressed.

你很意外

You had no idea Bob was so multitalented.

原來包柏如此多才多藝

But when the day arrives,

但派對當天你才知道

it turns out that he's not,

原來他並非如此多才多藝

and you were supposed to bring three different people.

朋友是要你連絡三個不同的人

As you and Bob sit at the silent, clownless party,

就在你和包柏坐在安靜 且無小丑餘興的派對上的同時

it occurs to you that the confusion could've been avoided

你想到：其實這個誤會

simply by using another comma after DJ.

只要在DJ前加個逗號就不會發生

This final comma in a list,

列表上的最後一個逗號

placed directly before the main conjunction,

若是放在主要連接詞，像是和、或的正前方

such as and, or, or nor,

若是放在主要連接詞，像是和、或的正前方

is called the serial comma,

這個逗號就可稱之為系列逗號

or Oxford comma.

或是牛津逗號

And it has long driven grammar nerds crazy

這個逗號一直讓文法控很苦惱

because even major language institutions

因為連各大語言機構

can't agree on whether it should be used.

也對此事沒有定共識

Ironically, the Oxford comma

有趣的是 牛津逗號的使用

is more common in the United States,

其實在美國比較普遍

where it's recommended by

MLA論文格式、芝加哥格式手冊

the MLA, the Chicago Style Manual,

以及美國政府印刷局

and the US Government Printing Office,

都建議使用牛津逗號

though not by the AP Style Book.

雖然美聯社格式書持相反意見

In the UK and other English-speaking countries,

而在英國及其他英語系國家

most style guides do not support the comma's use,

多數的格式指南 則是不支持此逗號的使用

with the exception of its namesake,

只有牛津大學出版社

the Oxford University Press.

因為名稱的關係 建議該逗號的使用

Why not use the serial comma?

為什麼會建議不要使用系列逗號呢？

One of the main arguments

其中一個理由是說

is that the conjunction is usually enough

連接詞基本上

to denote a separate entity.

就足以分隔兩個名詞

And where it's not,

就算有時沒有辦法

like in your ill-fated invite list,

例如你多舛的邀請名單

changing the order of terms will usually do the job.

把名詞順序調一下通常就可以了

Journalists also dislike the comma

新聞記者也不喜歡牛津逗號

because it takes up precious space

因為會占了寶貴的空間

and can make text look cluttered.

且會讓文章版面零亂

Sometimes, it can even create confusion of its own.

且有時候，使用牛津逗號反而會讓人混淆

For example,

舉例來說

if your friend had asked for "Bob,

如果你朋友想要找包柏

a DJ and a puppy,"

「DJ包柏和小狗」

you'd probably figure out

你可能就會知道

that they're three separate beings.

這是三樣不同的東西

Puppies are cute,

小狗狗儘管可愛

but they don't make great DJs.

但絕對不會是個好DJ

With the comma,

加了牛津逗號

you may think

你反而可能會想說

Bob is the DJ,

包柏是DJ

and all you need is him and the puppy.

所以你只要找他和小狗

The argument over the Oxford comma

近年來 對於牛津逗號的爭論

has raised such strong passions over the years

雖然沸沸揚揚

that a sort of truce has been reached.

但也似乎達成了某種停戰協議

The common wisdom is that

普遍的共識是

its use is optional,

該逗號的用法可彈性

and depends on whether it will help

端看它是否有助於

to avoid confusion.

文義的釐清

For one thing,

其一

you're supposed to keep your use or avoidance

一旦你決定要使用或不使用

of the Oxford comma

牛津逗號

consistent throughout a whole piece of writing.

你的通篇文章就應該統一用法

So, using it only where necessary

所以 只在必要的時候用

is not an option.

是不可能的

And the very idea

而且將文法規則彈性化

of a grammatical rule being optional

這個想法

is a bit odd.

本身就有點奇怪

Imagine that you hadn't messed up the party planning,

想像你並沒有搞砸派對規劃

and read the next day that "everyone had a great time -

而隔天收到了一封簡訊 上面寫著：

ninjas, pirates, vikings, old and young."

忍者，海盜，維京人，老少 等大家都很在派對上玩得很開心

If the Oxford comma were standard,

假設牛津逗號為標準使用方法

you would notice it missing

你會注意到這裡少了一個逗號

and conclude that old and young

因此推測老少在這裡

must describe the awesome guests already listed.

應是在形容前面列出的這些客人

But as things stand,

但目前的狀況

you will always wonder

你一定還是會想

whether it means

這是否代表

that a bunch of regular, boring kids and old people

派對上也有一群普通且無趣的

showed up as well.

小孩和老人

Ultimately, the serial comma may be useful or annoying,

總之 系列逗號可能是 實用的、也可能是惱人的

but your opinion on it,

而你對它的看法

as for many optional things,

就像很多可以選擇的事物一樣

probably has something to do

會和你的生長背景有關

with whichever style you were raised on.

會和你的生長背景有關

Your high school teachers favored it?

你的高中老師如果偏好牛津逗號的話

It's likely you're still using it.

你也很有可能如此使用

Your first editor hated it?

你的首任編輯討厭它的話

You probably do, too.

你也很有可能不太喜歡

And maybe so much hairsplitting

而為了這個頁面上一個小小的撇

over a tiny squiggle on a page

如此焦頭爛額

is a bit silly.

似乎有點蠢

After all,

畢竟

there are so many bigger problems

有太多更大的問題

to worry about.

要去擔心了

But sometimes, little things can make a big difference.

只是有時候 小東西是真的能造成大改變