The "Oxford" Comma

[symbolipoint]

From a comment in the Lame Jokes forum, the joke relied on the need for commas to separate items in a list. The briefly drifted topic could be at least a minor interest here in General; Art, History, and Linguistics.

One of the online sites regarding English Grammar described such a listing instructing to separate items in a listing within a sentence using a comma. The rule also indicated that for a conjunction between the last two items, a comma should also be placed before the "and" or the "or". The webpage called this the "Oxford" comma.

The first part of the joke stated, "How to cook crack and clean a crab".
What people can write is "How to cook, crack and clean a crab."
To include the "Oxford comma" would better put the phrase as "How to cook, crack, and clean a crab".

Refer to Lame Jokes, in the post #24159.

Post in thread 'Collection of Lame Jokes'

Jul 20, 2026

• berkeman

• 
• 

 

[Bandersnatch]

Panda eats shoots and leaves.

 

[DaveC426913]

From a comment in the Lamb Jokes forum, the joke relied on the need for commas to separate items in a list. The briefly drifted topic could be at least a minor interest here in General; Art, History, and Linguistics.

One of the online sites regarding English Grammar described such a listing instructing to separate items in a listing within a sentence using a comma. The rule also indicated that for a conjunction between the last two items, a comma should also be placed before the "and" or the "or". The webpage called this the "Oxford" comma.

The first part of the joke stated, "How to cook crack and clean a crab".
What people can write is "How to cook, crack and clean a crab."
To include the "Oxford comma" would better put the phrase as "How to cook, crack, and clean a crab".

Refer to Lamb Jokes, in the post #24159.

Post in thread 'Collection of Lame Jokes'

Jul 20, 2026

• berkeman

• 
• 

Sorry, do you have any comment on it yourself, beyond documenting it here?

 

[DaveC426913]

Panda eats shoots and leaves.

A good read.

 

[Mark44]

Punctuation saves lives...
"Let's eat Grandma!"

 

[jedishrfu]

Grandma got run over by a reindeer.

No comma needed for the song.

 

[symbolipoint]

Sorry, do you have any comment on it yourself, beyond documenting it here?

I have not figured out yet why it seemed commentable. Maybe my confusion for several seconds upon reading the joke. Commas are helpful for a reason.

 

[Mark44]

Panda eats shoots and leaves.

In case anyone is unfamiliar with this reference, there's a book titled "Eats, Shoots & and Leaves: the Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation," by Lynne Truss. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eats,_Shoots_&_Leaves