comma before 'and' [course title; serial comma]: Women, Ethnic, and...

[bu55ryung]

I need to choose the title of a new course like "Women, Ethnic and Minority Entrepreneurs". I thought that the title should be written as "Women, Ethnic, and Minority Entrepreneurs". All native speakers in the room were in favor of the title without a comma prior to 'and'.

Also, I am thinking that the former title implies that the emphasis of the course is divided into two major groups: Women vs. Ethnic and Minority instead of placing equal weight on three individual components: women, ethnic, and minority.

Then, one native speaker said that the title (a single phrase) should be better without a comma. I could not recall any related grammars.

Any verdict?

 

[GreenWhiteBlue]

I would agree with you, bu55ryung. So, for that matter, would Strunk. You might look here at his second rule:

http://www.bartleby.com/141/strunk.html

 

[twen]

Modern business English (US) requires the comma to force the separation of the last two items in the series. People educated prior to the 1970s (or their teachers) hold that the word "and" substitutes the comma.

 

[GreenWhiteBlue]

Modern business English (US) requires the comma to force the separation of the last two items in the series. People educated prior to the 1970s (or their teachers) hold that the word "and" substitutes the comma.

Really? I would have said the opposite: the dropping of the comma before "and" is a recent, and not an older, practice.

 

[tepatria]

I think the series of commas does not convey your meaning very well. The course is not about the three equally, but how women fare against the other two in business... if I understood your post. I am wracking my brains to think of a way to say what you want without sounding too oppositional.

 

[AngelEyes]

Really? I would have said the opposite: the dropping of the comma before "and" is a recent, and not an older, practice.

I agree, GWB! I think of it as a recent development in usage.

I've been thinking about what you said, tepatria, in regards to these three not being equal studies, but rather one (women) against the other two (acting as an equal unit.) I think that's what you meant.

I don't think so. Many women would consider themselves a specialized, minority group, too!

I would think that it's presumed that these three are equal in comparison if studied against men entrepreneurs. So the study in this control group is well balanced between the three of them...thus, I would use that comma after Ethnic.

"Women, Ethnic, and Minority Entrepreneurs"

In this particular example, these three are equal and separate.

AngelEyes

 

[bu55ryung]

I think the series of commas does not convey your meaning very well. The course is not about the three equally, but how women fare against the other two in business... if I understood your post. I am wracking my brains to think of a way to say what you want without sounding too oppositional.

I agree. Then, I can say three distinctive issues. I think that 'ethnic' and 'minority' share a common ground, i.e., ethnic people are a minority. Still I could not get your point. Do you mean that the comma is not required?