Shalanna wrote:

> Heh.  That's a good example.

I liked it. :)
 
> You're preaching to the choir around here, of course.  

Of course. :) I just thought it was something amusing.  The kids
will get it today--I've put it on an overhead, with overlays
showing both sets of punctuation.  They get to see that it's
exactly the same words--but boy, the difference with the
punctuation changed! :)

> The Mensa Bulletin
> once picked up an example I "invented"* to demonstrate the
necessity for
> the serial comma.  It was based on another similar dedication I saw in a
> book that wasn't nearly as funny, so I say "invented" with
the scare quotes.

Fair enough.
 
> The dedication read:
> 
> "To my parents, Hillary Clinton and God."

ROFL!!

I usually use something similar, but nowhere near as amusing, to
preach the serial comma (which, btw, the MLA has decided is
unnecessary before an "and"--even in the above example).  I
usually write something like, "Jimmy, John and Mary went to the
store" and then ask somebody to read it.  Usually they read it
aloud as nouns in a series, and I re-read it as direct address. 
I think yours will work better, though. :) May I use it?
 
Lissa AlwaysLookingForNewIdeas Wingling

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