Oxford comma: does the Brexit 50p coin have a grammatical error?

Brexit has continued to divide opinions with the unveiling of its commemorative 50 pence piece.

The new Brexit coin has been revealed. Picture: HM Treasury/PA

While some are still unsure whether the UK’s withdrawal from the EU is something to be celebrated or not, the latest disagreement has been sparked by the inscription on the coin itself, with many arguing that a comma is missing from its message.

Oxford commas have long been a subject of debate amongst grammar enthusiasts, with some publications still insisting on them, while many have written them off unnecessary and outdated.

Best-selling author Philip Pullman was unimpressed with the new coin. Picture: Daniel Leal-Olivas/Getty Images

What is an Oxford comma?

The Oxford comma (also known as a serial comma or the Harvard comma) is used in a list of three or more items, placed between the conjunction and the final item on the list.

So, for example, in the sentence, “Dogs are furry, cute, and friendly”, the Oxford comma comes before the word “and”.

In cases like these, you can remove the comma without making the sentence any more difficult to understand (“dogs are furry, cute and friendly”). On this basis, many style guides recommend omitting Oxford commas.

For some people, the Oxford comma is as hot a topic as Brexit itself. Picture: Shutterstock

However, there are rare occasions in which an Oxford comma can change how a sentence is read.

“I like ice cream with chocolate sprinkles, marmite and broccoli” sounds like you want all three of these things on top of your desert whereas “I like ice cream with chocolate sprinkles, marmite, and broccoli” makes it clear that you enjoy all these things separately.

Some argue that the Oxford comma should only be used in cases like this where it makes the meaning of the sentence clearer, while others advocate for using it all the time for the sake of consistency.

In 2017, this grammatical dispute became a legal matter when a group of delivery drivers in Maine used the lack of an Oxford comma to sue their employer for overtime pay.

The state’s law said that the following activities would not qualify for overtime pay, “The canning, processing, preserving, freezing, drying, marketing, storing, packing for shipment or distribution of: (1) Agricultural produce (2) Meat and fish products; and (3) Perishable foods.”

However, because there was no comma separating “shipment” and “or”, it was unclear whether the rule only applied to those doing the packing or to those doing the distributing as well.

In the end, the judge ruled in the drivers’ favour, arguing that the law was insufficiently clear thanks to the punctuation.

Should the new 50p have an Oxford comma?

Sir Phillip Pullman certainly thinks the Brexit 50p coin needs an Oxford comma. The His Dark Materials author took to Twitter to demand a boycott of the coin “by all literate people” due to its supposed grammatical failing.

The coin, which will enter circulation on Friday 31 January 2020 or "Brexit Day", reads, “Peace, prosperity and friendship with all nations”.

Some - including Pullman and Times editor, Stig Abell - argue that there should be a comma before the “and”. However, given that the sentence reads perfectly well without it, many would contest that there is no need for an Oxford comma in this instance.