Merle Haggard's Gay Life

Did Merle Haggard wed Kris Kristofferson and Robert Duvall?

Undeniably not! Ridiculous!

Yet, you might find this mistaken idea in a news article from an unidentified publication (originally featured on James Joyner's Outside the Beltway blog, 'Merle Haggard and the Gay Serial Comma'). The article contained a picture of the country music icon, with the caption, 'The documentary, spanning three years, interviewed several individuals. Included were his two former spouses, and also Kris Kristofferson and Robert Duvall.'

Inspect the concluding clause— 'his two ex-wives, Kris Kristofferson, and Robert Duvall.' The phrase, as written, misleads the reader into thinking that Merle Haggard was actually married to Kristofferson and Duvall.

This is attributable to the omitted Oxford comma after 'Kristofferson.' Had the comma been present, it would have been evident that the documentary included four individuals: two ex-wives, along with Kristofferson and Duvall.

The Associated Press, in general, avoids this stylistic element, prompting many journalists and editors to assume an absolute prohibition against the Oxford comma. However, the Oxford comma can clarify ambiguous sentences. This particular sentence concerning Merle Haggard's marital partnerships is a prime example of such ambiguity.

The addition of the Oxford comma would have made it unmistakably clear that Kristofferson and Duvall were not counted among Merle's previous spouses, but were separate interviewees. This is comparable to the situation with a book dedication: "To my parents, the Pope, and Mother Teresa."

While I occasionally debate this point with editors or grammatical purists, I have never witnessed a case where the Oxford comma led to misinterpretation. Conversely, blind adherence to the 'no Oxford comma' rule can frequently result in ambiguity, or at the very least, generate intriguing queries.