I agree with Faldage about the superfluous comma in a series--and this rule is now officially either/or in some style manuals in the states. I remember Rhubarb commenting once upon a time here -- or maybe somewhere else -- about my own use of the superfluous comma in a series and I explained that this was a holdover from my own instruction. Rhubarb commented that the extra comma in England would be categorically incorrect.

And since that time, I've come across at least one style manual in which I found the either/or ruling. So, not one to want to use superfluous commas, I'm trying to wean them out of my writing for exactly the reason Faldage mentions: they call attention to the rule and pull attention away from the text.

I disagreed with Robinson's views on the semicolon because there are times that the semicolon does precisely what you would want it to do: it divides up the text--two independent clauses--into two big chunks of intimately connected thought with a pause in between. Not a pause that is as much of a stop as a period, but a pause that let's you know something strongly connected is about to follow. On the other hand, I don't like semicolons used because a writer of short sentences is too lazy (or unknowledgeable) to combine the short ones into more fluid long ones. Short sentences have their uses, but an overabundance of very short sentences combined with semicolons can be annoying.

I am not tempted to write an essay in which I only use commas and periods, so I differ from Robinson. I like all kinds of punctuation because of the increase in provision of affecting both the musicality of writing and in increasing clarity. I agree that Robinson is anal, but I, too, like understanding better how punctuation affects communication. If I have a poor punctuation habit that causes my thoughts to be misinterpreted, I need to have that habit pointed out to me so that I will be understood. When I want to be understood.

I've saved the article--printed it out--and will probably use sections of it for my freshmen to look over. Thanks for posting the link here.