A Word, Please: ‘Rules’ are sometimes just a matter of style

If you feel like one of the unfortunate few who missed out on a good grammar education, welcome to the club. Almost everyone I’ve ever talked to about the subject feels the same way — as if they were out sick the day that everyone else in school learned everything there is to know about word usage and possessives and object pronouns and on and on.

The only people who don’t feel inadequate about their language training are usually people who should. Chief among them: copy editors.

Copy editors know editing style, but many don’t realize that editing rules aren’t grammar rules. We are, at times, living examples of how a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. We think that because Associated Press style says there’s a clear distinction between “that” and “which,” this must be a universal grammar rule. It’s not. Nor are dozens of other little style rules that we copy editors sometimes take too seriously.

So if, like so many other people, you’re disappointed you didn’t learn more about grammar, here are some reasons to be glad you didn’t — bits of language “wisdom” that, as copy editors often prove, you’re better off never learning.

In AP and Chicago editing styles, there’s an important difference between “that” and “which.” Here’s AP’s rule: “Use ‘that’ for essential clauses, important to the meaning of the sentence, and without commas: ‘I remember the day that we met.’ Use ‘which’ for nonessential clauses, where the pronoun is less necessary, and use commas: ‘The team, which finished last a year ago, is in first place.’”

If you find that explanation fuzzy, AP offers this tip to clear it up: If you can take the clause out without harming the meaning of the main clause, it’s nonessential and takes “which” and commas. So in, “The car, which is really fast, is parked outside,” you could take out that “which” business and still have a clear main clause: The car is parked outside.

That’s satisfying to master, but not as important as a lot of editors believe. In the real world, this isn’t a rule. It’s just common practice. It’s sometimes fine to use “which” for essential clauses. In fact it’s common in Great Britain. So if you think there’s a rule against using “which” where you could use “that,” you’re worse off than someone who never heard the words “nonessential clause.”

“Over” and “under” are popular bugaboos in the editing world. For years, there was a rule that said “over” can’t be used to mean “more than” and “under” can’t be used to mean “less than.” This was useful stuff for anyone out to comply with style rules. But it was useless in the real world. The definition of “over” includes “more than.” The definition of “under” includes “less than.”

And here’s an AP rule with no real-world application: In AP, “adviser” is spelled with an E. But most dictionaries also let you spelled it with an O: advisor.

Professional editors know that in a series of three or more things, there’s no comma before the “and,” as in “red, white and blue.” Just don’t tell that to all the other editors just as certain that there is a comma before “and” in “red, white, and blue.”

This extra comma, called the serial or Oxford comma, is wrong in AP style, but it’s the only way to go in Chicago style. Editors in both styles fail to realize that “their” way isn’t the right way. There is no right way. Unless you’re following one of those editing styles, either choice is wrong.

If a man representing a company or government body speaks on its behalf, he’s a spokesman, according to editing style. A woman doing the same job is a spokeswoman. Neither, AP emphasizes, is a spokesperson. But in the real world, not only does “spokesperson” exist, it’s an extremely popular alternative to the potentially sexist act of pointing out whether someone’s a man or a woman.

JUNE CASAGRANDE is the author of “The Best Punctuation Book, Period.” She can be reached at [email protected].