Is there an "Oxford semicolon"?

I must admit that I don't use semicolon lists very often. (In some instances, I probably should have.) I will also admit that I'm neither-here-nor-there with the use of an Oxford comma. Sometimes I use it and sometimes I don't, depending on how clear I think my sentence is without it. (I suppose I default to not using it, as is (ironically) the British/Australian custom.)

But I couldn't seem to find a definitive answer on this site for whether there is a semicolon version of the Oxford comma. That is, in Commonwealth English, do semicolon lists go:

Blah blah blah; so and so; and yada yada yada

or:

Blah blah blah; so and so and yada yada yada

or (in the case of potential ambiguity?):

Blah blah blah; so and so, and yada yada yada

I found these two sources, one British and one presumably American.

bristol.ac.uk (British)

In complicated lists.

The semicolon can be used to sort out a complicated list containing many items, many of which themselves contain commas.

Have a look at this example:

In the meeting today we have Professor Wilson, University of Barnsley, Dr Watson, University of Barrow in Furness, Colonel Custard, Metropolitan Police and Dr Mable Syrup, Genius General, University of Otago, New Zealand.

In a situation such as this, only the mighty semicolon can unravel the mess.

In the meeting today we have Professor Wilson, University of Barnsley; Dr Watson, University of Barrow in Furness; Colonel Custard, Metropolitan Police and Dr Mable Syrup, Genius General, University of Otago, New Zealand.

^ As seen, no ; and is used.

grammar-monster.com (American)

Look at this list:

• John
• Simon
• Toby

This list would be written like this: John, Simon, and Toby.

Now look at this list:

• John, the baker
• Simon, the policeman
• Toby, the architect

This list would be written like this: John, the baker; Simon, the policeman; and Toby, the architect.

^ As seen, ; and is used.

Furthermore, the British example lacks an Oxford comma in the non-semicolon list, and the American example contains an Oxford comma in the non-semicolon list.

Solution 1:

The Chicago Manual of Style, sixteenth edition (2010) discusses serial semicolons in two places—at 6.19, within a section headed "Series and the Serial Comma":

6.19 Using semicolons instead of commas in a series. When elements in a series include internal punctuation, or when they are very long and complex, they may need to be separated by semicolons rather than by commas (see 6.58). For a simple list, however—even if it is introduced by a colon—a comma is preferred.

and at 6.58, where an example of complex series with serial semicolons appears:

6.58 Semicolons in a complex series. When items in a series themselves contain internal punctuation, separating the items with semicolons can aid clarity. ...

[Example:] The defendant, in an attempt to mitigate his sentence, pleaded that he had recently, on a doctor's orders, gone of his medications; that his car—which, incidentally, he had won in the late 1970s on Let's Make a Deal—had spontaneously caught on fire; and that he had not eaten for several days.

The Oxford Guide to Style (2002) offers a somewhat less baroque example of a serial semicolon in its general subsection 5.4 on semicolons:

In a list where any of the elements themselves contain commas, use a semicolon to clarify the relationship of the components:

[Example:] They pointed out, in support of their claim, that they had used the materials stipulated in the contract; that they had taken every reasonable precaution, including some not mentioned in the code; and that they had employed only qualified workers, all of whom were very experienced.

So the two style guides most widely renowned for their support of the serial comma—Chicago and Oxford—also unequivocally support the serial semicolon, under suitable circumstances.

Solution 2:

I'm not sure if it's a case of British vs American as University of Leicester give these examples, all with ; and :

The speakers were: Dr Sally Meadows, Biology; Dr Fred Eliot, Animal Welfare; Ms Gerri Taylor, Sociology; and Prof. Julie Briggs, Chemistry.

The four venues will be: Middleton Hall, Manchester; Highton House, Liverpool; Marsden Hall, Leeds; and the Ashton Centre, Sheffield.

The main points in favour of the system were that it would save time for buying, accounts and on-site staff; it would be welcome by the reception staff; it would use fewer resources; and it would be compatible with earlier systems.