what is it called when you have abbreviations for words

#What is it called when you have abbreviations for words how to#
#What is it called when you have abbreviations for words manuals#

stands for et cetera, which translates literally as “and others” or “and the rest.” A more useful translation that can be substituted for etc. Let’s take a look at each of them, what they mean and how they can be used. These are also the most often misused Latin abbreviations. The average person could go through life never having to worry about most Latin abbreviations, but there are three that have become so widespread that they’re impossible to avoid: etc., i.e. Knowing what these abbreviations mean and how they are used is crucial to understanding and interpreting these works. than “for example.” As an added bonus, using Latin abbreviations correctly can make your writing sound more sophisticated and scholarly.Įven if you decide that you don’t want to use Latin abbreviations in your own writing, you’re still going to encounter them in other texts. It takes less time and fewer characters to write e.g. While it’s perfectly acceptable to use English phrases instead of Latin abbreviations, there’s a reason why these abbreviations have survived and continue to be used today: they contain a lot of meaning in a very small package. Why should you bother learning about Latin abbreviations? in the titles of court cases.Įxcept for N.B., none of the abbreviations we’re about to discuss need to be italicized or capitalized. when discussing works with multiple authors and v. One notable exception: APA style allows writers to use the abbreviation et al. Certain abbreviations may be used in parentheses within the body of a text (etc., e.g., i.e.), but the rest should appear only in footnotes, endnotes, tables, and other forms of documentation.

#What is it called when you have abbreviations for words manuals#

The major style manuals (MLA, APA and Chicago) agree that Latin abbreviations should be kept out of the main body of a text-that is, they should not appear in ordinary sentences within ordinary paragraphs. There are a few generally accepted rules that apply to most Latin abbreviations. These little remnants of Latin have had a long and colorful life separated from their original language and context.

#What is it called when you have abbreviations for words how to#

Simply knowing what an abbreviation stands for and how to translate the underlying Latin words does not necessarily tell you how the abbreviation is used in actual modern practice. Some of these bits are very common and are even seen in non-academic writing, while others are much more obscure. About Latin terms and abbreviationsĭespite the fact that Latin is no longer the international language of scholars, bits and pieces of it can still be found scattered around. The rest of this handout explains these and many other Latin abbreviations you might see, such as etc., N.B, cf., sic, versus, circa, et al., ibid. when rephrasing the exact same idea in different words. when introducing a non-exhaustive list of examples and i.e. is another Latin abbreviation that means “in other words,” “namely,” or “which is to say.” Use e.g. is a Latin abbreviation that means “for example” and often appears before lists. In your college career, you will encounter the abbreviations e.g.

Latin Terms and Abbreviations What this handout is about