Comments | fandom_grammar: Answer: "Ms." vs. "Ms"

green_grrl in fandom_grammar

Answer: "Ms." vs. "Ms"

Feb 16, 2009 21:00

Is it Ms. or Ms?

The answer is, well, either--and it will take a little more exploration to determine which to use. ( with examples from Alias and James Bond )

usage:non-american, usage:punctuation, punctuation:period, word choice:subtleties, !answer, punctuation, author:green_grrl

Comments 6

frohike February 17 2009, 07:39:45 UTC

What if it's Australian? Or anything else other than US/UK?
Not being nitpicky

green_grrl February 17 2009, 16:00:23 UTC

It's a good question! There's an extensive entry under "abbreviations" in The Cambridge Guide to Australian English Usage (pages 5-7, in the "A" listings). The upshot is that Australians generally go by Hart's rules though, like the British, many are also moving towards the "no period" style. Ms doesn't take a period either way, so use the British style of Ms without a period.

frohike February 18 2009, 08:58:03 UTC

Wow.
Thanks heaps for the nifty link. I read the entire section and feel entirely satisfied with my abbreviation punctuation habits. It seems that I side with the majority of my countrymen in using the mixture of styles b and c. It just seems right.
Seriously good link.

green_grrl February 18 2009, 15:04:28 UTC

I know, they really got into it, didn't they? :D I'm glad it was helpful.

haldoor February 18 2009, 09:18:38 UTC

Thank you for this! I must admit, I was getting very confused about why I'd never used a full-stop (sorry, a period is something I have once a month! *g*) after any of these abbreviations, and my American friends always did. Now I finally follow, and can happily continue to not use one! *hugs*

green_grrl February 18 2009, 15:06:34 UTC

Yay! It takes an eyeball adjustment, either way.