Thru vs. Through

[AsylumSeeker]

Editing question. I did a forum search and found nothing on this, so if it's been addressed before then I apologize in advance.

I'm editing a story where a writer uses "thru". I went on the web and it's a shortened version of "through", which I already knew. Technically not wrong, then. But it seems inappropriate for writing in a story in my mind. Is there an "official word"?

I'm trying (with editor hat on) not to impose my preferences but rather suggest what is correct. Anyone care to weigh in on this?

Responses appreciated, thanks!

 

[meg1]

Ok, I'm going to respond here, but it seems that every time I do, someone comes behind me and tears me a new one.

Yes, thru is a shortened version of through, however, it would fall more under the category of slang. Therefore, I allow thru when it's being used in a quotation as a person's way of speaking. When it's being used in the body of the story, I change it to through.

example: "Dude, I walked right thru the crowd and there wasn't a single hottie there!"
After Jack had walked through the door, Cheryl slammed it behind him.


This is my two cents, hope it helps.

 

[Tzara]

Editing question. I did a forum search and found nothing on this, so if it's been addressed before then I apologize in advance.

I'm editing a story where a writer uses "thru". I went on the web and it's a shortened version of "through", which I already knew. Technically not wrong, then. But it seems inappropriate for writing in a story in my mind. Is there an "official word"?

I'm trying (with editor hat on) not to impose my preferences but rather suggest what is correct. Anyone care to weigh in on this?

Responses appreciated, thanks!

I suppose it depends on the context. "Thru" is not a word--at least not yet, thank God--but it is used fairly frequently in some kinds of writing: notes to oneself, for example, or text messaging.

My take would be that if the context was one in which a non-standard and obviously incorrect spelling might be used (e.g., the aforementioned text messaging), then I would leave it as written. Otherwise I would recommend changing it to the correct spelling.

What I would most likely do is ask the writer why they used that form of the word. If he or she had a reason (other than sloppiness or ignorance) why the word was spelled that way, I'd probably let it stand.

 

[AsylumSeeker]

I suppose it depends on the context. "Thru" is not a word--at least not yet, thank God--but it is used fairly frequently in some kinds of writing: notes to oneself, for example, or text messaging.

My take would be that if the context was one in which a non-standard and obviously incorrect spelling might be used (e.g., the aforementioned text messaging), then I would leave it as written. Otherwise I would recommend changing it to the correct spelling.

What I would most likely do is ask the writer why they used that form of the word. If he or she had a reason (other than sloppiness or ignorance) why the word was spelled that way, I'd probably let it stand.

Here's one of many contexts:

On the day they had ridden thru the great gates and claimed this kingdom as theirs, she had stood...

Thanks for the opinions!

 

[meg1]

i would change that if i was editing

 

[AsylumSeeker]

i would change that if i was editing

That was my impulse as well, but I've suggested changes before based on personal experience and been wrong so I like to check first, thanks.

Not an English major here, little college at all and none English, so I bill myself as a "decent" editor which I feel I am (typos, word usage, limited grammar). But I am a good writer and offer help in areas where some editors can't.

Guess I'm trying to 'splain why I'm editing at all. Hmm, maybe I would be better to defer to those more qualified. But there was a time when Lit lacked editors and readers were clamoring for help to get stories posted so I did what I could to help. I'm good enough to get a story posted on Lit, but my editorial skill ends there.

If "real" editors are more abundant now I'd be more than willing to refer future writers to them as I prefer to write than edit.

 

[meg1]

That was my impulse as well, but I've suggested changes before based on personal experience and been wrong so I like to check first, thanks.

Not an English major here, little college at all and none English, so I bill myself as a "decent" editor which I feel I am (typos, word usage, limited grammar). But I am a good writer and offer help in areas where some editors can't.

Guess I'm trying to 'splain why I'm editing at all. Hmm, maybe I would be better to defer to those more qualified. But there was a time when Lit lacked editors and readers were clamoring for help to get stories posted so I did what I could to help. I'm good enough to get a story posted on Lit, but my editorial skill ends there.

If "real" editors are more abundant now I'd be more than willing to refer future writers to them as I prefer to write than edit.

'splaining to the choir here asylum....it feels great to help someone with their writing. to watch it post on the site and know that you had something to do with it.

no one said you have to be a professor of english lit to be an editor. it appears you take your job very seriously, and i know that means a lot to those you help.

 

[Jenny_Jackson]

It's just lazy. If stories are going to start using contracted words then where's the end of the road?

Il mt u @ 8?

Sorry. Bad at the English language as I am, even I can't do this.

 

[Tzara]

Here's one of many contexts:

On the day they had ridden thru the great gates and claimed this kingdom as theirs, she had stood...

Thanks for the opinions!

Only if the gates they had ridden "thru" were in World of Warcraft.

Does no one write English anymore?

 

[AsylumSeeker]

It's just lazy. If stories are going to start using contracted words then where's the end of the road?

Il mt u @ 8?

Sorry. Bad at the English language as I am, even I can't do this.

I'm sure if I knew how to text I could write an entire novel with a few letters, but I don't. Are you feeling like a dinosaur too? Extinction is around the corner <sigh>

Fuck, have a few drinks, accept your fate, and enjoy!

 

[meg1]

LOL....not a dinosaur, and I text daily (instead of TTY), and I never write like that.....not everyone gives up proper grammar when the follow technology

 

[AsylumSeeker]

LOL....not a dinosaur, and I text daily (instead of TTY), and I never write like that.....not everyone gives up proper grammar when the follow technology

Hoping you're a teacher and are passing this on to today's youth!

 

[meg1]

Bingo

Of course

 

[AsylumSeeker]

Thank Goodness!

Bingo

Of course

We're going to be taxing the incomes of these kids to death so WE can have a decent retirement! (don't tell them) They must make GOBS and us old folks will steal most!

Now I finally have a retirement plan! LOL!

 

[starrkers]

Through is a word. Thru is not.

Not in the English speaking world anyway.

 

[DracheDD]

Have to go with meg on this one.
Thru is slang and while it might be appropriate for a message board or texting, it's not in a literary work.

 

[sr71plt]

I think meg1 had it in her initial response. "Thru" is a word in the American idiom--it's included as a slang word in Webster's. But I'd only use it in text in a context that purposely was being slangy.

 

[palisa]

Something clanks here, IMO.

Books still aren't all unpacked, and I don't have my Webster's, but my American Heritage calls the word "informal." That's a lot different from slang, which applies only to spoken words. In speech, you can't tell "thru" from "through," so it does nothing but jar (or imitate GB Shaw's crank crusade) to use the shortcut in written text. Using it tells you nothing -- it sounds exactly the same as the correct spelling -- about the argot or patois that a speaker was using, and contributes nothing to text except a suggestion of laziness or sloppiness.

Hell, PED XING is on thousands of street signs. Is that next in writing?

AS, despite your tender feelings for your author, I'd suggest that this isn't a matter of imposing your preferences or changing the story in any way. It's simply cleansing a story of errors. To repeat myself, there is no way that "thru" adds anything to the manuscript or has any meaning other than that it is a misspelled word.

I'll back off that dogmatic assertion to allow, as Tzara correctly noted, quoting a text message or in books or stories such as "The True History of the Kelly Gang," where the book was a transcription of the writing of a poorly educated Australian outlaw.

But for the most part, I'm with the "Bah! Humbug!" group on this one.

 

[stickwork]

Editing question. I did a forum search and found nothing on this, so if it's been addressed before then I apologize in advance.

I'm editing a story where a writer uses "thru". I went on the web and it's a shortened version of "through", which I already knew. Technically not wrong, then. But it seems inappropriate for writing in a story in my mind. Is there an "official word"?

I'm trying (with editor hat on) not to impose my preferences but rather suggest what is correct. Anyone care to weigh in on this?

Responses appreciated, thanks!

Generally:

"Thru" is the bailiwick of poetry, e.g. Robert Frost woodsy path stuff.

"Through" is prose.

However, artistic license trumps all categorization.

 

[snoopercharmbrights]

As I have said to so many of the victims, sorry, authors whose work I have eited

The use of abbreviations in a piece of fiction is not decorative. It makes the story read like a txt msg, rather than a piece of literature.

 

[sr71plt]

As I have said to so many of the victims, sorry, authors whose work I have eited

The use of abbreviations in a piece of fiction is not decorative. It makes the story read like a txt msg, rather than a piece of literature.

"Thru" isn't an abbreviation. It's a variation word. It's registered in Webster's as a word, not an abbreviation.

When in doubt, open a dictionary.

 

[AsylumSeeker]

Just Trying To Be Correct

Something clanks here, IMO.

Books still aren't all unpacked, and I don't have my Webster's, but my American Heritage calls the word "informal." That's a lot different from slang, which applies only to spoken words. In speech, you can't tell "thru" from "through," so it does nothing but jar (or imitate GB Shaw's crank crusade) to use the shortcut in written text. Using it tells you nothing -- it sounds exactly the same as the correct spelling -- about the argot or patois that a speaker was using, and contributes nothing to text except a suggestion of laziness or sloppiness.

Hell, PED XING is on thousands of street signs. Is that next in writing?

AS, despite your tender feelings for your author, I'd suggest that this isn't a matter of imposing your preferences or changing the story in any way. It's simply cleansing a story of errors. To repeat myself, there is no way that "thru" adds anything to the manuscript or has any meaning other than that it is a misspelled word.

I'll back off that dogmatic assertion to allow, as Tzara correctly noted, quoting a text message or in books or stories such as "The True History of the Kelly Gang," where the book was a transcription of the writing of a poorly educated Australian outlaw.

But for the most part, I'm with the "Bah! Humbug!" group on this one.

Thanks all for your input. I should have had the confidence to make the call myself but since I had edited a story using dashes, which I thought inappropriate (and had done a search on the term in this forum and found that dashes are appropriate) I find that confidence waning.

I'm trying hard not to impose my preferences on others but rather help writers be correct. So now, with tender paws, I tread more carefully. As stated earlier I don't have the technical training to be doing this, but I try and do my level best when I can.

 

[Elianna]

Just to put my two cents worth in here. Language evolves and maybe we are seeing a process of the evolution with thru and through.

I teach high school (though not English) but I do a lot of editing and I've been writing papers GALORE for grad school. My papers would be docked points if I used the word thru instead of through. I guess I would chalk it up to what would a publisher do. I haven't read any books that make that first, critical jump. Through is never thru in formal print... but maybe in a few years... we might see some evolution folks.

TTYL LOL

 

[wanderwonder]

While we're on the subject…

Is it fuck buddy? Fuckbuddy? Fuck-buddy?

I only learned the plural of "manwhore" the other day, thanks to a certain pilot.

 

[sr71plt]

Is it fuck buddy? Fuckbuddy? Fuck-buddy?

I only learned the plural of "manwhore" the other day, thanks to a certain pilot.

Either of the first two; just be consistent with whichever you pick. The principle of the a hyphenation would be that both separated elements should be nouns (e.g., secretary-treasurer).