Eeek! ANOTHER technical writing question

[Roxanne Appleby]

Yes, I'm shamelessly using my knowledgeable Lit friends and colleagues to help me finish a tedious chore.

When using acronyms, does one choose the article "a" or "an" based on the pronunciation of the first letter in the acronym, or the word the first letter stand for? Is it an RFP (request for proposals), or a RFP?

(I have a feeling its the latter, much though that grates on my aesthetic sensibilities.)

 

[The_Fool]

Yes, I'm shamelessly using my knowledgeable Lit friends and colleagues to help me finish a tedious chore.

When using acronyms, does one choose the article "a" or "an" based on the pronunciation of the first letter in the acronym, or the word the first letter stand for? Is it an RFP (request for proposals), or a RFP?

(I have a feeling its the latter, much though that grates on my aesthetic sensibilities.)

First, an RFP, since it is pronounced AR-EF-PE, with an initial vowel.

 

[impressive]

From this site:

Using articles with abbreviations and acronyms:
One of the most often asked questions about grammar has to do with the choice of articles — a, an, the — to precede an abbreviation or acronym. Do we say an FBI agent or a FBI agent? Although "F" is obviously a consonant and we would precede any word that begins with "F" with "a," we precede FBI with "an" because the first sound we make when we say FBI is not an "f-sound," it is an "eff-sound." Thus we say we're going to a PTO meeting where an NCO will address us. We say we saw a UFO because, although the abbreviation begins with a 'U," we pronounce the "U" as if it were spelled "yoo." Whether we say an URL or a URL depends on whether we pronounce it as "earl" or as "u*r*l."

 

[Roxanne Appleby]

Thanks, friends. Here's one more:

When the a sentence ends in a parenthetical clause, does the period go inside or outside the parentheses?

She loved her cat (but he hated it.)
She loved her cat (but he hated it).

 

[impressive]

Thanks, friends. Here's one more:

When the a sentence ends in a parenthetical clause, does the period go inside or outside the parentheses?

She loved her cat (but he hated it.)
She loved her cat (but he hated it).

Outside.

 

[slyc_willie]

Thanks, friends. Here's one more:

When the a sentence ends in a parenthetical clause, does the period go inside or outside the parentheses?

She loved her cat (but he hated it.)
She loved her cat (but he hated it).

Periods go outside the parentheses.

 

[starrkers]

Periods go outside the parentheses.

What he said, except when it's a distinct separate sentence. And I can't immediately think of an example.

 

[slyc_willie]

What he said, except when it's a distinct separate sentence. And I can't immediately think of an example.

Punctuation can exist inside parentheses when it is used to connect or differentiate between two thoughts:

She was a beautiful woman (not really my type, though; I preferred less busty women).

 

[Roxanne Appleby]

Outside.

NOOOOOOOO! It hurts us! It hurts our eyes-es!


(Thanks, smart friends. )

 

[slyc_willie]

NOOOOOOOO! It hurts us! It hurts our eyes-es!


(Thanks, smart friends. )

Careful, we're gonna end up turning this into a LOTR quote thread . . .

 

[Roxanne Appleby]

Careful, we're gonna end up turning this into a LOTR quote thread . . .

Go ahead, you start that one. To make it interesting, make it an LOTR, Godfather, and Apocalypse Now quote thread.

"Offer that elf some napalm in the morning he can't refuse."

 

[Huckleman2000]

One strange, but related pitfall in this is the British convention of referring to singular company names in the plural, I suppose because the name refers to a group of people. Like, 'Microsoft are preparing yet another security update for WindowsXP." It never fails to make me look twice at the sentence, and I'm damned if I know what is 'correct'. It's their language, after all....

Having said that, I've always gone with what sounds correct when you read the sentence aloud. So, acronyms beginning with vowel sounds are prefaced with "an".

 

[Selena_Kitt]

NOOOOOOOO! It hurts us! It hurts our eyes-es!


(Thanks, smart friends. )

Tell me about it. And I thought I was the only freak...

 

[fieryjen]

Isn't the rule with parentheses during a sentence that you should be able to take away everything that's inside the parentheses and still have a fully functional sentence? Obviously, that goes with the period being outside - I'm just wondering if that actually is a general rule or if I made that up.

 

[angela146]

One strange, but related pitfall in this is the British convention of referring to singular company names in the plural, I suppose because the name refers to a group of people. Like, 'Microsoft are preparing yet another security update for WindowsXP."

Does that extend to the government?

I notice that in the Queen's Speech, HMG is/are referred to in the plural, e.g. "My Government place the highest priority on...".

Does that apply generally or is it an example of Royal We?

Anyway, when someone other than HMQ refers to HMG, is it, "HMG consider" or "HMG considers"?

Speaking of Royal We, how come it isn't, "Our Government place the highest priority on..."?

 

[neonlyte]

Does that extend to the government?

I notice that in the Queen's Speech, HMG is/are referred to in the plural, e.g. "My Government place the highest priority on...".

Does that apply generally or is it an example of Royal We?

Anyway, when someone other than HMQ refers to HMG, is it, "HMG consider" or "HMG considers"?

Speaking of Royal We, how come it isn't, "Our Government place the highest priority on..."?

It's My government because the reigning monarch technically 'approves' the government elected.

 

[Huckleman2000]

It's My government because the reigning monarch technically 'approves' the government elected.

But is "government" singular (it is in the US) or plural (as it appears to be in the UK)? For example, here in the US, our government sucks, whereas in the UK, your government suck?

 

[neonlyte]

But is "government" singular (it is in the US) or plural (as it appears to be in the UK)? For example, here in the US, our government sucks, whereas in the UK, your government suck?

I think both governments suck

In UK it is singular.

 

[starrkers]

In Australia, the government sucks.

 

[slyc_willie]

Isn't the rule with parentheses during a sentence that you should be able to take away everything that's inside the parentheses and still have a fully functional sentence? Obviously, that goes with the period being outside - I'm just wondering if that actually is a general rule or if I made that up.

Yes, you're right. Take away whatever is in paraentheses, and the sentence should remain whole and functional on its own.