RE: "a SQL sever" vs "an SQL server" Horses mouth...

Subject: RE: "a SQL sever" vs "an SQL server" Horses mouth...
From: "Rochelle McAndrews" <rmcandrews -at- csiu -dot- org>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date: Mon, 26 Sep 2005 09:26:57 -0400


One more note on this topic?
A coworker found the following and it seems to apply directly to this
discussion:
>
>Katrina Del Vecchio wrote:
>Yeah, been through that before. I'd go with the MCS style guide on this
one - horse's mouth & all.
...

"SQL Server
SQL Server is the name of the Microsoft product. At first mention and
occasionally thereafter within a document, use Microsoft SQL Server. When
referring to a computer running Microsoft SQL Server, use the SQL Server or
SQL Servers (note the capital S).

When referring to the product or the server running the product, SQL is
pronounced "sequel" and takes the article a when not preceded by Microsoft -
for example, "a SQL Server." When referring to the language SQL (SQL stands
for Structured Query Language), SQL is pronounced "es-cue-el" and takes the
article an - for example, "an SQL database."

Note It's acceptable to use the redundant term "SQL language" if necessary."
>

Odile Sullivan-Tarazi wrote:
So, you're saying that you would write (or say) "a HTML"? And "a LED"?

You'd write . . . .

a FDA ruling
a HR rep
a HHS employee
a MRI
a RMDBS
a SNA


In each case, the opening word of the spelled-out phrase would be
preceded by "a": a hypertext, a light, a Federal, and so on. But the
abbreviations in these examples are all pronounced as groups of
letters, which -- because of the nature of these particular opening
consonants (taking one article when pronounced as letters, another
when sounded as elements of a word) -- alters the phonetic
environment. We pronounce "St." as "street" (or "saint," depending
upon context), but we do not pronounce "LED" as "light-emitting
diode."

See also _Chicago_ 5.73, 5.202, 7.46, 15.9. Or _WIT_ 372. Or _The
New York Library Writer's Guide to Style and Usage_ 188 and 328. Or
_The Gregg Reference Manual_ 501b. Or individual entries for
abbreviations in our own technical manuals (as in _RMF_ 12, in a
discussion of "SCSI," or 228, in a discussion of "URL").


Odile


At 5:01 PM -0400 9/22/05, Art Campbell wrote:
>I don't think so.
>
>When you read an address out loud, you don't pronounce St. as "sssst"
>or Rd. as "Rrrrd,"
>you say the word the abbreviation represents -- "street" or "road."
>
>And in this case, "represents" is the operative verb because abbreviations
and
>acronyms do, indeed, represent the root phrase or words. Therefore the
>article should
>agree with the root phrase or words.
>
>Art
>
>On 9/22/05, Odile Sullivan-Tarazi <odile -at- mindspring -dot- com> wrote:
>>
>> The article must align with the abbreviated form, not the phrase the
>> form stands in for, because the form of the article is determined by
>> sound.
><snip>
>
>--
>Art Campbell
>art -dot- campbell -at- gmail -dot- com
> "... In my opinion, there's nothing in this world beats a '52 Vincent
> and a redheaded girl." -- Richard Thompson
> No disclaimers apply.
> DoD 358



This message may contain privileged, confidential information that is
exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If you are not the addressee
indicated in this message or if it does not apply to you or your
organization, you may not copy or deliver this message to anyone. In such a
case, please delete this message and reply to the sender immediately. Thank
you.


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Now Shipping -- WebWorks ePublisher Pro for Word! Easily create online
Help. And online anything else. Redesigned interface with a new
project-based workflow. Try it today! http://www.webworks.com/techwr-l

Doc-To-Help 2005 converts RoboHelp files with one click. Author with Word or any HTML editor. Visit our site to see a conversion demo movie and learn more. http://www.componentone.com/TECHWRL/DocToHelp2005

---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as:
archiver -at- techwr-l -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Send administrative questions to lisa -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.



Follow-Ups:

References:
Re: "a SQL sever" vs "an SQL server": From: Odile Sullivan-Tarazi

Previous by Author: RE: Getting organized -- what's your method?
Next by Author: Ergonomic Mouse
Previous by Thread: Re: "a SQL sever" vs "an SQL server"
Next by Thread: RE: "a SQL sever" vs "an SQL server" Horses mouth...


What this post helpful? Share it with friends and colleagues:


Sponsored Ads