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Subject:Re: Correct usage "i.e." and "e.g." ? From:"Parks, Beverly" <ParksB -at- EMH1 -dot- HQISEC -dot- ARMY -dot- MIL> Date:Thu, 7 May 1998 14:57:54 -0700
The confusion comes in knowing which one to use when (a writer
responsibility), not in reading. I think most adult U.S. readers have
some idea of what i.e. and e.g. mean in context. They may not know if
the *correct* one was used, but it doesn't affect their comprehension.
Just like the average reader probably wouldn't know the difference
between and en dash and an em dash, but they still comprehend the
meaning in context even if the incorrect one is used.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Janice Gelb [SMTP:janiceg -at- MARVIN -dot- ENG -dot- SUN -dot- COM]
<snip>
Bev wrote:
> > And why are the Latin abbreviations e.g., i.e., and etc. sometimes
> > disallowed, but a.m. and p.m. are accepted? The abbreviations B.A.,
> > M.A., and M.D. (to name a few) are also Latin. Are they disallowed?
> (Not
> > picking on Janice here; just asking in general.)
>
> The main idea is to avoid confusion. i.e. and e.g. are not well
> understood by many people. (If a technical writer asked a question
> about them on this list, imagine the possible ignorance of our reading
> audience!) Abbreviations like B.A. and a.m. are widely used and
> understood even by a non-grammatically hip audience.
>
>
