RULES FOR THE USE OF ABBREVIATIONS
I. GENERAL RULES.
Use no contractions or abbreviations in any place where there is room to print the words in full.
All legitimate words should be spelled out in full in text matter, but abbreviations are often needed in book work for footnotes and tables and in commercial work, where many brief forms and signs are used which are commonly understood and are as intelligible as words.
Certain special forms of printing such as market and stock reports, sporting news, price lists, directories, telephone directories, and the like make extensive use of abbreviations and signs. These abbreviations are of very limited use and often of only temporary life. They are not intelligible to general readers and should never be used outside the particular form of composition to which they pertain. De Vinne suggests that in the absence of printed authority (many of these abbreviations not appearing in the dictionary lists) every proofreader would do well to keep a manuscript book of unlisted abbreviations which he has to use repeatedly as a means of securing uniformity of form.
II. DATES.
Dates are not generally abbreviated in regular text matter; The Declaration of Independence was signed on July the fourth, 1776. The word the is sometimes omitted. The date might be written July fourth but never July four.
The abbreviations ult. inst. and prox. with a numeral (meaning the 25th of last month, the 25th of this month, the 25th of next month) are often used in letters, but should not be used in print unless the literal reproduction of a letter is intended.
Do not use st, d, rd, or th after a date given in figures; August the sixth, not August 6th.
The accepted abbreviations for the months are:
| Jan. | Apr. | July | Oct. |
| Feb. | May | Aug. | Nov. |
| Mar. | June | Sept. | Dec. |
The accepted abbreviations for the days of the week are:
| Sun. | Tues. | Thurs. | Sat. |
| Mon. | Wed. | Fri. |
The accepted abbreviations may be used for the months when the day is given, but not when the month and year alone are given;
Jan. 15, 1916, but January 1916.
Some good authorities prefer the order day, month, year; 15 Jan., 1916, but this is a matter of office style. Generally speaking the more common order is the better quite regardless of the logical character because it requires less mental effort on the part of the reader. For example in writing addresses English speaking people put the number before the street, 59 Wall St., while others put the number after the street, Wall St., 59. This is the logical order, because one goes to the street and then finds the number, but it gives to the American reader a curious sensation of mentally standing on one's head.
There is another set of abbreviations, known as the Dewey dates, as follows:
| Months | Days of Week | |||||
| Ja. | Apr. | Ju. | O. | Su. | W. | S. |
| F. | My. | Ag. | N. | M. | Th. | |
| Mr. | Je. | S. | D. | Tu. | F. | |
These may be used in tables and in other places where very great condensation is necessary, but not elsewhere.
In general, much greater abbreviation is permissible in the tables, notes, and other condensed matter than in the body of the text.
III. TIME.
Statements of time should not be abbreviated in ordinary reading matter; at half past two o'clock in the afternoon. If the context makes it clear whether forenoon or afternoon is meant one may write:
at three, at seven o' clock.
This form is used statistically, in enumerations, in tables, and the like.
IV. OTHER ABBREVIATIONS INVOLVING THE USE OF NUMERALS.
The use of numerals and the spelling of numbers in full will be found treated at length in the Printer's Manual of Style (No. 42). As the use of the numeral is in a sense an abbreviation a few general rules may properly be given here.
1. Spell out ages;
eighty-two years and four months old.
in his eighty-third year.
children between the ages of six and fourteen.
2. Spell out references to decades;
in the early eighties.
The form in the '80s, is very objectionable.
3. Spell out numbers of centuries, of sessions of Congress, of military bodies, of political divisions, of Egyptian Dynasties, of streets, and the like unless lack of space renders the abbreviation absolutely necessary.
Twentieth century.
Forty-second Congress.
One hundred and first Pennsylvania Infantry.
Eighteenth Dynasty.
Ninth Ward.
Fifth Avenue.
In case numerals are used, Egyptian Dynasties are always designated by Roman numerals. Writers on Egypt usually use this form:
XVIIIth Dynasty.
4. Spell out sums of money when occurring in ordinary reading matter in isolated cases:
That press cost five thousand dollars.
When several such numbers occur close together, and in all statistical matter, use figures.
Those three presses cost $2,500, $3,600, and $5,000.
5. Spell out round numbers, that is, approximate numbers in units of 100 in numbers of less than 1000 and in units of 1000 if the numbers are more.
An army corps numbers forty thousand men.
The Fifth Corps numbers 37,462.
There are about five hundred officers.
Write fifteen hundred and the like when the phrase is in common use, not one thousand five hundred.
6. Spell out all numbers, no matter how high, when they begin a sentence.
Four thousand nine hundred and sixty-four soldiers, 109 officers, and 10,000 civilians were surrendered with the fort.
7. Spell out in ordinary reading matter all numbers of less than three digits, unless they are of a statistical or technical character or occur in groups of six or more in close connection.
There are sixty cities in the United States with a population of 100,000 or over.
a ninety-ton engine.
five pounds of butter.
He lived only two years, one month, and twenty days.
He spent 137 days in prison.
A ratio of 16 to 1.
The death rate varies from 1 in 15 to 1 in 65.
Send home:
2 pounds of butter
1 pound of sugar
½ pound of coffee
¼ pound of tea
2 pecks of potatoes
1 pound of salt pork
2 pounds of lard
1 quart of milk
Treat all numbers in collected groups alike if possible, that is use either the long or the short form for all. If the largest contains three or more digits use figures for all.
They came in groups of 50, 80, 100, and even 200.
8. Express in figures as a rule decimals, degrees, dimensions, distances, enumerations, money, (but see 4 above), percentage, weights, and the like.
.542, 98°, 9 cubic yards, 37 miles, 24 pages, $1000,
6 per cent (or 6% but never six %), 175 pounds.
V. GEOGRAPHICAL ABBREVIATIONS.
Geographical names are ordinarily not abbreviated in text matter. The abbreviations in the subjoined lists are commonly recognized and may be used in lists, bibliographical matter, and elsewhere where condensation is desired.
United States and Territories
| Ala. | Alabama | N. D. | North Dakota |
| Alaska | Alaska | Neb. | Nebraska |
| Ariz. | Arizona | Nev. | Nevada |
| Ark. | Arkansas | N. H. | New Hampshire |
| Cal. | California | N. J. | New Jersey |
| Colo. | Colorado | N. M. | New Mexico |
| Conn. | Connecticut | N. Y. | New York |
| D. C. | District of Columbia | Ohio | Ohio |
| Del. | Delaware | Okla. | Oklahoma |
| Fla. | Florida | Ore. | Oregon |
| Ga. | Georgia | Pa. | Pennsylvania |
| H. I. | Hawaiian Islands | P. I. | Philippine Islands |
| Idaho | Idaho | P. R. | Porto Rico |
| Ill. | Illinois | R. I. | Rhode Island |
| Ind. | Indiana | Samoa | Samoa |
| Ia. | Iowa | S. C. | South Carolina |
| Kan. | Kansas | S. D. | South Dakota |
| Ky. | Kentucky | Tenn. | Tennessee |
| La. | Louisiana | Tex. | Texas |
| Me. | Maine | T. H. | Territory of Hawaii |
| Mass. | Massachusetts | Utah | Utah |
| Md. | Maryland | Vt. | Vermont |
| Mich. | Michigan | Va. | Virginia |
| Minn. | Minnesota | Wash. | Washington |
| Mo. | Missouri | Wis. | Wisconsin |
| Mont. | Montana | W. Va. | West Virginia |
| N. C. | North Carolina | Wyo. | Wyoming |
Foreign Countries
VI. NAMES.
1. Abbreviate Saint in names of persons, cities, streets, churches, etc.
St. John Chrysostom, St. Paul, St. Botolph Street,
The Church of SS (Saints) Peter and Paul.
The word Saint is now omitted in speaking of the evangelists, the apostles, or the church fathers.
The Gospel according to Luke.
Paul's doctrine of salvation.
Augustine's "City of God."
2. In technical matter (footnotes, references etc.) use Co., Bros., and ampersand (&) in firm names and names of corporations.
The Rand-McNalley Co.
Macmillan & Co.
Harper Bros.
New York, New Haven, & Hartford Railroad.
In text matter not of a technical character it is better not to abbreviate.
Harper Brothers have published.
It was printed by the Rand-McNalley Company.
The romantic history of the East India Company.
Do not use ampersand except with names of persons.
John Brown & Co.
The Brown Printing and Publishing Co.
When railroad names or other long names are abbreviated, use no spaces between the letters.
N.Y.N.H. & H.R.R.
U.T. & F.C. of A.
3. Do not abbreviate United States except:
(a) in immediate connection with the name of an officer in the army or navy.
Capt. John Smith, U.S.A.
Lieut. William Brown, U.S.N.
(b) When it is part of the name of an organization.
First Regiment, U.S.V.
(c) When preceding the name of a ship.
U.S.S. Texas.
4. Christian names should be spelled in full in text matter, except in an original signature or when following copy in a quotation.
The following is a list of the accepted abbreviations of the more common Christian names.
Alex. Alexander Fred. Frederick And. Andrew Geo. George Anth. Anthony Herbt. Herbert Ap. Appius Hos. Hosea Arch. Archibald Jas. James Aug. August, Augustus Jona. Jonathan Benj. Benjamin Jos. Joseph C. Cæsar Josh. Joshua Cæs. Aug. Cæsar Augustus Matt. Matthew Cath. Catherine Nath. Nathaniel Chas. Charles Pet. Peter Dan. Daniel Phil. Philip, Philander Eben. Ebenezer Phile. Philemon Edm. Edmund Reg. Reginald Edw. Edward Richd. Richard Eliz. Elizabeth Robt. Robert Esd. Esdras Sam. Samuel Esth. Esther Theo. Theodore Ez. Ezra Thos. Thomas Ezek. Ezekiel Tim. Timothy Ferd. Ferdinand Wm. William Fran. Francis Alex, Ben, Ed, Fred, Sam, and Tom are not always abbreviations and copy should be followed as regards the period. Any unusual abbreviations used by an individual should be followed in giving an original signature.
Go. Washington.
| Alex. | Alexander | Fred. | Frederick |
| And. | Andrew | Geo. | George |
| Anth. | Anthony | Herbt. | Herbert |
| Ap. | Appius | Hos. | Hosea |
| Arch. | Archibald | Jas. | James |
| Aug. | August, Augustus | Jona. | Jonathan |
| Benj. | Benjamin | Jos. | Joseph |
| C. | Cæsar | Josh. | Joshua |
| Cæs. Aug. | Cæsar Augustus | Matt. | Matthew |
| Cath. | Catherine | Nath. | Nathaniel |
| Chas. | Charles | Pet. | Peter |
| Dan. | Daniel | Phil. | Philip, Philander |
| Eben. | Ebenezer | Phile. | Philemon |
| Edm. | Edmund | Reg. | Reginald |
| Edw. | Edward | Richd. | Richard |
| Eliz. | Elizabeth | Robt. | Robert |
| Esd. | Esdras | Sam. | Samuel |
| Esth. | Esther | Theo. | Theodore |
| Ez. | Ezra | Thos. | Thomas |
| Ezek. | Ezekiel | Tim. | Timothy |
| Ferd. | Ferdinand | Wm. | William |
| Fran. | Francis |
VII. TITLES.
1. As a rule titles prefixed to a name should not be abbreviated except Mr., Messrs., Mrs. (French M., MM., Mme., Mlle.), Dr., Rev., and Hon.
Professor, Colonel, General and some others may be abbreviated when the initials of the name are used;
Professor Smith Prof. J. T. Smith General Grant Gen. U. S. Grant Hon. and Rev., which are similarly used, need special attention as they are often used wrongly. The following is the correct use;
The Reverend John Smith (formal reference)
The Rev. John Smith (quotation or correspondence)
Rev. Mr. Smith
Rev. John Smith
Rev. Smith is wrong and should never be used except as any illiterate form may be used in a quotation. When the names of sovereigns are mentioned only occasionally such names may be given in full.
George the Fifth, William the Second.
When such names occur frequently, as in historical writing, they may be printed with Roman numerals without a period;
George V, William II
Other titles following a name are abbreviated in accordance with the following list.
| Professor Smith | Prof. J. T. Smith |
| General Grant | Gen. U. S. Grant |
VIII. SIZES OF BOOKS.
The shorter names for book sizes are usually written out;
folio, quarto, octavo.
Beyond that they are usually abbreviated by using the Arabic numeral and mo, but without a period;
12 mo, 16 mo, etc.
IX. WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.
Abbreviate the common designations of weights and measures in the metric system, as well as other symbols of measurement in common use when following a numeral;
1 m., 5 dm., 4 cm., 2 mm., c.m. (cubic meter), c.d., min. (minute), sec. (second), lb. (pound), oz. (ounce), yd., ft., in., A. (Anglestrom units), H.P. (Horse power), C. (Centigrade [Thermometer]).
X. FOOTNOTES.
Authorities cited in footnotes should be specified in the following order:
1. The best known name of the author. Give initials only when necessary to distinguish between several authors of the same name. Set in roman lower-case unless otherwise ordered.
2. The name of the book in roman lower-case. If there is a Bibliography, or list of authorities attached to the book the names of all works referred to should there appear in full, but should be abbreviated in the notes. Otherwise, the name is sometimes written in full the first time it is referred to in a footnote and afterward abbreviated. If the book has but few references to authorities the names may be given in full in the footnotes especially when the reference is to the book as a whole and not to a particular paragraph. In such a case as this last the name is often printed in italics.
Always abbreviate uniformly in the same book.
3. The number of the volume in roman numerals of capital letters. No period.
4. The numbers of the pages in Arabic figures. If there are several editions varying in subject matter and paging the edition used should be specified. If the edition has been specified in the Bibliography this information should not be repeated in the footnotes. In books like the Bible, Shakespeare, Blackstone, or Milton, which have been printed in innumerable editions book, chapter and verse; act, scene and line; section and paragraph, or canto, stanza, and line must be specified.
Number of paragraph only No. 68 Stanza only st. 18 Page only P. 213 Line only l. 384 Paragraph only ¶ 34 Section only § 5
Chapter only
Canto only xiv Book only iii
Book and chapter
Part and chapter Book and line Act and scene iii 2 Act, scene, and line iv. 3. 45
Chapter and verse
Number and page Volume and page II 34 Volume and chapter IV. iv.
Part, book, and chapter
Part, canto, and stanza II. iv. 12 Chapter, section, paragraph vii. § 3, ¶ 4
Volume, part, section, paragraph
Book, chapter, section, paragraph I. i. § 2, ¶ 6 In abbreviated references to the Bible or to the plays of Shakespeare use Arabic figures prefixed to the name to indicate part of succession of the book, play, or letter.
2 Kings II: 5
3 John 11
1 Henry VI, iii. 2. 14
| Number of paragraph only | No. 68 | |||||
| Stanza only | st. 18 | |||||
| Page only | P. 213 | |||||
| Line only | l. 384 | |||||
| Paragraph only | ¶ 34 | |||||
| Section only | § 5 | |||||
| xiv | |||||
| Book only | iii | |||||
| iii 2 | |||||
| Act, scene, and line | iv. 3. 45 | |||||
| II 34 | |||||
| Volume and chapter | IV. iv. | |||||
| II. iv. 12 | |||||
| Chapter, section, paragraph | vii. § 3, ¶ 4 | |||||
| I. i. § 2, ¶ 6 |
The following excellently chosen illustrations of good methods in handling numerous footnotes in learned works are taken from De Vinne's "Correct Composition."
From English Past and Present, by R. C. Trench
1 Guest, Hist. of English Rhythms, vol. I. p. 280.
2 Hooker, Eccles. Pol. i. 3, 5.
3 Craik, On the English of Shakespeare, 2nd edit. p. 97.
4 Marsh, Manual of the English Language, Engl. edit. p. 278.
From Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Murray's edition of 1881 (8 vols. 8 vo)
1 Orosius, I. ii. c. 19, p. 143.
2 Heineccius, Antiquitat. Juris Roman, tom. i, p. 96.
3 Jornandes, de Reb. Get. c. 30, p. 654 [p. 87, ed. Lugd. B. 1597].
4 Ausonius (de Claris Urbibus. p. 257-262 [No. 14]).
5 A. Thierry, Lettres sur l'Histoire de France, p. 90.
6 Procopius, de Bell. Vanda., I. i. c. 7, p. 194 [tom. I. p. 341, ed. Bonn].
From Hume's History of England, Cadell's edition of 1841 (6 vols. 8 vo)
| 1 Herbert, p. 431, 432. | 4 Burnet, p. 322. |
| 2 Collier, vol. ii. p. 176. | 5 34 and 35 Hen. VIII. c. i. |
| 3 Stowe, p. 575. | 6 Mémoires du Bellay, lib. x. |
The comma is often omitted after the period in footnotes. The abbreviation ch, p, and pp, may be made in notes, but not in text matter.
In lower-case text do not use &c, use etc.
By-laws are often printed with side-headings Art. 1, Sec. 2, etc. It is better to print the words, article and section in full in the paragraph where they first appear and to omit the word in subsequent paragraphs, using the proper figure only.
Figures used in illustrations to facilitate their understanding and explained in small text below the illustration or in the text matter itself do not have No. before them either in the illustration or in the explanation.
Figures and letters used as references to footnotes do not take a period.
Where two or more pages are specified in the text set them thus: Pages 24, 25, 57 not pp. 24-5, 57 nor 25-57. When the reference is to several pages continually set pages 24 to 32.
When a period of time is expressed by the dates of two or more consecutive years, set thus: 1846-7, 1861-5, when there is a lapse of a year or more, set thus: 1866-7-1869-70. Do not abbreviate into '66-'7-'69-'70.