Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[Tetsu]

Is it correct to show the abbreviation of the preceding few words in the parentheses just after the preceding few words? For example, are the following usage of parentheses, 1 and 2, correct?

1. The United Nations (UN) is composed of 193 countries.
2. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is an intergovernmental military alliance based on the North Atlantic Treaty.

If it is, what is the item number of U.S. Government Printing Office Style Manual 2008 (http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/GPO-STYLEMANUAL-2008/pdf/GPO-STYLEMANUAL-2008.pdf ) that says it�s correct? The item number is 8.19. at page 209?

If it isn�t, what�s the correct way to show the abbreviation of the preceding few words just after them?
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Tetsu

[IanT]

It's very normal, and correct as far as I know.

The section of the style manual you mention appears to confirm this in the very first example [GPO]

So yes, fine.
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All my answers refer to British English.

www.EnglishSwearing.com - How to use all the bad words! ... and ... www.throdworld.com - Silly verses to make you happy.

You decide the price for both!

[Tetsu]

Thanks a lot, IanT.

I saw [GPO], as you mentioned, and knew [GPO] is a correct usage.

But I'd like to know about parentheses, the rounded marks, ( and ), not
[ and ].
The style manual tells about the usage of the parentheses at page 209 to 211, that is at section 8.91. to 8.102.

But I don't understand which section says that the usages 1 and 2, which I asked in the first question, are correct. Which section says that the usages 1 and 2, which I asked in the first question, are correct? Does section 8.91. say?

(I'm sorry I mistook the section number in my first qusetion. I wrote 8.19. but it was wrong. The right section number I wanted to write is 8.91.)
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Tetsu

[IanT]

None of the examples given in 8.91 to 8.102 seem exactly equivalent to the examples you are looking at.

If you are writing for the federal government and it is important, I suggest you ask someone with experience of the same kinds of project.

If you are writing normally and just using that style guide as a reference, I would suggest not worrying about it too much. Most English speakers think brackets and parentheses are the same thing. I did!

Style guides tend to be super precise. In most writing we have a lot more flexibility.

Hope helps,
Ian
_________________
All my answers refer to British English.

www.EnglishSwearing.com - How to use all the bad words! ... and ... www.throdworld.com - Silly verses to make you happy.

You decide the price for both!

[Tetsu]

Thank you very much for your nice and detailed replies.
I understand very well.

By the way, I found a pinpoint explanation on page 221. It's as follows:

9.4. Standard and easily understood forms are preferable, and they
should be uniform throughout a job. Abbreviations not generally
known should be followed in the text by the spelled-out forms in
parentheses the fi rst time they occur; in tables and leaderwork such
explanatory matter should be supplied in a footnote. As the printer
cannot rewrite the copy, the author should supply these explanatory
forms.

I was impressed. How complete the manual is!

Thank you.
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Tetsu