Q. Some guides say not to begin a sentence with an abbreviation unless it’s Mr., Dr., and the like. How about St. Paul? Do you recommend spelling it out?
A. Since Chicago doesn’t approve of abbreviations in running text, we would generally not begin a sentence
with one, but we too make exceptions for words like Mr., Dr., and (yes) St., and would not spell them out. Acronyms, on the other hand, seem fine for launching a sentence, especially when the effort
to avoid one looks worse.
[This answer relies on the 17th edition of CMOS (2017) unless otherwise noted.]
Q. Could you tell me the correct way to pluralize an acronym when it is the first instance and the definition that appears before
the acronym is plural? Here is an example and the two options that have been suggested to me: configuration items (CIs), or
configuration items (CI)s. I think the first because it looks better, but others disagree.
A. Yes, the first is the conventional way to make an acronym plural; the second is (forgive me) bizarre.
[This answer relies on the 17th edition of CMOS (2017) unless otherwise noted.]
Q. I am proofing an engineering document. There is a section titled “System Engineering Instruction Team
(SEIT).” However, this acronym is already defined in the body of a previous section. The argument is
that the section in question should simply be titled “SEIT.” However, I don’t
think the section title should be reduced to “SEIT” because the reader may not
know what SEIT means upon first glance at the table of contents. I say it’s okay to redefine the acronym
if it suddenly becomes the title of a major section. Is it ever okay to redefine an acronym after it has already been defined?
A. Of course it’s okay! What good is a rule that says you can’t help the reader
when it seems like a good idea? Redefine an acronym whenever a reader might reasonably have forgotten it.
[This answer relies on the 17th edition of CMOS (2017) unless otherwise noted.]
Q. I am editing a military memoir with frequent use of acronyms such as IED (improvised explosive device), DFAC (dining hall),
MWR (morale, welfare, and recreation). Should these terms be spelled out throughout the manuscript, or is it appropriate to
use the acronym after it has been described in a parenthetical on the first reference?
A. By all means, use the acronyms. The whole point of acronyms is to provide a shorthand form for unwieldy terms after they’ve
been introduced. If you find you don’t actually need a particular acronym after defining the term, reconsider
whether you need to introduce the acronym in the first place. Conversely, if you think your acronyms will be so familiar to
your readers that they don’t need expansion, skip the explanations. Finally, if you’re
worried that the number of acronyms will overwhelm the reader, provide a list somewhere.
[This answer relies on the 17th edition of CMOS (2017) unless otherwise noted.]
Q. Can you direct me to the reference in CMOS that would cover writing 15mph (no space) or 150 mph (with space) and 8mm (no space) or 8 mm (space)? Thank you!
A. That would be CMOS 10.49, which says there should be a space between a numeral and an abbreviation. More examples can be found at 9.16.
[This answer relies on the 17th edition of CMOS (2017) unless otherwise noted.]
Q. Hello, I’m in desperate need of help with my MA dissertation. The proper abbreviation for the International
Security Assistance Force’s Regional Command South is RC(S). How do I put RC(S) into parentheses after
the first usage of “Regional Command South” to indicate that I will henceforth
be using the abbreviated form? Right now I have “The primary allies of Regional Command South (RC(S))
. . .” This, however, does not seem correct. Can you please
help?
A. You’re almost there—Chicago uses square brackets for parentheses within parentheses:
(RC[S]). If you don’t like the looks of that, rephrase to avoid the second parenthesis: The International
Security Assistance Force’s Regional Command South, abbreviated RC(S), . . .
[This answer relies on the 17th edition of CMOS (2017) unless otherwise noted.]
Q. I am editing a dissertation for a client who wants to use an abbreviation “N.”
in place of “Nietzsche” in a dissertation on Nietzsche. Her advisor said this
is okay. I told her it is not okay, and that abbreviations, explained in a list of abbreviations, should be used only for
titles of works or for author’s names if they are used in citations but not in the text itself. Am I
right?
A. If the author’s dissertation advisor approves, I don’t see why we should object.
After all, it’s possible that no one besides those two will even read this opus. But if the motive is
merely to save typing that wretched name a million times, it would be easy enough to type “N.”
and then replace all the initials with a global search-and-replace action. And if the work is ever revised for publication,
the name should be spelled out.
[This answer relies on the 17th edition of CMOS (2017) unless otherwise noted.]
Q. When you have an initialism, do you cap the first letter of each word when the phrase is completely spelled out?
A. In the spelled-out version, simply cap as you would if an initialism did not exist: standard operating procedures (SOPs), Rhode Island (RI), American Journal of Education (AJE), Mothers against Preschoolers (MAP).
[This answer relies on the 17th edition of CMOS (2017) unless otherwise noted.]
Q. Is it proper to define an acronym within an acronym or an abbreviation within an abbreviation? I am working on a document
that contains an abbreviation that is really two other abbreviations smushed together with additional words tacked onto either
side. And to top it all off, the overall abbreviation doesn’t even contain the first letter of every
word in the other two abbreviations. They’ve dropped letters to make it shorter. Finally, if it is acceptable
to do this sort of thing, how would I define the abbreviation or acronym on first use within the document if the two incorporated
abbreviations were not previously defined in the document? Whew!
A. Who wrote this document—Dr. Seuss? Yes, you may explain this funny animal parenthetically regardless
of the lack of previous explanation. And maybe you should hire a cartoonist to illustrate.
[This answer relies on the 17th edition of CMOS (2017) unless otherwise noted.]
Q. How do I spell MIKE in Spanish? I want to put it with a tattoo I’m getting. Thanks.
A. Unfortunately, my Spanish is a little rusty, but I’m pretty sure it’s “Mico.”
Let us know how your boyfriend likes it when it’s done.
[Note from our proofreaders, who won’t let us make a monkey out of anyone: If you’re
serious, try Miguel.]
[This answer relies on the 17th edition of CMOS (2017) unless otherwise noted.]