Q. When should the written version of a number not be followed by that number in parentheses?
A. Hmm. In a love note? “Remitted herein please find three (3) little words . . .”
[This answer relies on the 17th edition of CMOS (2017) unless otherwise noted.]
Q. I am writing a nonfiction text in which I refer to the title of a novel written by a character in a novel. The fictitious
title happens to be the same as the actual novel’s title. Throughout my nonfiction text I have been
italicizing actual book titles. What do I do with the fictitious title? Do I put it in quotes or do I italicize it? Many thanks!
A. If the fictitious novel has been fictitiously published (that is, it is not a fictitious manuscript awaiting fictitious publication),
Chicago style calls for italics. However, if the confusion of having identical actual and fictitious titles results in a lot
of awkward explaining and signposting, you might consider quotation marks for the fake title.
[This answer relies on the 17th edition of CMOS (2017) unless otherwise noted.]
Q. When writing a document (or preparing a PowerPoint presentation), should “e.g.”
be spelled out as “for example,” or is leaving it as an abbreviation OK?
A. Chicago style bans abbreviations like “e.g.” from the text proper, reserving
them for parentheticals and notes, but PowerPoint is like texting or billboard advertising—I wouldn’t
try to force it into Chicago style.
[This answer relies on the 17th edition of CMOS (2017) unless otherwise noted.]
Q. I write for an engineering training company. My boss returned from a standards meeting where the members decided that conditional
sentences beginning with “when” (e.g., “When the diameter
symbol is placed next to a dimension . . .”) are incorrect
and should be changed to “where” throughout the standard and our textbooks. I
contend that examples like these refer to “if or when” conditions, not place.
It’s tantamount to saying, “Where you are in Paris, you must obey the rules.”
Is there a rule that covers the correct usage of “where” versus “when”?
A. “When” and “where” have overlapping
meanings; both can mean “in the situation of” or “in the
event that” and are thus interchangeable in many contexts. (You can learn this in a dictionary.) Your
engineers might need to follow rigid rules when they create building specs, but in writing, they would benefit from flexibility.
[This answer relies on the 17th edition of CMOS (2017) unless otherwise noted.]
Q. I keep encountering authors who insist on using the word “Yay!” It isn’t
in the dictionary. What is the best substitute word, besides “Yes!”?
A. If your authors are using the word inappropriately (“We were able to show a 28.4% reduction in the
incidence of inherited metabolic disorders—yay!”), then query it by all means.
But to banish a word from all contexts simply because it isn’t in a dictionary is just sticklerism.
[This answer relies on the 17th edition of CMOS (2017) unless otherwise noted.]
Q. I was recently confronted with the question a versus an. We used a; he insisted it should be an. In the 15th edition, in section 15.9, it shows that “when an abbreviation follows an indefinite article, the choice of a or an is determined by the way the abbreviation would be read aloud.” In the examples used, it shows “an NBA coach.” Why would you not use a there? “An National Basketball Association coach” doesn’t seem correct to me.
A. “NBA” is not pronounced “National Basketball Association” but “en-bee-ay.” Thus, “an NBA coach.” (See CMOS 10.9.)
[This answer relies on the 17th edition of CMOS (2017) unless otherwise noted.]
Q. Can we now use the pronoun “who” in reference to animals and things? If so, is this black and white or are there guidelines to follow? Surely, we cannot say, “The vase who was given to me by May,” right? In the 15th edition, the rule was clear: “Who refers only to a person.” However, in the 16th edition, it is now rephrased: “Who . . . normally refers to a person.” We checked Merriam-Webster as well, and true enough, they also said that “who” can be used in reference to animals and things.
A. Not much in language usage is black and white. You wouldn’t use “who” with a vase, but you might with a talking bird, or a committee, or a spirit, or a source. CMOS 15 was a little too strict in its prohibition; starting with the 16th edition, we’ve rectified that.
[This answer relies on the 17th edition of CMOS (2017) unless otherwise noted.]
Q. Does the phrase “all caps” take a singular or plural verb? Is it “All
caps aren’t legible” or “All caps isn’t
legible”? Does the result change if the phrase is written as “all capital letters”
as in “All capital letters aren’t legible” versus “All
capital letters isn’t legible”? I realize that the best solution may be to reword
the sentence, but I’m also wondering whether you view the phrase as singular or plural.
A. Sorry to wiggle out of this one, but when it sounds awkward both ways, a technically correct answer (not that there is one,
in this case) is of little use. Try “Text in all caps isn’t legible.”
[This answer relies on the 17th edition of CMOS (2017) unless otherwise noted.]
Q. I am editing online assessment for K–12. Writers keep using “Click OK when you’re
done.” It doesn’t sound grammatically correct, but I can’t
find any rule to the contrary. I’ve been changing it to “when you finish.”
However, writers persist in using “when you’re done.” Is
this grammatically correct?
A. Both are perfectly grammatical; I suspect you are worried that the usage is incorrect. There is a popular superstition, unconfirmed
by dictionaries, that people cannot be “done” (like turkeys in the oven). Many
writers therefore consider “finished” to be more proper.
[This answer relies on the 17th edition of CMOS (2017) unless otherwise noted.]
Q. I recently edited a brochure that explained services that are friendly to both individuals and families. There was some debate
as to whether the services should be described as “individual-/family-friendly”
or as “individual/family-friendly.” Which construction makes more sense?
A. And none of your debaters were willing to admit that it’s really ugly either way? Sometimes when a
choice is difficult, it’s best to start over. The services aren’t going to seem
friendly if the text is scary. How about “services friendly to individuals and families”?
Better yet, push the writer to avoid the overused cliché and think of something fresh for your brochure.
[This answer relies on the 17th edition of CMOS (2017) unless otherwise noted.]