Latin Abbreviations

[astrologica]

The Government is intending to ban the use of Latin abbreviations on its websites in order to avoid confusing people who do not speak English. Whatever next!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/07/23/government-bans-latin-abbreviations-on-its-websites-to-av...

[al**bear]

ROMANES EUNT DOMUS

[fallen-archie]

But we are natives too, why should our customs change yet again. Quite frankly I doubt very much that you need to look up words in a dictionary, those who do may benefit from the experience.

[jd.linklater]

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@upthecreekyetagain wrote:

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 When was the last time you used e.g., i.e., etc., et al. and so on in everyday conversation?  It just isn't normal to do so.

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I've used ie, etcetera, et al, vis a vis in conversation before now, not everyday of course but as and when necessary. I don't see anything abnormal about it.

[Anonymous]

http://www.businessballs.com/latin-terms-phrases.htm

[astrologica]

There are endless Latin abbreviations and quotations.....we could go on Ad Nauseum.😄. But standards of English have declined sharply in this country, which is a shame, as it is a beautiful language. One of the worst symptoms of this is the use of text-speak in e-mails etc. 

[upthecreekyetagain]

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@jd.linklater wrote:

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@upthecreekyetagain wrote:

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 When was the last time you used e.g., i.e., etc., et al. and so on in everyday conversation?  It just isn't normal to do so.

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I've used ie, etcetera, et al, vis a vis in conversation before now, not everyday of course but as and when necessary. I don't see anything abnormal about it.

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You've made my point - you don't use etc. in conversation, you use etcetera.

[al**bear]

One Point

Anybody with English as a second language in this Country

SHOULD be looking up the Dictionary to see the meaning of words they don't know -

e.g. - If you are Polish you should use a Polish/English dictionary to Help You, get on

e.g. =

na przykład

 that took a few seconds

If You moved Here to stay Learn the Language

btw - Government & Council information is usually available in most of the main Languages of the world, just by asking - - People who have moved hear can use both to learn more.

[theelench]

Thanks jd. just what I would have said had I been at home at the time.

We've had the campaign for / promotion of Plain English for years if not decades now and the Latin left is part of the language so should be learned by those with English as a second language.

It's the banning that's offensive to me.  This proposed ban is more about control than clarity.

If there is one thing worse than dumbing down it's the belief of the bureaucracy that they can ban this or that and generally meddle in our lives, often using some PC smokescreen to stifle any argument,  and that this is so meekly accepted by so many.

The current rash of glitches seems to have spread to this board.  I wrote something similar yesterday at about 8pm, it loaded but this morning has disappeared.

[celticthebhoys585]

I would blame the baffoon that came up with C.E instead of AD and B.C.E instead of B.C. Now they've started changing wiki and other txts to that-**bleep**

All this PC nonsense in A.D. 2016 is becoming tedious,just like still having to follow the most bigoted racist pamplet in exsistence- "Act of Union" 1707 ad.Comon then,why don't they get rid of that trash eh?!

[fallen-archie]

Over 300 years of unrequited love and adoration, apart from the odd Ostrich.

[upthecreekyetagain]

Going back to the source of this story reveals that this is yet another example of journalistic hyperbolism!

https://insidegovuk.blog.gov.uk/2016/07/20/changes-to-the-style-guide-no-more-eg-and-ie-etc/

The truth is that it is just three Latin abbreviations that authors are being discouraged from using on .gov.uk web pages - etc., i.e. and etc.

The blog on the .gov.uk site explaining the decision gives very good reasons for the change which weren't even mentioned in the newspaper article - no surprise.

[fallen-archie]

You are such a pedant Creeky, surely 3 is but the tip of the iceberg, they will lose those then something else until we have the ultimate dumbed down vocabulary and written words. It's nothing to do with right or wrong but far more to do with not having to change for changes sake.
£sd came before £p a lot easier to the point that many lost the need or desire to add up.
I'm not against progress but how much is too much?

[upthecreekyetagain]

Well if truth is considered pedantry then I plead guilty!

Not using e.g., i.e., nor etc. is the opposite to dumbing down the user's vocabulary - quite the opposite - especially as they are used incorrectly in many instances!  

[joe_bloggs*]

Roger Wemyss Brooks of the Latin Mass Society of England and Wales sticks his oar in:

"We always suggest that writers remove Latin terms from all their text, particularly web text. Using such terms can suggest laziness and insincerity, and there’s never a justifiable reason to use them rather than clearer alternatives. And as mentioned, they’re certainly not helpful to visually impaired people. For numerous reasons, then, the Government decision is to be welcomed"

I mean,what does he know? he should learn to insert "immigrant" or "foreigner" into his responses if he wants to be taken seriously and be quoted in the quality press! PC gone mad,etc,

[fallen-archie]

Truth?  well it may be but why the heck do we need to adopt every idea because we possibly got it wrong first time around. There is and always has been a resistance to change in this country because people like the comfort of knowing where they stand. That has never seriously damaged our capacity to invent new products or develope new architectural styles. There are some things that give us our unique identity little things which we protect or try to. look at them independently and yes they may seem pointless but collectively they are part of our make-up, that's why some of us question the need to remove them. It has naff all to do with religion, race or disability which are used as regularly as the plight of the crested newt at every new housing development. If an initiative IS worthy of support it will get it.

[celticthebhoys585]

Never in our lifetime bud. As long as there's one hundred we'll resist. Get used to it-45 will soon be 55 + once we get rid of the bigots. You have no say in the matter-you aint Scottish,so stay oot of it. You never ever answer a question or statement but ignore the facts. Ignorance is what we're used to up here. We're treated with contempt. No more sonny, our day will come(the english ,which may not be yours in few years) Us well "Thig Ar Latha"

You should read the Act of Union 1707ad. The first 2 articles in that bigoted pamplet should actually open your eyes, but like the "Hoose o lairds" scumbags that took the English gold and sold us oot along with the Presbyterians.You can ram one right roon yi mate.

[al**bear]

Welcome to Scotland, of the 21st Century

Where You are labeled a Bigot

if you don't follow the Cult of the SNP

[astrologica]

Bravetart!😂😂. So the Act of Union is a racist bigoted pamphlet? La Sturgeon will be quite happy to swap that pamphlet for another one If she gets the opportunity to sell you out to Brussels. She will be ecstatic at the thought of bending the knee to Mr Juncker et al. 

And you call that 'Independence '? You are having a laugh. The people of the U.K. Are getting a little tired of Scotland stamping its feet and having tantrums....so trot along then.

[lightblueberet]

"...ban the use of Latin abbreviations..."

Dangerous move...that would get the Romans turning in their graves, something to be avoided at all costs !  

[cee-dee]

Antoninus and Hadrian had the right ideas.