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SimplyScripts Screenwriting Discussion Board    Screenwriting Discussion    Screenwriting Class  ›  Punctuation in Abbreviations Moderators: George Willson
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  Author    Punctuation in Abbreviations  (currently 1215 views)
DustinBowcot
Posted: May 10th, 2015, 11:12am Report to Moderator
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I've been keeping track of the reviews on my Disassociation thread and it seems that many don't know the rules governing punctuation in abbreviations.

I'll allow the Oxford dictionary to do the talking:


People are often uncertain about whether or not to use full stops in abbreviations. Here are some guidelines:

1. In both British and American English, if you are using initial (i.e. first) letters to represent words, you don't normally need to put a full stop after them:

BBC

UK

NATO

2. In American English, however, it is common to use a full stop as an alternative style for certain abbreviations, in particular:

USA or U.S.A.

US or U.S.

3. If an abbreviation consists of the first and last letters of a word, you don't need to use a full stop at the end:

Mr

Ltd

Dr

4. If the abbreviation consists only of the first part of a word, then you should put a full stop at the end:

Wed. [= Wednesday]

Dec. [= December]


http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/words/punctuation-in-abbreviations
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AnthonyCawood
Posted: May 10th, 2015, 12:14pm Report to Moderator
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Thanks Dustin - number 4 is the one I normally get wrong.


Anthony Cawood - Award winning screenwriter
Available Short screenplays - http://www.anthonycawood.co.uk/short-scripts
Available Feature screenplays - http://www.anthonycawood.co.uk/feature-film-scripts/
Screenwriting articles - http://www.anthonycawood.co.uk/articles
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bert
Posted: May 10th, 2015, 1:19pm Report to Moderator
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Quoted from DustinBowcot
3. If an abbreviation consists of the first and last letters of a word, you don't need to use a full stop at the end:

Mr

Ltd

Dr


Not to put too fine a "point" on it, but I am virtually certain this one is British.

On this side of the pond, Mr. and Dr. are always followed by a period.  Not arguing that either is correct or incorrect.  Just saying.


Hey, it's my tiny, little IMDb!
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Max
Posted: May 10th, 2015, 1:40pm Report to Moderator
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Ain't nobody write like that, bruh.

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I kind of wish people wouldn't concern themselves over little details like this, I'm guilty of this.

When a script feels right for you it feels right, I'm working on my first feature at the moment and the story is just flowing in my head because I've got it nailed... the start, the middle, the end... the characters ect.

I know it has potential because I've trashed my scripts out before and said to myself "this is complete and utter s***"

I'd advise not to be precious with little details like this, it's all about the the story, dialogue and how it's organized... scene description and action comes third for me.

Even if you were to submit a script to BBC writers room, they recognize you for your writing and your story and don't necessarily penalize you for little details
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DustinBowcot
Posted: May 10th, 2015, 1:52pm Report to Moderator
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Quoted from bert


Not to put too fine a "point" on it, but I am virtually certain this one is British.

On this side of the pond, Mr. and Dr. are always followed by a period.  Not arguing that either is correct or incorrect.  Just saying.


That's either, or... you don't need to add a full stop, but you can if you like. The beauty of it is, both are correct.

This thread is in direct response to a couple of reviewers on my Disassociation thread mentioning my lack of punctuation. I'm not telling anybody what they should do, merely that it's correct to do both. If people wish to waste their time adding unnecessary punctuation then good luck to them, but they shouldn't insist that everyone else does it too.
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Max
Posted: May 10th, 2015, 2:30pm Report to Moderator
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Ain't nobody write like that, bruh.

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Quoted from DustinBowcot


That's either, or... you don't need to add a full stop, but you can if you like. The beauty of it is, both are correct.

This thread is in direct response to a couple of reviewers on my Disassociation thread mentioning my lack of punctuation. I'm not telling anybody what they should do, merely that it's correct to do both. If people wish to waste their time adding unnecessary punctuation then good luck to them, but they shouldn't insist that everyone else does it too.


Just ignore them, I've looked at your scripts and I can't see much wrong with them in terms of grammar/format/industry standard ect.

If someone says your story is whack then it's fair play, why should you care about a little punctuation mark? You can always go back and correct that stuff.

That's the type of criticism you want to ignore, the real deal is the story and the structure of said story, plus characters and dialogue.

If your format was all over the place I would say work on that... but it's not, it's done to a standard.
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DustinBowcot
Posted: May 12th, 2015, 4:54am Report to Moderator
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Quoted from Max

If someone says your story is whack then it's fair play, why should you care about a little punctuation mark? You can always go back and correct that stuff.


Well, I care a lot... the point is, that I don't need to correct it because I am already correct, if not more correct, to omit them.

Look at these two sentences:

The MOD's top man, CECIL TOPBANGER (43)...

The M.O.D.'s top man, CECIL TOPBANGER (43)...

The first one is a lot easier on the eye and easier to write. Doesn't anyone feel awkward when writing them in? What about when you get to the end of a sentence with an abbreviation? Wouldn't that warrant an extra full stop?

CECIL TOPBANGER (43) is leader of the MOD.

CECIL TOPBANGER (43) is leader of the M.O.D..
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LC
Posted: May 12th, 2015, 5:26am Report to Moderator
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Quoted from DustinBowcot
The first one is a lot easier on the eye and easier to write. Doesn't anyone feel awkward when writing them in? What about when you get to the end of a sentence with an abbreviation? Wouldn't that warrant an extra full stop?

CECIL TOPBANGER (43) is leader of the MOD.
CECIL TOPBANGER (43) is leader of the M.O.D..


Yep, I've debated this one myself with another writer and that double period came up. I looked it up on the net and different people do different things - you'd never do a double period though, it'd look silly and I think for those who used periods between everything they omit it at the end of a sentence. In letters which I used to type up years ago (and that was for a TV station) we never bothered with a period after Mr Smith, for example.

And yet all through some scripts I see Mr. Smith & Dr. Jones - I really think you should stick with what you think is correct. I'm one who commented on you using VO in place of V.O. which I will continue to do because I think it looks better and Final Draft takes care of it anyway.  

Horses for courses - it's not going to make or break a script. It's not like the difference between 'you're' and 'your'.


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rendevous
Posted: May 12th, 2015, 8:09am Report to Moderator
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Quoted from DustinBowcot


Well, I care a lot... the point is, that I don't need to correct it because I am already correct, if not more correct, to omit them.

Look at these two sentences:

The MOD's top man, CECIL TOPBANGER (43)...

The M.O.D.'s top man, CECIL TOPBANGER (43)...

The first one is a lot easier on the eye and easier to write. Doesn't anyone feel awkward when writing them in? What about when you get to the end of a sentence with an abbreviation? Wouldn't that warrant an extra full stop?

CECIL TOPBANGER (43) is leader of the MOD.

CECIL TOPBANGER (43) is leader of the M.O.D..


I think the problem is fame. Not in that Britney Spears type of way. But in the way of most people outside the UK will not have heard of the M.o.D. at all. See what I did there?

Not punctuating well known abbreviations such as the BBC and the UK is fine, as everyone knows who and what they are. If you don't punctuate MOD then many international readers won't even realise it's an abbreviation, as there's nothing to indicate as such. As it's capitalised they may think it's a new character called Mod.

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Dreamscale
Posted: May 12th, 2015, 12:17pm Report to Moderator
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Quoted from rendevous
...the way of most people outside the UK will not have heard of the M.o.D. at all. See what I did there?

Not punctuating well known abbreviations such as the BBC and the UK is fine, as everyone knows who and what they are. If you don't punctuate MOD then many international readers won't even realise it's an abbreviation, as there's nothing to indicate as such. As it's capitalised they may think it's a new character called Mod.


Great point.  As I was reading this thread, I was clueless when I saw MOD.

But skipping a period after Mr. or Dr., IMO, is just plain incorrect, but to each his or her own.

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DustinBowcot
Posted: May 12th, 2015, 1:30pm Report to Moderator
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Quoted from Dreamscale


But skipping a period after Mr. or Dr., IMO, is just plain incorrect,


It's clearly not incorrect.

What does a full stop after Dr or Mr signify exactly?
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bert
Posted: May 12th, 2015, 1:48pm Report to Moderator
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Quoted from DustinBowcot
It's clearly not incorrect.

What does a full stop after Dr or Mr signify exactly?


Jumping back into this to say it must clearly be a US/UK difference.

I have started reading a book by a Brit --The Girl With All the Gifts -- not bad at all, but not what I was expecting, either -- and throughout this entire book they use "Dr" without the period.

And I've got to say, it is bugging the living crap out of me haha!

Both ways are correct, I guess, but somebody -- be it in the US or the UK -- is going to think you are wrong no matter what you do!

Decide who your audience is and write accordingly.


Hey, it's my tiny, little IMDb!
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LC
Posted: May 12th, 2015, 8:41pm Report to Moderator
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Quoted from DustinBowcot
It's clearly not incorrect. What does a full stop after Dr or Mr signify exactly?

Abbreviation (shortening) of Doctor and Mister. Am I missing something in this question...? I can be a bit blonde.  


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MickeyHatewood
Posted: May 13th, 2015, 12:03am Report to Moderator
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I've had an interest in this thread also, having written a couple of scripts based in America and a few in England, UK.  

I wrote a script called The Demon Within with USA in mind, as it's set there, so tried to write it as American as possible. I questioned the Dr. and Mr.  or Dr or Mr argument and got same results similar to as are seen here. "It doesn't matter!" was the general response, "We can read, we know what it means. Just keep it consistent."
I went with the dot.

I've then gone and written another script, which involves mass usages of MR and MRS.  My characters, I'll call them MR. GUY and MRS. WOMAN, kind of pop up frequently. All those full stops add up... Do I really need them?

Kinda skimmed a few American scripts and they left the . out too. So I thought, ah, f it. Banish the dreaded dot.

I think the USA version makes more sense, but I will willingly use the UK version because I have just manually edited out every last fricking . and will not be putting them back in!!!!

Having said that, I doubt my latest script will be judged by full stops, haha. If only.

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MickeyHatewood  -  May 13th, 2015, 12:21am
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DustinBowcot
Posted: May 13th, 2015, 2:35am Report to Moderator
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Quoted from LC

Abbreviation (shortening) of Doctor and Mister. Am I missing something in this question...? I can be a bit blonde.  


I've never understood the point of placing a dot at the end of an abbreviation unless there are actually missing letters that the dot replaces. At the end of a word, a dot merely weakly suggests that there were some missing letters but he turned up late and missed it.
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