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SimplyScripts Screenwriting Discussion Board  /  Screenwriting Class  /  Mrs., Missus or Misses?
Posted by: SAC, February 18th, 2018, 12:57pm
Or even Missis.

How would you write that in a script? Mrs. Dobbs? Or should is be spelled out? Which way? And while we’re at it, how about Mister or Mr.? Your thoughts, please.
Posted by: DustinBowcot (Guest), February 18th, 2018, 1:00pm; Reply: 1
Missus is used to describe a female partner as in, the missus.

Mrs or Mrs. are both fine, you don't need to spell them out. Spelling them out is for people that take the rules too far, IMO.
Posted by: Colkurtz8, February 18th, 2018, 2:06pm; Reply: 2
So I can assume now it wasn't reflective of Rick's accent? ;)
Posted by: SAC, February 18th, 2018, 2:07pm; Reply: 3
I agree. Maybe I’m just overthinking it a bit. Think Mrs. just looks better anyway. Thanks.
Posted by: SAC, February 18th, 2018, 2:36pm; Reply: 4

Quoted from Colkurtz8
So I can assume now it wasn't reflective of Rick's accent? ;)


Haha. You’ve assumed correctly.
Posted by: stevie, February 18th, 2018, 10:29pm; Reply: 5
If you write it in dialogue then you should spell it out
Posted by: FrankM, February 19th, 2018, 12:04am; Reply: 6

Quoted from stevie
If you write it in dialogue then you should spell it out


For such well-known abbreviations, it probably falls under the category of "break the rules on purpose so as not to take the rules too far." There are a slew of abbreviations, however, that definitely need to be spelled out because they're ambiguous, obscure or misleading.

For example, Col. is a terrible abbreviation for Colonel since most Americans pronounce it "Kernal." Lt. isn't much better because the American and British pronunciations are so different (in an American film, one might want to spell the Brit's dialogue phonetically as leff-tenant). Fr. can be Father or Friar, Sr. can be Sister or Señor, and so on. So in general I agree with spelling out abbreviations, but Mr. and Mrs. might be worth excepting (in which case, spell out Master for boys).

Ms. is a challenge because I have no idea what this is supposed to be abbreviating. I suppose I'd write it out "Mizz" unless the speaker was being a jerk, in which case it'd be "Mizz-z-z-z-z."
Posted by: DustinBowcot (Guest), February 19th, 2018, 3:11am; Reply: 7

Quoted from stevie
If you write it in dialogue then you should spell it out


Incorrect.
Posted by: stevie, February 19th, 2018, 4:28am; Reply: 8

Quoted from DustinBowcot


Incorrect.


I do. Isn’t it the same as writing out numbers in dialogue?
Posted by: DustinBowcot (Guest), February 19th, 2018, 5:27am; Reply: 9

Quoted from stevie


I do. Isn�t it the same as writing out numbers in dialogue?


So long as it is clear what it is then it's fine. Nobody is going to see Mr - even in dialogue - and wonder what is meant by it.

With numbers, it's different because they could be read in different ways and may initially confuse a poor actor, who may see 1998 and say 1-9-9-8. Also, aesthetically, numbers don't look as good on the page. They seem lazy somehow. Same goes for many abbreviations, however, Mr and Mrs are fine and in the dictionary as words unto themselves.

https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/mr
Posted by: stevie, February 19th, 2018, 3:46pm; Reply: 10
Ah, got ya. I just assumed that any abbrievation would be written out in full in dialogue like numbers. I knew it wouldn't be seen but I guess I just do it still because of my OCD lol.
Posted by: eldave1, February 20th, 2018, 10:53am; Reply: 11

Quoted from SAC
Or even Missis.

How would you write that in a script? Mrs. Dobbs? Or should is be spelled out? Which way? And while we’re at it, how about Mister or Mr.? Your thoughts, please.


Clarity is king. What is the easiest to digest for a reader. Below are two examples.

Listen, Mr. Clark, if you think....

Listen, mister, if you think.....

In both - I clearly get it.
Posted by: SAC, February 21st, 2018, 12:01pm; Reply: 12
Mrs. it is, then. Thanks for the feedback!
Posted by: eldave1, February 21st, 2018, 12:03pm; Reply: 13

Quoted from SAC
Mrs. it is, then. Thanks for the feedback!


You're welcome Mr. Clark
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