atw: Re: Use of definite article before acronym?
- From: Michael Edward Granat <megranat@xxxxxxxx>
- To: austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2004 15:41:49 +1100
Dear Deborah (Cross),
If you don't want it to be pronounced as "Doy", which would make it an
acronym (a pronounceable abbreviation) and keep it being used as an
abbreviation that is spelt out in speech, then using the "the" beforehand
is advisable.
For example, you would be unlikely to write "aircraft maintained by the
QANTAS" instead of "aircraft maintained by QANTAS" because QANTAS is a
genuine acronym, spoken as a word, although you could write "the QANTAS fleet".
But if folk start calling your department "DOI" because of this, it will be
time to say "DOH" in your best Homer Simpson voice.
Cheers,
Michael Granat
Write Ideas
At 15:20 18/2/2004, you wrote:
> > Should you use "the" before an acronym for an area of an organisation? =
>=20
> >=20
> > My example is "Division of Information" is referred to as "DOI".
> >=20
> > Do I write "...will be maintained by DOI" or "...will be maintained by =
>the DOI"?
> >=20
> > I prefer the former, but can see how the latter could be technically =
>correct.
> >=20
> > Opinions?
> >=20
> > Deborah Cross
> > DOI Business Solutions
> > The Australian National University
> > ANU CRICOS #00120C
> > Phone 02 6125 8492
> > mailto:DOIBusinessSolutions@xxxxxxxxxx =20
> >=20
E & OE
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