# Grammar question: Do e.g. and i.e. have a name? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 15, 2009, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question-do-e-g-and-i-e-have-a-name/503104 "2009-07-15T13:13:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question-do-e-g-and-i-e-have-a-name/503104/1 "2009-07-15T13:13:38Z")
I know e.g. and i.e. are abbreviations, but do these type of words have a special name? I need to make reference to them in a company’s writing style guide and I don’t know whether to put them under a general heading of ‘abbreviations’ or whether they have their own term. Thanking you in advance ---
**Author:** ![Svejk\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@Svejk\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Svejk_1)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question-do-e-g-and-i-e-have-a-name/503104/2 "2009-07-15T13:24:51Z")
I don’t think they have their own term, and why would they? In what way are they different from other abbreviations that would necessitate them having their own term? ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question-do-e-g-and-i-e-have-a-name/503104/3 "2009-07-15T13:32:19Z")
I’d expect to find them under the heading of Abbreviations. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question-do-e-g-and-i-e-have-a-name/503104/4 "2009-07-15T14:26:36Z")
Latin abbreviations? Wikipedia has such a category: [List\_of\_Latin\_abbreviations](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Latin_abbreviations). ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question-do-e-g-and-i-e-have-a-name/503104/5 "2009-07-15T14:41:55Z")
An abbreviation in general is a shortening of a word: for example, Dr. in place of Doctor, or abbrev. in place of abbreviation. Generally speaking, an abbreviation need not be limited to just the first letter of a word, though it can be. An acronym is a type of abbreviation using only the first letter from each word in the phrase, with those letters ultimately assembled to form a pronouncable word. Laser is an acronym, standing in for “Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation.” An initialism is like an acronym in that it is a type of abbreviation that uses the first letter from each word, but the resulting string of letters is not typically pronounced as a word in its own right. EPA is an initialism for Environmental Protection Agency. e.g. and i.e. are acronyms for “exempli gratia” and “id est,” respectively. ---
**Author:** ![Claire\_Beauchamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ec9cab/32.png) [@Claire\_Beauchamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claire_Beauchamp)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question-do-e-g-and-i-e-have-a-name/503104/6 "2009-07-15T15:14:34Z")
BTW, you have posed a _usage_ question, not a _grammar_ question. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question-do-e-g-and-i-e-have-a-name/503104/7 "2009-07-15T15:37:31Z")
> [@Joe Frickin Friday](#): > > An acronym is a type of abbreviation using only the first letter from each word in the phrase, with those letters ultimately assembled to form a pronouncable word. Laser is an acronym, standing in for “Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation.” > > An initialism is like an acronym in that it is a type of abbreviation that uses the first letter from each word, but the resulting string of letters is not typically pronounced as a word in its own right. EPA is an initialism for Environmental Protection Agency. e.g. and i.e. are acronyms for “exempli gratia” and “id est,” respectively. I agree with you right up to the last sentence. I’d say that e.g. and i.e. are both initialisms, not acronyms, given that you say each letter, rather than pronounce it as a word. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question-do-e-g-and-i-e-have-a-name/503104/8 "2009-07-15T15:46:55Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > I agree with you right up to the last sentence. I’d say that e.g. and i.e. are both initialisms, not acronyms, given that you say each letter, rather than pronounce it as a word. :smack: Please excuse me; my brain farted. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question-do-e-g-and-i-e-have-a-name/503104/9 "2009-07-15T15:59:19Z")
So, er, are all agreed on initialism? ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question-do-e-g-and-i-e-have-a-name/503104/10 "2009-07-15T18:27:24Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > So, er, are all agreed on initialism? > **[Acronym](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Initialism)** > > An acronym is an abbreviation formed using the initial letters of a multi-word name or phrase. Acronyms are often spelled with the initial letter of each word in all caps with no punctuation. > > In English, the word is used in two ways. In the narrow sense, an acronym is a sequence of letters (representing the initial letters of words in a phrase) when pronounced together as a single word, like NASA, NATO, or laser. In the broad sense, the term includes this kind of sequence when pronounced let... If Wikipedia is right - and Wikipedia’s always right - then yes. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question-do-e-g-and-i-e-have-a-name/503104/11 "2009-07-15T20:00:32Z")
> [@Claire\_Beauchamp](#): > > BTW, you have posed a _usage_ question, not a _grammar_ question. “Usage” is more specific, but “grammar” is acceptable. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question-do-e-g-and-i-e-have-a-name/503104/12 "2009-07-15T20:35:07Z")
Though e.g. and i.e. are short for Latin phrases, they conveniently fit a pair of English phrases. For me, the name of e.g. is “example given,” and the name of i.e. is “in explanation.” ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question-do-e-g-and-i-e-have-a-name/503104/13 "2009-07-15T21:22:43Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > So, er, are all agreed on initialism? When I read aloud I say “for example” for e.g. and “that is” for i.e. Saying “ee jee” and “eye ee” sounds odd. What do others do? ---
**Author:** ![Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimmy_Gibbler)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question-do-e-g-and-i-e-have-a-name/503104/14 "2009-07-16T00:40:16Z")
> [@DanBlather](#): > > When I read aloud I say “for example” for e.g. and “that is” for i.e. Saying “ee jee” and “eye ee” sounds odd. What do others do? The same. Sometimes, if I’m being extra-pretentious, I’ll say “exempli gratia” and “id est.” And no, classifying it under “initialism” is needlessly obscure pedantry. The stylistic decisions your organization requires should, first and foremost, anticipate the needs of your organization’s writers and readers. You should put the two terms under the heading where most users of the style guide would expect it: _viz._, abbreviations. (Would you separate _viz._ from it’s fellow Latin abbreviations? It certainly is not an intialism; it is an abbreviation for _videlicet_.) This heading, “Abbreviations,” has the recommendation of being true and allowing speedy retrieval of company writing standards by your style guide’s users. If you want to single out these two terms because they are commonly misused at your company, you can do so by including a section such as “Frequently Misused Abbreviations” in the Abbreviation section or, more generally, “Important Style Pointers” in your style guide’s Introduction section, which can draw from all topics that need special treatment. ---
**Author:** ![633squadron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/ee59a6/32.png) [@633squadron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/633squadron)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question-do-e-g-and-i-e-have-a-name/503104/15 "2009-07-16T00:47:25Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > I know e.g. and i.e. are abbreviations, but do these type of words have a special name? I need to make reference to them in a company’s writing style guide and I don’t know whether to put them under a general heading of ‘abbreviations’ or whether they have their own term. Well, as others have said, they’re not words and they’re not abbreviations, they’re initialisms. On the other hand, “etc.” is an abbreviation. In technical writing, I don’t use either e.g. or i.e. or etc. My own personal usage guide is to say what I mean, so therefore I say “for example”, “that is”, or “and so forth”. Also, I try not to use that latter two. If you have to write “that is”, then perhaps your first words were not that great. I also think that “etc.” is a lazy way of meandering off the end of a thought without a clear idea of where you were coming from and where you were going _to_. ---
**Author:** ![Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimmy_Gibbler)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question-do-e-g-and-i-e-have-a-name/503104/16 "2009-07-16T01:30:46Z")
> [@633squadron](#): > > Well, as others have said, they’re not words and they’re not abbreviations, they’re initialisms. Do a Ctrl+F on “abbreviation” and you’ll find that, hitherto, _everybody_ in this thread has agreed that “e.g.” and “i.e.” are abbreviations. You’re the first to suggest otherwise. Furthermore, even if you would insist on avoiding them, a style guide still needs to document the company’s prohibition on it, and so, you still need to decide how to classify the phrases/abbreviations. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question-do-e-g-and-i-e-have-a-name/503104/17 "2009-07-16T01:47:47Z")
> [@DanBlather](#): > > When I read aloud I say “for example” for e.g. and “that is” for i.e. Saying “ee jee” and “eye ee” sounds odd. What do others do? That’s the correct way to do it. ---
**Author:** ![Sycorax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@Sycorax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sycorax)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question-do-e-g-and-i-e-have-a-name/503104/18 "2009-07-16T02:28:42Z")
Source: [http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/e.g.html](http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/e.g.html) When you mean “for example,” use e.g. It is an abbreviation for the Latin phrase exempli gratia. When you mean “that is,” use “i.e.” It is an abbreviation for the Latin phrase id est. Either can be used to clarify a preceding statement, the first by example, the second by restating the idea more clearly or expanding upon it. Because these uses are so similar, the two abbreviations are easily confused. If you just stick with good old English “for example” and “that is” you won’t give anyone a chance to sneer at you. If you insist on using the abbreviation, perhaps “example given” will remind you to use “e.g.,” while “in effect” suggests “I.E.” Since e.g. indicates a partial list, it is redundant to add “etc.” at the end of a list introduced by this abbreviation. ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question-do-e-g-and-i-e-have-a-name/503104/19 "2009-07-16T02:29:12Z")
> [@Joe Frickin Friday](#): > > [Acronym - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Initialism) > > If Wikipedia is right - and Wikipedia’s always right - then yes. If you put that much stock in Wikipedia, I have some swamp land to sell you… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Svejk\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@Svejk\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Svejk_1)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question-do-e-g-and-i-e-have-a-name/503104/20 "2009-07-16T08:51:04Z")
Yeah. And I have this bridge that you might be interested in procuring. > [@Philster](#): > > “Usage” is more specific, but “grammar” is acceptable. What definition of grammar do you use that makes this question a grammar question? Usage is not a specific subsection of grammar, it is totally distinct. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question-do-e-g-and-i-e-have-a-name/503104.md?page=2)