# Tiny rant: For the love of God, stop writing "ect"! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 30, 2006, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-rant-for-the-love-of-god-stop-writing-ect/378494 "2006-10-30T22:18:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Carl\_Corey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Carl\_Corey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carl_Corey)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2006, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-rant-for-the-love-of-god-stop-writing-ect/378494/21 "2006-11-03T13:25:32Z")
I wish people would learn to spell hypocrisy and hypocrite. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2006, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-rant-for-the-love-of-god-stop-writing-ect/378494/22 "2006-11-03T21:48:28Z")
[QUOTE=BMalion] Or “The La Brea Tar Pits.” [/QUOTE] That’s not redundant. Sure, “la” is an article in another language, but in this case, “La Brea” is the name of the area, and the words are used as a noun adjunct to modify “tar pits”. Any time it’s grammatically correct to say “The tar pits” it’s also correct to say “The La Brea Tar Pits.” ---
**Author:** ![blinkingblinking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@blinkingblinking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blinkingblinking)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2006, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-rant-for-the-love-of-god-stop-writing-ect/378494/23 "2006-11-04T19:18:40Z")
[QUOTE=Autumn Almanac] I hate it when people mix up _i.e._, _e.g._, and _et al._ [/QUOTE] We need a separate thread for this. Because this thread is full of lame jokes. I get three emails at work per day from idiotic managers who do not know the difference between these. Here is an example from management- “Please do not put cans (i.e. Coke cans) in the normal rubbish bins. Put them in the recycling bins.” I can only assume he thinks Coke cans are the only ones that can be recycled. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2006, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-rant-for-the-love-of-god-stop-writing-ect/378494/24 "2006-11-04T20:37:57Z")
If I read one more written comment praising the bravery and dedication of the United States Marine **Corp** , I am gonna scream. And what I am gonna scream is this: \ **IT’S “_C-O-R-P-[size=6]S_”, SHITPOTS! THE S IS _SILENT,_ NOT FUCKING _INVISIBLE!!_[/size]** \ ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2006, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-rant-for-the-love-of-god-stop-writing-ect/378494/25 "2006-11-05T00:31:56Z")
You’re probably just lucky they don’t call it the United States Marine Core. ---
**Author:** ![Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e56c9b/32.png) [@Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harriet_the_Spry)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2006, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-rant-for-the-love-of-god-stop-writing-ect/378494/26 "2006-11-05T00:44:22Z")
I was tutoring a student in Spanish, helping him figure out a paragraph from his assigned reading. The phrase “et cetera” appeared. When he asked me what it meant, I couldn’t help but respond “you might recognize it from English.” I usually try not to be sarcastic when tutoring, but the guy kind of walked into that one. He seemed to take it in good humor, we do all have the occasional brain fart. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2006, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-rant-for-the-love-of-god-stop-writing-ect/378494/27 "2006-11-06T15:07:53Z")
[QUOTE=iamthewalrus(:3=] That’s not redundant. Sure, “la” is an article in another language, but in this case, “La Brea” is the name of the area, and the words are used as a noun adjunct to modify “tar pits”. Any time it’s grammatically correct to say “The tar pits” it’s also correct to say “The La Brea Tar Pits.” [/QUOTE] True, but it still amuses me. “The the Tar tar Pits.” What’s not to laugh at? ---
**Author:** ![Procyon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac91a4/32.png) [@Procyon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procyon)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2006, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-rant-for-the-love-of-god-stop-writing-ect/378494/28 "2006-11-06T19:10:53Z")
[QUOTE=dwc1970] My pet peeve is when I see “and etc.” [/QUOTE] That is actually painful for me to read. Along the same lines, though less common, is “the _hoi polloi_.” ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2006, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-rant-for-the-love-of-god-stop-writing-ect/378494/29 "2006-11-06T20:16:14Z")
[QUOTE=Procyon] That is actually painful for me to read. Along the same lines, though less common, is “the _hoi polloi_.” [/QUOTE] I was going to come in and mention “the hoi polloi” but you beat me to it. So I’ll just mention “please RSVP” and duck back out. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2006, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-rant-for-the-love-of-god-stop-writing-ect/378494/30 "2006-11-06T20:31:22Z")
I gotta say I’m impressed that no comedian has come into the thread yet and said, “Yeah, I dislike that too blah blah blah and ect. ect. ect. . .”. Is the retarded jokes level dropping? I’ve always found it odd when someone write &c. &c. &c. Is that _really_ an accepted way of shorthanding “etc”? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2006, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-rant-for-the-love-of-god-stop-writing-ect/378494/31 "2006-11-06T21:10:30Z")
[QUOTE=Trunk] I gotta say I’m impressed that no comedian has come into the thread yet and said, “Yeah, I dislike that too blah blah blah and ect. ect. ect. . .”. Is the retarded jokes level dropping? I’ve always found it odd when someone write &c. &c. &c. Is that _really_ an accepted way of shorthanding “etc”? :dubious: [/QUOTE] I think it’s a holdover from early typesetting. Saves a little space. To me, more than one “etc.” in a row is annoyingly redundant. Outside of “The King and I”, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Pullet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Pullet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pullet)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2006, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-rant-for-the-love-of-god-stop-writing-ect/378494/32 "2006-11-07T12:42:00Z")
Aside from various spelling errors, grammatical nonsense, and putting the “all of the above” after the “none of the above” option, thereby including none with the possible correct answers, a full grad-student-level professor of mine used “irregardless” on an exam. Unforgivable. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2006, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-rant-for-the-love-of-god-stop-writing-ect/378494/33 "2006-11-07T13:45:58Z")
In French, “etc.” is correctly written “ect”. To confuse matters. **E** t **c** e **t** era. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2006, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-rant-for-the-love-of-god-stop-writing-ect/378494/34 "2006-11-07T14:26:26Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm] In French, “etc.” is correctly written “ect”. To confuse matters. **E** t **c** e **t** era. [/QUOTE] Why isn’t it just **Et** **c** etera like it is here? ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2006, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-rant-for-the-love-of-god-stop-writing-ect/378494/35 "2006-11-07T15:03:07Z")
[QUOTE=Plynck] [very slight nitpick] It’s Latin for “and others of the same kind”, which is different from “et alii/et aliae/et alia”, Latin for “and others.”[/very slight nitpick] [/QUOTE] Hey, hey, I’ve got one! Why the hell do people put a period after “et” when they abbreviate et alia/alii/aliae\*? My jaw clenches whenever I see et. al. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2006, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-rant-for-the-love-of-god-stop-writing-ect/378494/36 "2006-11-07T15:04:50Z")
:smack: And why the hell do I try coding in a post before I’ve had some coffee? :smack: ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2006, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-rant-for-the-love-of-god-stop-writing-ect/378494/37 "2006-11-07T15:29:57Z")
[QUOTE=Trunk] Why isn’t it just **Et** **c** etera like it is here? [/QUOTE] Je ne sais pas porquoi. Different language. It’s no more arbitrary than our abbreviation. Why don’t we use **ec**.? ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2006, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-rant-for-the-love-of-god-stop-writing-ect/378494/38 "2006-11-07T16:06:59Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm] In French, “etc.” is correctly written “ect”. To confuse matters. **E** t **c** e **t** era. [/QUOTE] Not according to _Le Petit Robert_, which gives “etc” as “abréviation graphique d’_et caetera_” and has no listing for “ect”. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2006, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-rant-for-the-love-of-god-stop-writing-ect/378494/39 "2006-11-07T16:08:23Z")
[QUOTE=Nanoda] ‘lovable charismatic rouge’ [/QUOTE] New from Lancôme. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2006, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-rant-for-the-love-of-god-stop-writing-ect/378494/40 "2006-11-07T16:10:18Z")
[QUOTE=matt\_mcl] Not according to _Le Petit Robert_, which gives “etc” as “abréviation graphique d’_et caetera_” and has no listing for “ect”. [/QUOTE] Hmm. This is what I was taught and have observed; however, it’s quite possible that I may have been misinformed, and that my observations were Francophones making the same mistake. I withdraw the comment pending further investigation. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-rant-for-the-love-of-god-stop-writing-ect/378494.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-rant-for-the-love-of-god-stop-writing-ect/378494.md?page=3)