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Subject:Re: Pluralization of MSDS? From:Joe Sokohl <jsokohl -at- mac -dot- com> To:techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com Date:Sun, 26 Apr 2009 09:14:54 -0400
Not even sure I want to wade in on this, but, oh well...
If you use the CMoS to guide you, see section 6.16:
"So far as it can be done without confusion, single or multiple
letters, hyphenated coinages, and numbers used as nouns (whether
spelled out or in numerals ) form the plural by adding s alone (see
also 6.82)
xs and ys
all SOSs
Several YMCAs and AYHs
CODs and IOUs
"6.17 Abbreviations having more than one period, such as M.D. and
Ph.D., often form their plurals by the addition of an apostrophe and
an s. Noun abbreviations with only one 9terminal) period usually form
their plurals by the addition of s before the period. (See also 14.15)
M.A.'s and Ph.D.'s"
I know that the Times follows the dot abbreviation convention.
And, sorry, I vote for one RBI versus 15 RBIs. Yass, yass, I know that
if you unpack the initialization, you'll find an interior s. Doesn't
matter. RBIs just makes more sense to most receivers of the
communication, as 15 MSDSs makes more sense (unless your audience is
composed of technical writers).
;)
Best
joe
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