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Subject:Re: Articles with Acronyms From:"Susan W. Gallagher" <sgallagher -at- STARBASECORP -dot- COM> Date:Tue, 10 Jan 1995 10:33:08 -0800
Kelly Burhenne asks:
> Text item: Text_1
> Question: When using an acronym (as you all know, very prevalent in our
> profession) preceded by an article, should you use the article that
> agrees with the first word the acronym represents, or use the article
> that agrees with the pronunciation of the acronym.
> e.g.: an FTP
> a FTP
> a SS2000 (SiteScan 2000)
> or an SS2000
What I've always heard & used is "Use the article the way you'd say it"
so that it subvocalizes correctly. FTP can't be pronounced, you say the
letters, so use "an FTP" -- SCSI, OTOH, is pronounced scuzzy and you'd
say "a scuzzy drive".
Sue Gallagher
Technical Writer
StarBase Corp, Irvine CA
sgallagher -at- starbasecorp -dot- com
