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Subject:Re: Correct usage "i.e." and "e.g." ? From:"Hutchings, Christa" <cwhutchings -at- HOMEWIRELESS -dot- COM> Date:Wed, 6 May 1998 08:11:43 -0400
Both "i.e." and "e.g" are Latin - i.e. ("id est") means basically "that
is" and e.g. ("ex gratis") means "for example". (I think this is correct
- it's been a long time since I studied Latin! Can anyone confirm?)
I have always been rather fond of both of them, as they are short and to
the point. However, (sadly) in this day and age, fewer and fewer people
know what they mean, so I am instead using "that is" or "in other words"
and "for example".
Cheers!
Chris Welch-Hutchings
Sr. Technical Writer
Home Wireless Networks, Inc.
cwhutchings -at- homewireless -dot- com
> -----Original Message-----
> From: anna halbert [SMTP:entropy -at- NMIA -dot- COM]
> Sent: Tuesday, May 05, 1998 8:12 PM
> To: TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
> Subject: Re: Correct usage "i.e." and "e.g." ?
>
> Justin asked about correct usage of i.e. and e.g.
>
> For i.e., I mentally substitute "in other words." For e.g., I mentally
> substitute "for example." So your sample sentences are correct.
>
> My house is of Titanic proportions, i.e., it's big.
> Some fruits are difficult to harvest, e.g., coconuts.
>
> This usage has been confirmed by a Latin scholar friend, for what
> that's worth. She explained it all to me very carefully, but I've
> forgotten everything but the answer.
>
>
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