Blog Archives

ABBR. STANDS FOR ABBREVIATIONS?

Best regards, the Fanta4 were already singing and we're right in the middle of today's topic of the Skoutz language laboratory: the abbreviations. In times when Twitter shortens the characters for us and we are becoming more and more lazy about typing anyway, in addition to word omissions (tomorrow noon instead of tomorrow noon), word shortening (in the evening instead of on that evening) and hybrid words (German- English instead of German-English) also come up Abbreviations are becoming increasingly important.

It is sometimes tricky to find out what is behind yolo (you only live once) or cr (currently reading), especially since it can also be different in the context, because one and the same abbreviation is used several times (IS can be harmless Industry standard mean or less harmless Islamic State; Nano is a writing challenge for authors in November, but for the rest of the world a tiny unit of measurement; When it comes to horsepower, some people think of powerful engines and others think of forgetful letter writers).

At Woxikon there is a very impressive list of more or less common abbreviations, which is very practical thanks to the search function and definitely deserves a place on the bookmark list.

But let's take a look at how to spell abbreviations correctly. When to decorate them with dots, when to add spaces between compound abbreviations or not, when and how to decline or correctly pluralize them.

Types of abbreviations

By abbreviation (also somewhat scholarly abbreviation) linguists mean the shortened form of representation of an originally longer word or term. As already indicated, there are also a whole series of parts of speech that arose from the need for shortening:

• Acronym
  is made up of letters from two or more words, which then results in a new term, eg WM, LAN, but also words that are made up of syllables: BaföG or GroKo
• Apronym
  are acronyms that result in a word that already exists, eg ELSTER for electronic tax return
• The initial word
  is created when an abbreviation is made up of the first letters (initial) of several words, e.g. UFO (Unknown Flight Object)

But there are also the "real" abbreviations, with and without a period, which are often very common but have not acquired their own word quality: e.g. BGB, Dipl.-Ing., BMW, etc.

No detours with abbreviations

In addition to 6 rules, the Duden also provides a DIN (the "German Industrial Standard" 2340), which deals with the meaningful formation and use of abbreviations and abbreviations. The generic term of the short form is divided there into abbreviation, short word, substitute shortening and mixed shortening. This defines the position of the acronym in the system of terms more clearly. Principles and procedures are set up according to the aspects of benefit and uniformity of the short forms. In addition, principles for the inflection of short forms after a case distinction are given.

Of course, this is much easier in everyday life! Although it is not really clear due to a few tiresome exceptions.

When do you put a period after abbreviations?

Pronounced abbreviations have a period

Usually, but unfortunately not always, purely written abbreviations are marked with a period.

• (Doctor)
• Frankfurt an der Oder (Frankfurt an der Oder)
• abbreviation (List of abbreviations)

These are usually those that are pronounced in the long form when reading (however, an exception is the registered association, which is written and spoken in abbreviated form). In most cases, each word is abbreviated individually, provided with a period and then separated from the next character with a space (e.g. instead of eg or eg.). However, there are a few exceptions where (no one knows why) there is only a period at the end of the abbreviation:

• (and so on)
• (and so on)
• currently (currently – and not quite quickly!)

Initial words have no dot

Standing terms that are formed from the first letters of the original terms and are usually no longer spoken in the long form can do without a period, e.g

• FRG for Federal Republic of Germany,
• BGB for the Civil Code or
• BMW for (vehicle or motor vehicle of) Bavarian engine works and
• ADAC (for General German Automobile Club).
• PS (for Horsepower or Post Scriptum; adding a colon to the latter before inserting the postscript. "PS :What I forgot to mention...")

Unfortunately not always, that's how you usually write GG (without a dot), but then you still speak the Basic Law (and not just since "gg" stands for "giggle" (to giggle)).

Sometimes the abbreviations are also pronounced like a normal word, although they are actually abbreviations from the first letters of the original term.

• TÜV (Technical Monitoring Association) or
• GEMA (The Society for Musical Performance and Mechanical Reproduction Rights)

Units of measurement, points of the compass and currencies are abbreviations without a dot

With officially defined abbreviations of the units of measurement in science or also with currencies, the point is usually omitted:

• km (kilometers),
• kg (Kilograms),
• Mhz (Megahertz),
• NNO (Nordnordost),
• SW (southwest),
• USD (US Dollar, even if it contains an abbreviation again),
• EUR (Euro)

Subject-specific abbreviations are usually written without a period

• MdB (Member of the Bundestag),
• BStMdI (Bavarian State Ministry of the Interior),
• JuSchG (Youth Protection Act),
• StUffz (Staff Sergeant),
• OStRin (Oberstudienrätin)

Compound abbreviations are written with several periods and a hyphen

• -Ing. (Diploma-Engineer),
• abbreviation (for: list of abbreviations)

How many dots do you need for abbreviations at the end of sentences?

If an abbreviation does not require a period, it is treated like a normal word for punctuation purposes. So you put a period (or another final character!) at the end of the sentence as usual.

If, on the other hand, there is an abbreviation with a period at the end of the sentence, then the abbreviation period is also the end of the sentence; there is therefore no need for a second point. However, question or exclamation marks must be placed in addition to the abbreviation period.

• He violated the JuSchG.
• He violated various regulations under the JuSchG, the StGB, the StVO and others
• What do you mean here?

How do you abbreviate the plural?

If you want to make it clear that an abbreviation is plural, you add the ending -s, regardless of whether that is the correct ending to say or where the plural would be expressed.

• the MGs (instead of MGe for machine guns)
• the GmbHs (instead of GmbHen or more correctly: GenmbH for companies with limited liability)

This is basically the user's right to choose, the dictionary allows both options (with and without -s), but recommends it at least for feminine forms, since the article in the singular and plural is the same there (die).

Note: Don't use the occasionally observed apostrophe, it's always wrong here (the GmbH's).

Sometimes (rarely!) the plural is expressed by doubling the letters.

• (for: vintages)
• (for: the following [pages])

How do you express the declension (e.g. genitive) of abbreviations?

In the singular there is usually no declension, for example a genitive S is added.

If it is helpful for understanding the text, for example to avoid reference difficulties or other misunderstandings, the Duden recommends putting the declension ending immediately after the abbreviation period ("Bs Tatbeitrag"). If such a point is missing, the ending follows immediately ("The sister of the OStRs").