CHAPTER IX

Unit 25

The Abbreviating Principle

     192.  The application of the abbreviating principle discussed in Chapter I, paragraph 23, many illustrations of which previously have been given, is more or less flexible and depends to a large extent upon the familiarity of the writer with the words and subject matter in the dictation.  Note how the principle is applied in the following illustration:

     The abbreviating principle is not employed when advantage may be taken of analogical or definite word-building rules, and it should not be employed when easily written word forms are possible without it: When in doubt write it out.

     193. Short Words.  In a small but useful group of common words—many illustrations of which have been given throughout this manual in "Brief Forms for Common Words"—the form stops with a diphthong or a strongly accented vowel:

     194. Long Words.  An analysis of hundreds of words shows that the abbreviations of long words falls into three classes, from which the following rules have been established:

     195.  If there is a longhand abbreviation, it is generally used, if it furnishes a distinctive outline, as in the words amount (amt.), April (Apr.), balance (bal.), memorandum (memo.):

     *Memoranda is written mema; street is written st only with a street name, otherwise it is str.

     196.  Write through the accented syllable if the outline is distinctive. Illustrations: abbrev for abbreviate, lang for language, elab for elaborate, etc.:

197.  Reading and Dictation Practice