Follow the English Style Guide from European Commission Directorate-General for Translation, except where it conflicts with these guides below. American or British spelling? ----------------------------- Use British spelling. And when choosing between words, choose the ones that are more common in British English than in American English rather than the ones that are more common in American English than in British English. Use of ash ---------- Ash (æ) should always be used when it can be used properly. That is, when it is not a loanword that did not use it in the original language, and when there is a A–E-diphthong. For example ‘formulæ’ rather than ‘formulae’. Use of diæresis --------------- Diæresis (¨) should be used (on the second letter) when there is a hiatus rather than a diphtong, or a hiatus rather than a vowel sound spelled with two vowels. Diæresis should however not be used between roots and affixes. For example ‘coordinate’ rather than ‘coördinate’, but ‘naïve’ rather than ‘naive’. Use of hyphen ------------- Hyphens is preferred over space, but use of neither hyphen nor space is preferred over use hyphen. Abstence of hyphen is especially preferred between roots and affixes. For example ‘coordinate’ rather than ‘co-ordinate’ and ‘filesystem’ rather than ‘file-system’ or ‘file system’, but ‘e-mail’ rather than ‘email’ (see next section; the ‘e’ is an abbrevation). Hyphen should however be used if it significantly improves readability. Note well, it is hypercorrect (incorrect) to replace a space with a hyphen to emphasis linking between words to avoid ambiguity. Some examples: Correct: Pro-Russian forces ‘Pro-’ is prefix and ‘Russian’ as capitalisation on its first letter, requiring a hyphen. Incorrect: I am pro-GPL Correct: I am pro GPL ‘Pro’ is not a prefix this case, but rather a preposition, you have an opinion rather than being an object. Incorrect: Linux powered computer Correct: Linux-powered computer Incorrect: Linuxpowered computer In the first example, powered with past tense of the verb power. Note, it is almost grammatically correct, but it does not mean what was intended, the only grammatical error is that ‘computer’ needs to be replace by ‘a computer’, ‘computers’ or ‘the computer’. In the second and third example the tense is present, but the computers are powered by Linux rather than that Linux used to power the computer. The third example is however incorrect because Linux is a proper noun. Incorrect: Solar powered computer Correct: Solar-powered computer Preferred: Solarpowered computer Similar to the previous group of examples. ‘Solar’ is not a noun (in this case), but an adjective, so the first example is incorrect. ‘Solar’ and ‘powered’ needs to be joined to form a single, four-morpheme (both ‘solar’ and ‘powered’ are two-morpheme), word. This can either be done with a hyphen or by a complete join without space or hyphen, the latter is preferred. Correct: A solar day on Mars Incorrect: A solar-day on Mars ‘Solar’ is an adjective. Adjectives and nouns are never joined. Incorrect: A speech-to-text technology More incorrect: A speech to text-technology Most incorrect: A speech to text technology Most incorrect: A speechtotexttechnology Correct: A speech-to-text-technology Incorrect: A speech-to-texttechnology ‘speech-to-text’ is a noun, hence one word. ‘technology’ is also a noun. The two nouns must be joined because they form a single noun. However, because ‘speech-to-text’ is a phrase where the words are joined by hyphens (they most be joined by hyphens because it is a phrase,) ‘speech-to-text’ and ‘technology’ most be joined with a hyphen, however, using a space in a case like this is tolerable. Verb: Log in; back up Noun: Log-in; back-up Preferred noun: Login; backup The preposition is a part of the lexeme. The noun and the proposition are joined to form a new noun. However, this is not done on verbs. Is probably has to do with how the lexemes are inflected. Full form versus contracted form -------------------------------- Contractions are not acceptable, except, for ‘-n't’, for example ‘don't’ and ‘won't’. Additionally, ‘o'clock’ is allowed because it is considered mandatory in contemporary use, consequentially ‘of the clock’ must not be written. Contractions are especially intolerable when it is ambiguous by itself even if the full sentence makes it unambiguous. Therefore ‘-'s’ and ‘-'d’ most never be used. Inflection of abbreviations, contractions, acronyms and loanwords ----------------------------------------------------------------- Assume ‘X’ is an abbreviation, contractions, acronym or loanword. Plural form: X:s or X:es Singular possessive case: X's Plural possessive case: X:s' or X:es' Past tense form: X:d or X:ed Gerundisation and similar inflection: X:ing and similar As one of the morphemes in a word: Y-X, X-Z or Y-X-Z, where Y and Z are morphemes that may or may not be abbreviations, acronyms or loanwords. Use of periods in abbreviations, contractions and acronyms ---------------------------------------------------------- Never, except the the end of the words in abbreviations. For example ‘Mr’ rather than ‘Mr.’ and not ‘NATO’ rather than ‘N.A.T.O.’, but ‘abbr.’ rather than ‘abbr’. Use of colon in contractions ---------------------------- Avoid. Use of abbreviations and contractions ------------------------------------- Avoid at all cost, except the few uncontroversial abbreviations and contractions: ‘Mr’, ‘Mrs’ and ‘Dr’. (‘Mrs’ is not a true contraction), ‘CD’, ‘USB’ and ‘DVD’. (‘DVD’ is not an abbreviation or acronym, it is just three random letters that does not stand for anything.) These are the only abbreviations and contractions you can use uncontroversially. This is however in when use the contractions as a title before a name. For example you may write ‘Dr Joe Random’, but not ‘today I saw a dr’. ‘a.m.’ and ‘p.m.’ would be allowed, however, they are not used, as time should be expressed in HH:MM- and HH:MM:SS-24-hour time-format. ‘&’ (a ligature as an abbreviation) should be avoided, and is only allowed in titles and in verbatim sections. ‘§’ and ‘§§’ (ligatures as abbreviations) is allowed in and only in verbatim sections and when referring a section or numbering a section. Acronyms as generic words ------------------------- Unacceptable, always use captialised form. For example ‘LASER’ rather than ‘laser’. This is especially important for acronyms that are not pronounceable exactly. For example ‘radar’ is tolerable, but ‘tv’ is intolerable. -ize versus -ise ---------------- Always ‘-ise’, no exceptions. All words that can be spelled with ‘-ize’ can also be spelled with ‘-ise’, the reverse however is not true. For example ‘randomise’ rather than ‘randomize’. Use of serial comma ------------------- Only use serial comma when necessary. Possessive form of classical and biblical names ----------------------------------------------- Adhere to the standard for non-classical, non-biblical names. For example ‘Socrates's philosophy’ rather than ‘Socrates' philosophy’. Plural of proper nouns ---------------------- Proper nouns cannot be declenated to plural form with indefinite state or construct state. For example ‘there are two Richard in this room’ rather than ‘there are two Richards in this room’, and ‘both Richard.’ rather than ‘both Richards’. However proper nouns can be declenated to plural form with definite state, but only when referring to a family, or multiple family, however dual-plural form is not allowed in this case. Can't versus cannot ------------------- Use ‘cannot’ rather than ‘can't’. Genderneutral form ------------------ Genderneutral form is identical to feminine form. For example, write ‘The user … if she …’ rather than: ‘The user … if he …’ ‘The user … if she/he …’ ‘The user … if he/she …’ ‘The user … if s/he …’ ‘The user … if the user …’ ‘The user … if it …’ ‘The user … if one …’ ‘One … if one …’ ‘… if you …’ ‘an’ versus ‘a’ --------------- Follow the rule that says only words starting with a vowel is preceded by ‘an’. This means that semivowels and ‘h’:s regardless of silentness and even syllable-emphasis are preceded by ‘a’. For example: ‘a universe’ (phonetically starts with semivowel ‘j’) ‘a hyperbola’ (starts with non-silent ‘h’, emphasis on second syllable) ‘a hotel’ (starts with non-silent ‘h’ in modern pronunciations) ‘an hour’ (phonetically starts with diphthong ou, ‘h’ is silent) ‘an umbrella’ (starts with vowel ‘u’, no ‘j’ is prepended) ‘a hammer’ (starts with consonant ‘h’, no ‘j’ is prepended) ‘a July-night’ (starts with semivowel ‘j’, or alternatively consonant ‘dj’) ‘a ‘one’’ (phonetically starts with semivowel ‘w’) Units ----- Abstain from putting spaces between units and their multiplier. For example 1 metre, should be written ‘1m’. This can help reduce ambiguity. For example, “The computers in my house have 2 Gb/s ethernet-ports.” does not mean the same thing as “The computers in my house have 2Gb/s ethernet-ports.” In fact, the first former means “The computers in my house have 2 ethernet-ports with Gb/s capacity.” and the latter means “The computers in my house have ethernet-ports with 2Gb/s capacity.” This is however only important, if ambiguity is possible.