Mr. vs. Ms

[ChrisGreaves]

I understand the use of a period to indicate an abbreviation.
But why, then, are we required to abbreviate Mister as "Mr." but abbreviate "Miss" and "Missus" as "Ms", strangely, without a period?

[Leif]

As far as I know:

"Mr" is an abbreviation of "Mister", hence the period.

"Miss", "Mrs" ("missus"?) and "Ms" are words on their own and are therefore not abbreviations. I have never assumed "Ms" to be an abbreviation, more as an alternative title.

[John Gray]

In the UK it is standard practice to omit any full-stop after Mr, Mrs, Miss, Dr, etc.

I believe that the North Americas use a period for abbreviated titles like Mr. and Mrs, but of course Miss is not an abbreviation. In that it is like Sir, General, Father, and so on..

[HansV]

There doesn't seem to be a fixed rule. Some publications use mr and ms, others mr. and ms. and yet others a mixture.

Strictly speaking, ms / ms. is not an abbreviation. Ms / ms. (pronounced miz) was invented to replace both mrs / mrs. (abbreviation of mistress) and miss, but it doesn't have a full form.

[John Gray]

There doesn't seem to be a fixed rule.

I am following the Guardian Style Guide!
abbreviations and acronyms
Do not use full points in abbreviations, or spaces between initials, including those in proper names: US, mph, eg, 4am, lbw, No 10, AL Rowse, OJ Simpson, WH Smith, etc.

[Bigaldoc]

I don't know about over your way, OR the reliability of my memory, but I thought that here in the USA this "Ms." thing was invented as a politically correct way of removing "sexism" (married or single) from the feminine labels. I thought at the time that the women were saying that "Mr." does nothing to indicate a man's marital status, so why should women be different?

And in my own style, correct or not, I put a period after all such "titles" just for neatness sake.

[Goshute]

For those who follow CMS, the dominant style guide in the US:

http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/CMS ... ons22.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[ChrisGreaves]

I understand the use of a period to indicate an abbreviation.
But why, then, are we required to abbreviate Mister as "Mr." but abbreviate "Miss" and "Missus" as "Ms", strangely, without a period?

I am late in replying, so here's what I get from the short discussion above:
I can omit the period from "Mr." and not suffer any serious censure.

I think that that would make a sensible approach to the matter.
"Mr" and "Ms", despite their separate origins, would appear to be morphing into two similar forms of address.

[Goshute]

I have pretty much quit using honorifics, for various reasons. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Use_of_cou ... al_writing" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[BobH]

OUCH!

This thread makes me feel older than dirt. I thought Strunk and White's, The Elements of Style, to be THE American reference of last resort. I mean . . . it only dates to about 90 years ago in its first edition. This book was used at my university for at least 50 years after it was first published, by virtually every department.

Of course, writing for publications today is much different than it was even as recently as 20 years ago; but just try telling that to a college freshman who was born - most probably - after 1992.

[Hey Jude]

An old euphemism around these parts is; "Call me anything you like, just don't call me late for dinner."

[Goshute]

Strunk and White is an awful guide, infested with contradictions and incorrect examples. Throw it out. http://chronicle.com/article/50-Years-o ... mmar/25497" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

While we're not on the subject... http://www.slate.com/id/2281146/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Hey Jude]

I grew up with 2 spaces....how to get out of that habit???????

[ChrisGreaves]

I grew up with 2 spaces....how to get out of that habit???????

Why bother.
Just revert to Courier font and you'll feel right at home!

[Hey Jude]

IBM Selectric II is ideal!! Thanks for the suggestion~!~! Now I am "at home."

[BobH]

Two spaces is CORRECT. One space is wrong! Period. (space space)

My dad was printer. In fact, he operated a Mergenthaler Lin-O-Type machine for more than 40 years, beginning just after the turn of the last century. He was conversant with hand-set type in a stick taken from California job cases (and others, for that matter). He was convinced that the extra space at the end of a sentence was the equivalent of a brief rest for the eyes and the brain in preparation for the next thought contained in the next sentence. It is the equivalent of a mini paragraph break, and for the same reason that paragraphs are separated. While I cannot cite his reference (I DO recall that he had one), and I cannot call upon him to refresh my memory because he was buried more than 45 years ago. But, I assure you that this was not a matter of mono typefaces versus variable typefaces. As I recall, he maintained that the practice of spacing preceded typesetting going all the way back to the scribes who reproduced manuscripts and calligraphy.