Let’s continue with Word Knots, where we discuss common instances of words and phrases that are often confused or misused. In the last installment and this one, we’re looking at abbreviations that are often confused.

Once again our source for this is installment is The Dictionary of Disagreeable English by Robert Hartwell Fiske (Chicago: Writer’s Digest Books). It’s a great book: Check it out.

Rather than take a stern ‘grammar police’ approach we always try to keep it light and in each installment point out examples of semantic confusion that should be considered “must to avoid.”

From Fiske (excerpted):

i.e.

Misused for e.g.  

As Fiske says:

The difference between i.e. and e.g. is the difference between the phrases that is and for example; the first is for stating an equivalence, the second for stating an illustration. Only scientists and academicians (who have their own perverse rules of style and composition, and seldom seem able to write a readable sentence) have any reason to use i.e. (or e.g.); the rest of us should use that is (or for example).

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I don’t take quite as hard a stance as Fiske and believe that there are some instances where either abbreviation is appropriate and OK to use.

Let’s look at the most relevant Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary definitions:

ie

abbreviation

that is

Origin of ie: Latin id est

eg

abbreviation

for example

Origin of ie: Latin exempli gratia

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First off, note that M-W does not use periods. It is far more common to use periods (i.e. and e.g.)  and to follow either of these with a comma.

In technical writing of any kind using either of these is appropriate. They are also often used in business correspondence  and reports, as well as in emails, where keeping the content brief is often advisable. But in standard prose, I agree with Fiske: use “that is” or “for example.”

Examples: 

We reviewed the findings, i.e., compared the data sets, to reach our conclusions.

We needed to look at the data, e.g., financial reports and budgets, before reaching a decision.

Once again, details are critical, which is why checking your work is an important step toward ensuring that your intended meaning is clear.

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