Use all capitals if an abbreviation is pronounced as the individual letters: BBC, VAT, etc; if it is an acronym (pronounced as a word) spell out with initial capital, eg Nasa, Nato, unless it can be considered to have entered the language as an everyday word, such as awol, laser and, more recently, asbo, pin number and sim card. Note that pdf and plc are lowercase.
dparticiple@sh.itjust.works
on 30 May 05:30
nextcollapse
Both definitely happen, but this is almost certainly a formal writing versus common vernacular thing.
As for why, I'd guess the pronunciation as a word could be mistaken for the actual word "vat" or, worse, "fat". Most people want fat on their goods almost as much as they want V.A.T., but now there's confusion added into the mix.
If nothing else, for the reason already discussed, that sometimes things like VAT are pronounced as a word and sometimes as initials. If you just write it like everyone else in the world who doesn’t write for the Guardian, then it’s just up to the reader whether it’s used as an acronym or an initialism. Nobody at NASA writes “Nasa” and NATO doesn’t use “Nato” (and “pin number” is redundant).
It’s like when the New Yorker uses diacriticals on words with repeated vowels like “coöperate.” Never once has anyone read that and thought “boy, that sure makes that word easier to read.” It just makes you think they’re being pretentious for attention.
DarrinBrunner@lemmy.world
on 30 May 00:28
nextcollapse
Possibly incompetence, possibly a trap to draw NATO in, either way, NATO should not get invoke Article 5 yet.
nondescripthandle@lemmy.dbzer0.com
on 30 May 00:39
nextcollapse
Then you allow Putin to play his incrimental game. Asysemtric is his bread and butter, I almost think not invoking the article yet plays to his strengths. Im not gonna claim invoking it now is the correct move but the rest of what I said remains true weather it’s right or wrong to respond now.
EvergreenGuru@lemmy.world
on 30 May 00:56
collapse
If Putin wanted to invade Romania, he wouldn’t send just a single drone. This is more likely a false flag than an actual attempt at conquering Romania.
HexadecimalSky@lemmy.world
on 30 May 01:11
collapse
Could, be false flag, or russia testing the waters or truly a wayward drone. Whichever was the original cause, russia will gauge the reaction to see how much they can attack “Nato” targets and get away with it. If they find that drone strikes they can cast doubt into its orgins will go unpunished, there will be alot of “wayward” drones in Europe.
I’m so confused by all 4 of the comments in this thread having poor English, grammar and syntax. I completely get that English isn’t everyone’s 1st language, but very similar errors from four different users in a single comment chain about international affairs just seems kinda sus to me
The similarities are that they’re generic errors, nothing specific. Extra spaces, missing apostrophes, incorrect homophones being used, inappropriate comma usage, missing capitalization. It just seems off in a consistent but subtle way
EvergreenGuru@lemmy.world
on 30 May 01:47
collapse
When it comes to news involving Russia, I assume most people responding to me are Ukrainians using google translate or a similar language translator.
Nurse_Robot@lemmy.world
on 30 May 02:01
nextcollapse
That’s a waste, when they could just write to you in your native Russian
nondescripthandle@lemmy.dbzer0.com
on 30 May 03:19
nextcollapse
I suck at spelling and grammar becsuse I moved to a different continent when I was young and started on a very different school curriculum, even just yestday I told my mom it was right not to push me ahead a year when they didn’t know where to put me because I still feel like I missed stuff.
HexadecimalSky@lemmy.world
on 30 May 06:22
nextcollapse
Well, I for one learned english from reading comics and grammer from a “how to grammer for dummies”, so english is my first and only language but I know im bad at it. I learned if the person reading can correct it, it means they understood the meaning enough. Sorry for bad english.
I have ZERO confidence in NATO as an actual defensive force. It’s an organization run by a corrupt, collapsing paper tiger, and its assortment of cowardly European client states.
I thimk it’s very nice of RU to give NATO members all of these small warnings about drone insecurity, so that the can strengthen their cooperation with Ukraine.
Kekzkrieger@feddit.org
on 30 May 08:26
nextcollapse
Can someone explain why NATO won’t just declare that 100km around their border is a no flight zone and everything will.be shot down that enters it unauthorized? (ofc with agreement of Ukraine)
Yes that’s probably seen as escalation but so what, Russia keeps escalating and aren’t stopped by mere words.
Michal@programming.dev
on 30 May 08:34
nextcollapse
Because NATO is at peace time, and there’s commercial and GA traffic that has to be able to fly in and out of the territory.
emergencyfood@sh.itjust.works
on 30 May 09:22
nextcollapse
NATO might be led by idiots, but luckily they do draw the line at starting WW3.
Would we put up with Russia declaring something similar? I don’t see how imposing a zone like that de-escalates the situation.
SabinStargem@lemmy.today
on 30 May 08:43
nextcollapse
As ever, I think that NATO should declare war on Russia and kill Putin. So long as Russia exists in its kleptocratic form, it will keep harassing everyone and be a boil on humanity’s ass.
threaded - newest
“Nato” all through the article is infuriating, but at least you know a human wrote it.
That’s the Guardian’s house style for acronyms: …stackexchange.com/…/proper-capitalization-of-com…
Neat
The Economist has a similar standard: www.economist.com/sites/…/style_guide_12.pdf (see the ‘pronounceable abbreviations’ section, for instance)
Never eat angry tomatoes
Huh, I thought VAT was also pronounced as a word
Both definitely happen, but this is almost certainly a formal writing versus common vernacular thing.
As for why, I'd guess the pronunciation as a word could be mistaken for the actual word "vat" or, worse, "fat". Most people want fat on their goods almost as much as they want V.A.T., but now there's confusion added into the mix.
Wow. That’s dumb.
If nothing else, for the reason already discussed, that sometimes things like VAT are pronounced as a word and sometimes as initials. If you just write it like everyone else in the world who doesn’t write for the Guardian, then it’s just up to the reader whether it’s used as an acronym or an initialism. Nobody at NASA writes “Nasa” and NATO doesn’t use “Nato” (and “pin number” is redundant).
It’s like when the New Yorker uses diacriticals on words with repeated vowels like “coöperate.” Never once has anyone read that and thought “boy, that sure makes that word easier to read.” It just makes you think they’re being pretentious for attention.
Possibly incompetence, possibly a trap to draw NATO in, either way, NATO should not get invoke Article 5 yet.
Then you allow Putin to play his incrimental game. Asysemtric is his bread and butter, I almost think not invoking the article yet plays to his strengths. Im not gonna claim invoking it now is the correct move but the rest of what I said remains true weather it’s right or wrong to respond now.
If Putin wanted to invade Romania, he wouldn’t send just a single drone. This is more likely a false flag than an actual attempt at conquering Romania.
Could, be false flag, or russia testing the waters or truly a wayward drone. Whichever was the original cause, russia will gauge the reaction to see how much they can attack “Nato” targets and get away with it. If they find that drone strikes they can cast doubt into its orgins will go unpunished, there will be alot of “wayward” drones in Europe.
I’m so confused by all 4 of the comments in this thread having poor English, grammar and syntax. I completely get that English isn’t everyone’s 1st language, but very similar errors from four different users in a single comment chain about international affairs just seems kinda sus to me
Which similar errors did you notice? I didn’t see anything specific, but I’m curious
This space has a larger proportion of non-americans than older social media sites, if that helps explain anything
The similarities are that they’re generic errors, nothing specific. Extra spaces, missing apostrophes, incorrect homophones being used, inappropriate comma usage, missing capitalization. It just seems off in a consistent but subtle way
When it comes to news involving Russia, I assume most people responding to me are Ukrainians using google translate or a similar language translator.
That’s a fair assessment
Hard no, it’s a weirdly biased assumption and you’re both silly.
That’s a waste, when they could just write to you in your native Russian
I suck at spelling and grammar becsuse I moved to a different continent when I was young and started on a very different school curriculum, even just yestday I told my mom it was right not to push me ahead a year when they didn’t know where to put me because I still feel like I missed stuff.
Well, I for one learned english from reading comics and grammer from a “how to grammer for dummies”, so english is my first and only language but I know im bad at it. I learned if the person reading can correct it, it means they understood the meaning enough. Sorry for bad english.
It’s still the case that users from the US dominate most online spaces, so illiteracy is to be expected. I wouldn’t consider it suspicious on its own.
Incompetence definitely has Occam’s approval at this time.
That’s Romania’s call.
Do the inches of NATO territory that were blown up in Romania count as “every inch”? Asking for a comr…friend.
I have ZERO confidence in NATO as an actual defensive force. It’s an organization run by a corrupt, collapsing paper tiger, and its assortment of cowardly European client states.
I thimk it’s very nice of RU to give NATO members all of these small warnings about drone insecurity, so that the can strengthen their cooperation with Ukraine.
Can someone explain why NATO won’t just declare that 100km around their border is a no flight zone and everything will.be shot down that enters it unauthorized? (ofc with agreement of Ukraine)
Yes that’s probably seen as escalation but so what, Russia keeps escalating and aren’t stopped by mere words.
Because NATO is at peace time, and there’s commercial and GA traffic that has to be able to fly in and out of the territory.
NATO might be led by idiots, but luckily they do draw the line at starting WW3.
That zone would reach into the second largest Russian city.
Would we put up with Russia declaring something similar? I don’t see how imposing a zone like that de-escalates the situation.
As ever, I think that NATO should declare war on Russia and kill Putin. So long as Russia exists in its kleptocratic form, it will keep harassing everyone and be a boil on humanity’s ass.
Ukraine is in need for men, why don’t you pack your bags and go there to fight russia?
Russia has been a boil on humanity’s ass for much longer than putin has been alive.
Nato ready to order people to defend every inch of territory.
How else would they defend territory? Even if they only use drones for defence, someone has to operate them.
What about you? Are you ready to fight on the front lines to defend an inch of territory?