z

Young Writers Society


Do I need the period?



User avatar
820 Reviews



Gender: Female
Points: 890
Reviews: 820
Fri Feb 23, 2007 11:57 am
Myth says...



How do I go about asking this?

Mrs Tandy gave in to her daughter’s look and only worried about what the neighbours would say.


This is usually how I write the title of certain characters, but people have told me to place a period after the title. I've seen articles/writings where the person also doesn't have a period, so why do people tell me I have to?

I remember reading somewhere, I think in a dictionary, that a missing period is all right for British articles, but for Americans it isn't.

Please, can someone tell me if I'm wrong or right.
.: ₪ :.

'...'
  





User avatar
2058 Reviews



Gender: Male
Points: 32885
Reviews: 2058
Fri Feb 23, 2007 12:18 pm
Emerson says...



Well technically Mrs is an abbreviation, right? So it should end in a period.

But I do see what your saying, though I've always noticed it with a period even Wikipedia's site has no punctuation after it.

I'm trying to look around for a reasonable explanation on the internet—but its 6:11 am in the morning, and I think you are right. Perhaps it is an European/American thing. I wouldn't doubt it. Could be like the double quotes (") and the single quotes (').

But when I have more time, I'll look around for an answer, because I always tell people to put a period after that, but if it is debatable then It's like telling someone to use single quotes when they used double quotes. It just doesn't matter.
“It's necessary to have wished for death in order to know how good it is to live.”
― Alexandre Dumas, The Count of Monte Cristo
  





User avatar
820 Reviews



Gender: Female
Points: 890
Reviews: 820
Fri Feb 23, 2007 12:21 pm
Myth says...



Thanks for looking into it, Clau.
.: ₪ :.

'...'
  





User avatar
79 Reviews



Gender: Male
Points: 5890
Reviews: 79
Fri Feb 23, 2007 4:17 pm
Cpt. Smurf says...



I think you could use either of them. I looked on Wikipedia, and found this:

Mrs or Mrs. is an English title used for women... blah blah blah


I suppose that means you can use either of them, as Wikipedia has put them both down. it says the same thing when you look for "Mr." I think it all depends on how you want to write it.

Hope I've helped,

Kaz
There's always been a lot of tension between Lois and me, and it's not so much that I want to kill her, it's just, I want her to not be alive anymore.

~Stewie Griffin
  





User avatar
820 Reviews



Gender: Female
Points: 890
Reviews: 820
Fri Feb 23, 2007 4:33 pm
Myth says...



Thanks, Kaz. I really ought to look at Wikipedia more often.
.: ₪ :.

'...'
  





User avatar
1259 Reviews

Supporter


Gender: Male
Points: 18178
Reviews: 1259
Fri Feb 23, 2007 5:09 pm
Firestarter says...



Note carefully the use of full stops in these abbreviations. British usage favours omitting the full stop in abbreviations which include the first and last letters of a single word, such as Mr, Mrs, Ms, Dr and St; American usage prefers (A) Mr., Mrs., Ms., Dr. and St., with full stops. Most other abbreviated titles, however, require a full stop


Just to make it official.
Nate wrote:And if YWS ever does become a company, Jack will be the President of European Operations. In fact, I'm just going to call him that anyways.
  





User avatar
3821 Reviews

Supporter


Gender: Female
Points: 3891
Reviews: 3821
Sat Feb 24, 2007 1:36 am
Snoink says...



Hahaha... yeah. I was about to say, I love periods in those sorts of things. But if you're British! :D
Ubi caritas est vera, Deus ibi est.

"The mark of your ignorance is the depth of your belief in injustice and tragedy. What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the Master calls the butterfly." ~ Richard Bach

Moth and Myth <- My comic! :D
  





User avatar
820 Reviews



Gender: Female
Points: 890
Reviews: 820
Sat Feb 24, 2007 12:44 pm
Myth says...



Thank you for that, Jack. :wink:
.: ₪ :.

'...'
  





User avatar
221 Reviews



Gender: Female
Points: 890
Reviews: 221
Sun Feb 25, 2007 5:33 am
Elelel says...



I guess Australia goes with the British way. Yay! Those silly full-stops just annoy me.
Oh, you're angry! Click your pen.
--Music and Lyrics
  








'This must be Thursday,' said Arthur to himself, sinking low over his beer. 'I never could get the hang of Thursdays.'
— Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy