[Tex/LaTex] Canonical way to typeset spacing in abbreviations

acronymsbest practicesspacing

In a comment to When one should use spacing line \quad or \, Herbert claims that e.\,g. is the canonical way to typeset spacing in abbreviations (this is not about spacing before or after abbreviations). I take this to be the claim that

after every . in an abbreviation that is not the end of it there should
be a \,

I've never noticed this technique before (I guess that what I've only seen before is simply to typeset "e.g." as e.g.). Is this really the canonical way? What is the recommended way to handle spacing in abbreviations in LaTeX?

Here's an example to show the differences of e.g. and e.\,g..

\documentclass{article}

\begin{document}

Some text, e.g.~some example.

Some text, e.\,g.~some example.

Some text, e.g.,~some example.

Some text, e.\,g.,~some example.

\end{document}

This gives the following output:

Differences of e.g. and e.\,g

Best Answer

The short answer is that you should follow your publisher's style guide. The spacing in this case is a matter of style and the rules vary from publisher to publisher.

The Chicago Manual of Style is used by a number of publishers in the United States. The sixteenth edition recommends setting e.g. without the space. Here are a few entries that are relevant:

10.6 Space or no space between elements. No space is left between the letters of initialisms and acronyms, whether lowercase or in capitals. Space is usually left between abbreviated words, unless an abbreviated word is used in combination with a single-letter abbreviation. For personal names, see 10.12.

RN, C-SPAN, YMCA, Gov. Gen., Mng. Ed., Dist. Atty., but S.Dak., S.Sgt.

10.12 Initials in personal names. Initials standing for given names are followed by a period and a space. A period is normally used even if the middle initial does not stand for a name (as in Harry S. Truman).

Roger W. Shugg, P. D. James, M. F. K. Fishner

If an entire name is abbreviated, space and periods are usually omitted.

FDR (Franklin Delano Roosevelt), MJ (Michael Jordan), but H.D. (pen name for Hilda Doolittle, with periods but no space between initials)

Robert Bringhurst's The Elements of Typographic Style has the following to say on the matter:

2.1.5 Add little or no space within strings of initials.

Names such as W.B. Years and J.C.L. Prillwitz need hair spaces, thin spaces or no spaces at all after the intermediary periods. A normal word space follows the last period in the string.

But remember that you should check with your publisher or find a commonly accepted style guide for your language/country to see how to handle it in your own situation.

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