Part-Word Lower-Sign Contractions

1. The contractions in and en
   
   1. Are subject to the general rules for the use of contractions and to the rules for lower-sign contractions.
      
   2. Are used wherever they occur within a word.
      

      (In)g(er)sol	(en)act
      f(in)al	b(en)efit
      ma(in)	(of)t(en)

   3. In anglicized phrases The in contraction is used for the anglicized word in.
      

      (in)aet(er)num

      (in) esse

      The en contraction may not be used for the anglicized word en.
      

      en r(ou)te

      en masse

2. The contractions be, con, and dis
   
   1. Are subject to the general rules for the use of contractions and to the rules for lower-sign contractions.
      
   2. May be used only when they constitute an entire syllable and occur at the beginning of a word or at the beginning of a line in a divided word unless they are the last syllable of such a divided word.
      

      be(en)	con(ch)	disc
      (be)lieve	(con)duct	(dis)t(in)ct
      unbelievea(ble)	misconduct	(in)dist(in)ct
      un- (be)lieva(ble)	mis- (con)duct	in- (dis)t(in)ct

   3. With the hyphen
      
      1. May be used after the hyphen in hyphenated compound words.

         make-(be)lieve

         dual-(con)trol

         self-(dis)cipl(in)e

      2. May not be used in contact with the hyphen in syllabized words.
         

         un-be-liev-a-(ble)

         Con-nect-i-cut

         dis-con-c(er)t

      
      
   4. May follow the apostrophe, but may never precede it.
      

      O'(Con)nell

      dis'(ar)mony

   5. The contraction con may not be used for the word con.
      

      pro (and) con

      con game

   
   
3. The contraction com
   
   1. Is subject to the general rules for the use of contractions and to the rules for lower-sign contractions.
      
   2. May be used only at the beginning of a word or at the beginning of a line in a divided word. It need not constitute a syllable.
      

      (com)e	(com)(ing)	be- (com)(ing)
      welcome	welcom(ing)	(com)b
      (com)a	wel- (com)e	(com)(ed)ian

   3. May never be in contact with a hyphen, dash, or apostrophe.
      

      ex-comm(and)(er)	com'(er)e
      ex- (com)m(and)(er)	We'll (st)ay (here)--come (wh)at may!

   
   
4. If the contractions be, con, dis, or com can be used in a word, they can be used in the abbreviation of that word unless the contraction would constitute the entire abbreviation.
   

   Belgian	Belg.
   B(en)jam(in)	B(en)j.
   (Con)necticut	(Con)n.
   (Com)m(and)(ing)	(Com)dg.
   (Con)c(er)to	Con.

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The Shodor Education Foundation, Inc.
Copyright © 1996