Since the announcement that the 17th edition of The Chicago Manual of Style will arrive in September, there has been a lot of buzz about some of the announced changes to the Manual. We’ll be looking closer at some of the changes over the coming weeks. First up is the pronoun they when it refers to a singular antecedent.
This workout centers on paragraph 12.7 of CMOS<.em> 18. Of course, any change to a quotation of someone else’s work must be made with extreme care. Even advanced editors might wish to take a look at CMOS before answering the questions.
Many quotations end with a period or comma:
“He’s gone.” She turned away.
“Indeed,” he said.
Others end with a question mark or exclamation point, in which case
Do you know Chicago style for number ranges? Is it 142–3, 142–43, or 142–143? This month’s workout, “Inclusive Numbers,” covers paragraphs 9.60–64 in CMOS 17.
Today CMOS Shop Talk launches a new occasional series called “Getting a Start in . . . ,” in which we ask publishing professionals how they came to do the jobs they do. In this post, editor Carol Saller talks to Erin Brenner and Laura Poole, who own and operate the Pilcrow Group, Inc., which includes Copyediting newsletter and its training division.
Once again we offer this small token of our affection: our Chicago Manual of Style holiday mini-ornament for you to download, print, and fold.
We’ve all read those bossy directives from advice mongers: “Do rock a ripped T with a bright floral skirt.” “Don’t chew gum during an interview.” “Do practice blending eyeshadow with your brush.” “Don’t yank electrical cords from the wall.” Aside from being either fatuous and trendy or obvious and unhelpful, such lists actually pose some editorial dangers.
Frequently, writers to the “Chicago Style Q&A” express the belief that when an abbreviation is introduced in a document, it must be introduced once and once only (when the term first appears) and that thereafter the spelled-out term must never be used again.
This workout centers on paragraphs 7.16–29 in CMOS 18. Advanced editors might tackle the questions cold; learners can study that section of the Manual before answering the questions.
Today we’re turning the spotlight on you, reader! We’d love to know what you like about the CMOS Shop Talk blog and what you don’t like, what you’d like to see more of—or less of. Here’s a short survey, or if you prefer, use the comments box below to give us a piece of your mind.
