EG Full Form

While reading text in English, we often come across several abbreviations, which do not have any full forms in English. Rather, they are short forms of Latin words that are used to make the text look more sophisticated and elegant. We might know what it means from the context that it is used in, or we might know its purpose. However, many people do not know its full Latin form and the perfect translation for it. Here, let us understand what the abbreviation ‘e.g.’ means and how it is used in English. 

EG: What Does it Mean?

The abbreviation ‘e.g.’ stands for exempli gratia in Latin, which means ‘for example’ in English. However, the literal translation means ‘for the sake of example’. It is used to introduce one or more examples of a certain matter to the readers. While speaking, we often use ‘like’ or ‘such as’ as an equivalent to ‘e.g.’.

It is very important to understand that ‘e.g.’ does not mean that a person is lying down all the examples available. They are simply stating some of the many examples, and the writer does not need to use et cetera or ‘etc.’ since it is implied that only a few examples are presented from a very long list of examples. 

Formatting to Follow While Using EG

There are quite a few formatting rules that are to be used while using the abbreviation ‘e.g.’ or other similar Latin acronyms. Let us look into the rules that must be followed and understand how they work.

• You may have noticed that non-native English words or words that have not been accepted in the English language are often italicized. For example, if we were to write anno Domini or et cetera, we usually italicize it. However, when writing their short forms or abbreviations, we do not italicize them. Instead it is written in normal text.

1. anno Domini is written as A.D.
2. ante meridiem is written as a.m.
3. exempli gratia is written as e.g.

• The letters in the acronym are always followed by a period. Nowadays, some styles of writing accept using the abbreviation without using the periods though. However, it is a good practice to use periods to uphold the grace and elegance of the original Latin parent form.
• Sometimes we end up capitalizing the letters of the acronyms. However, this is not correct and has to be avoided unless the letters signify the name of a person, or used in a respectful manner (like in A.D. since ‘anno Domini’ is Latin for ‘the year of our Lord’ ) or is derived from a proper noun. However, capitalization can be applied in other cases too if the abbreviation is used in a title or is present at the beginning of a sentence. 
• A comma should always follow the acronym or abbreviation. 

Conclusion

Proper usage of abbreviations while writing makes readers respect the written text and it creates a good impression of the writer. There are many other abbreviations that are derived from Latin and used in English, like i.e., etc. that make a lot of sense when used while writing. Every writer must be fluent in their usage and have a proper understanding of their usage and syntax before using them.