ETC Full Form

The word traces its root from the Latin language, its actual and literal meaning is that it means “and” and Cetera means “the rest.” So et cetera translates the koine Greek word meaning “and the other remaining things.”

Usually, we use it when we want to write ” other similar things” while writing down a list of things, we usually write 2-3 things and then put, etc. to signify similar things, for example, if we want to say about list of famous cities in India, we cannot continue on writing names, we write Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, etc.

From textbooks to news, from basic poetries to great factual articles, we find the term everywhere. Its applications specify the list even without writing down the whole list, by telling 2-3 things from the list and specifying for the reader about the other similar things, it is more like telling a collection of items in the list, with 2-3 words and the little word, etc. at last.

You would have used the term to escape writing the long answer and writing many examples in your exam sheets as a student. 

“Etc” Beautifying Our Language

• The term et cetera helps shorten our work. For example, while writing or even speaking, it would have been quite hectic to keep on listing the things you want to talk about, and even for the reader or listener, it would be quite a task to read the whole list

• While talking about some particular category of things, it would be so easy and beautiful to say 2-3 things and give the idea to the reader or listener of what you are talking about, and instead of writing 3-4 words like similar things, you write the acronym, etc

• It saves time, makes written documents shorter and neat, and pleases the writer, reader, and listener

• When we want to keep the list open-ended to things similar to the 2-3 words we wrote, we tend to use the term et cetera. It does not take a toll on the reader and exhaust them from the long list

Actual word or Local slang

Most importantly, the term et cetera is an actual term from the established English dictionaries; it’s not just slang or a local acronym, it’s a global world, and that’s why all English speakers around the world use it. So grammatically, seeing the correctness of our language, we can very well use the word et cetera in our day-to-day, writing and speaking without being incorrect on vocabulary. 

Pronunciation

We would have heard different pronunciations in different dialects like exstetra, eseptra, excetera, which are wrong pronunciations. The correct pronunciation is et- ce-tera.

Usage Of The Term

Interestingly, this term is also now used by people to show how tedious or cliché the list is. It is used here more as a sneer to the long list or to tell a long thing to a person.

For example:

1) “The teacher said to complete all the tasks or she would scold us, suspend us, etc, etc.” 

2) “We must do our daily chores like brushing, bathing, etc., etc., quickly.”

Examples and sentences of the general usage of the word are:

• “Things like ____(name of things)_____, _____, etc. are of a very great use (verb).
• The human body comprises the respiratory system, circulatory system, digestive system, etc.
• Animals like giraffes, lions, kangaroo rats, etc., are found in the grasslands.
• I had a lot of pending assignments on algebra, measurement, probability, etc.
• Nunzio is an exclusive Italian restaurant; it serves amazing Italian dishes like pasta, pizza, etc.
• Mr. Sharma talked about stock markets, personal finance, investments, etc.

Conclusion

When we write “other similar things” while writing down a list of things, we usually write 2-3 things and then put, etc., to signify similar things.

The term et cetera helps shorten our work; while writing or even speaking, it would have been quite hectic to keep on listing the things you want to talk about, and even for the reader or listener, it would be quite a task to read the whole list. So its applications specify the list even without writing down the whole list, by telling 2-3 things from the list and specifying for the reader about the other similar things, it is more like telling a collection of items in the list, with 2-3 words and the little word, etc. at last.