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How to write abbreviations?

Initial abbreviations are written in capital letters: UN, MFA, RF. Dots or spaces between letters are not put, but a space is used between two independently used abbreviations: IRYa RAS, MFA RF.

Words formed from initial abbreviations by adding suffixes are written in lowercase letters: text message (from SMS), kaveenshchik (from KVN), traffic cop (from GAI), foreign ministry (from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs). In other cases, capital letters are preserved: mini-KVN, SMS mailing.

The abbreviation university is traditionally written in lowercase letters. Variant spelling - at the abbreviation ZAGS (registry office).

Compound words formed from segments of words are written in lowercase letters: special forces, secretary of state, chief accountant. At the same time, the abbreviated names of institutions and organizations are capitalized if their full name is capitalized: Sberbank, Rospechat, Ministry of Education and Science.

The spelling of mixed abbreviations (formed from combinations of initials and segments of words) should be checked in a dictionary, since their spelling is not uniform: KamAZ, GLONASS, IAEA, social security.

And here you can read about the use of quotation marks in abbreviated names.

How to write foreign language abbreviations?

Foreign abbreviations can be transmitted in the Russian text in Latin (the same as in the source language) and letters of the Russian alphabet. Further - about how to write foreign language abbreviations in Russian.

If the abbreviation is read “by syllables” (like a normal word), then it is written in capital letters: NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) , UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), CERN (European Center for Nuclear Research) , FIFA (International Federation of Football Associations), FIA (International Automobile Federation) , FIDE (International Chess Federation).

If the abbreviation is read by foreign letter names, then it is written in lowercase letters, while hyphens are used: i-q. Abbreviated proper names begin with a capital letter: BBC, CNN, IBC.

Foreign-language abbreviations can turn into independent common nouns in Russian, which are written in lowercase letters without hyphens: PR (from PR - public relations), eychar (HR - human resources), DJ, VJ, dividi.

How to determine the gender of an abbreviation?

Grammatical difficulties are associated with the definition of the gender of initial abbreviations.

• The gender of the letter initial abbreviation (read by the names of the letters) depends on the reference word in the decoding of the abbreviation: Moscow State University (university) accepted new students; ECtHR (court) has spoken; CIS (commonwealth) took the initiative; The ROC (church) called for an end to the bloodshed.
• The gender of a sound initial abbreviation (read “by syllables”) depends not only on the gender of the reference word, but also on the external phonetic appearance of the abbreviation, more precisely, on its ending. So, if the abbreviation ends in a consonant, then it can agree on the masculine gender, despite the fact that the reference word belongs to the feminine or neuter gender. Moreover, in some cases, agreement on the masculine gender is the only possible one. For example, only the masculine gender of the word is university (although an institution) , the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (although a ministry) , a registry office (although a record). In some cases, fluctuations are observed: for example, MKAD- masculine in colloquial speech, feminine in stylistically neutral contexts. In some cases, agreement on the masculine gender is impossible: HPS, CHP are only feminine nouns. The generic affiliation of such abbreviations should be consulted in dictionaries.
• The genus of a foreign language abbreviation is determined by the key word in Russian decoding: FIFA (federation) has made a decision; CERN (center) conducted research. However, in some cases, the external phonetic appearance of the word can influence the generic affiliation. For example, the abbreviation NATO is used as a masculine noun (as a result of the influence of a combination with the words alliance, bloc, treaty), feminine (according to the key word organization) and neuter (according to phonetic appearance, compare with other words on -O: coat, subway, cinema). The abbreviation UNESCO experiences fluctuations in gender (the phonetic appearance suggests the neuter gender, and the reference word organization is feminine).

When should abbreviations be inflected?

Grammatical difficulties are associated with the declension of sound initial abbreviations with a masculine reference word: in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs? In the Moscow Art Theater or in the Moscow Art Theater? Civil Registry Officer or Civil Registry Office? Made according to GOST or according to GOST? CERN research or CERN?

"Dictionary of grammatical variants of the Russian language" by L. K. Graudina, V. A. Itskovich and L. P. Katlinskaya (M., 2008) recommends inflecting the abbreviations VAK, GOST, Moscow Art Theater, VGIK, Youth Theater, AIDS, OMON. Other abbreviations in strict business writing are not declined. In colloquial speech, declension is possible: a traffic jam on the Moscow Ring Road, an employee of the registry office.

When should abbreviations not be used?

Abbreviations and abbreviations should save not only space on the page, but also the reader's time. Therefore, abbreviations in the text are acceptable if the reader does not often have to refer to additional reference sources to decipher them.

• It is undesirable to use little-known, uncommon abbreviations and abbreviations if the text is addressed to the general reader. It is necessary to distinguish between generally accepted (understandable to the general reader) and special (understandable to specialists) abbreviations and abbreviations.
• Abbreviations that coincide in form with others that have a different meaning are undesirable.
• Discordant abbreviations are undesirable.
• The names of historical events should not be abbreviated: The Great Patriotic War (not WWII).