MEANING OF THE ABBREVIATIONS: i.e., et al., etc & e.g.

MEANING OF THE ABBREVIATIONS: i.e., et al., etc & e.g.

i.e. stands for ‘id est’ (Latin), which means that is  or  in other words  (in English).  It is used to indicate that the expression which comes next, is an explanation of what has just been stated or to indicate that what comes next, simplifies as well as give better meaning to a preceding expression.

Examples of Usage of  i.e.:

(i)                The Urhobo people have a veritable channel of communicating among themselves and with the outside world i.e. The Urhobo Voice newspaper.

(ii)             A university is usually headed by a well-grounded academic administrator i.e. the vice-chancellor.

(iii)           Most commodity markets are made up of two categories of people i.e. sellers and buyers.

(iv)           Late Chinua Achebe wrote the first novel as listed in the African Series i.e. ‘Things Fall Apart’.

(v)             There is a national corporation that oversees the activities of all oil firms in Nigeria i.e. the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

et al. stands for ‘et alii’ (Latin).   et al. means  and others,  and co-workers (in English).  The abbreviation is used in formal writing to avoid a long list of names of people who have written something together.  It is also used to avoid a long list of names of persons who have embarked on a project together as a team.

Examples of Usage of et al.:

(i)                The book, ‘English Grammar (Book One)’ was written by Onobrudurakpor et al.

(ii)             A treatise on Waste Management was written by Eruvwavwe et al. in 2001.

(iii)           The traditional wedding of Samuel which took place recently, was planned by Ngozi et al.

(iv)           The proposal for the students’ field trip was written by Onosakponome et al.

(v)             When will the blue-print on alternative power generation by Urhukpe     et al. be actualized to the benefit of the common man in Nigeria?

Note:          The abbreviation et al. also stands for ‘et alia’ which means and other things, and ‘et alibi’ which means and other places.

etc stands for ‘et cetera’ (Latin), and it means  and the others,   and other things,   and the rest  (in English).   It is used to avoid giving a complete list of similar things or things in the same category/group so as to save space and time.  

Examples of Usage of etc:

(i)                Aunty Dora African Kitchen is to be stocked with dry fish, dry meat spices etc, for easy preparation of uncooked pepper soup (irhiboto) for customers.

(ii)             Mamuyovwi often requests for writing materials like biro, pencil, sharpener, poster colour etc, for his schooling.

(iii)            Safety items like fire extinguisher, first-aid box, etc, are pre-requisites for approval of any factory.

(iv)           John was asked to take along his tool box which contains pliers, screw-driver, spanner, nuts etc.

(v)             I desire to eat fresh cat-fish barbecued with onions, pepper, salt, lime, etc.

e.g. or e.g stands for ‘exempli gratia’ (Latin), and exempli gratia means for example or for instance (in English).  The abbreviation is used to give examples or instances when writing or speaking.

Examples of Usage of e.g.:

(i)                Government is made up of several arms e.g. the executive, the legislature and the judiciary.

(ii)             Some Nigerian restaurants do have a variety of traditional foods e.g. Uncle B. Restaurant and Aunty Dora African Kitchen.

(iii)           Our nation is blessed with some cash crops e.g. oil palm, rubber, cocoa, groundnut and others.

(iv)           Every automobile should be equipped with some basic items e.g. jack, spare tyre, wheel spanner and fire extinguisher.

(v)             The United Nations Organization (UNO) has several affiliate bodies e.g. ILO, UNESCO and WHO.

i.e. stands for ‘id est’ (Latin), which means that is  or  in other words  (in English).  It is used to indicate that the expression which comes next, is an explanation of what has just been stated or to indicate that what comes next, simplifies as well as give better meaning to a preceding expression.

Examples of Usage of  i.e.:

(i)                The Urhobo people have a veritable channel of communicating among themselves and with the outside world i.e. The Urhobo Voice newspaper.

(ii)             A university is usually headed by a well-grounded academic administrator i.e. the vice-chancellor.

(iii)           Most commodity markets are made up of two categories of people i.e. sellers and buyers.

(iv)           Late Chinua Achebe wrote the first novel as listed in the African Series i.e. ‘Things Fall Apart’.

(v)             There is a national corporation that oversees the activities of all oil firms in Nigeria i.e. the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

et al. stands for ‘et alii’ (Latin).   et al. means  and others,  and co-workers (in English).  The abbreviation is used in formal writing to avoid a long list of names of people who have written something together.  It is also used to avoid a long list of names of persons who have embarked on a project together as a team.

Examples of Usage of et al.:

(i)                The book, ‘English Grammar (Book One)’ was written by Onobrudurakpor et al.

(ii)             A treatise on Waste Management was written by Eruvwavwe et al. in 2001.

(iii)           The traditional wedding of Samuel which took place recently, was planned by Ngozi et al.

(iv)           The proposal for the students’ field trip was written by Onosakponome et al.

(v)             When will the blue-print on alternative power generation by Urhukpe     et al. be actualized to the benefit of the common man in Nigeria?

Note:          The abbreviation et al. also stands for ‘et alia’ which means and other things, and ‘et alibi’ which means and other places.

etc stands for ‘et cetera’ (Latin), and it means  and the others,   and other things,   and the rest  (in English).   It is used to avoid giving a complete list of similar things or things in the same category/group so as to save space and time.  

Examples of Usage of etc:

(i)                Aunty Dora African Kitchen is to be stocked with dry fish, dry meat spices etc, for easy preparation of uncooked pepper soup (irhiboto) for customers.

(ii)             Mamuyovwi often requests for writing materials like biro, pencil, sharpener, poster colour etc, for his schooling.

(iii)            Safety items like fire extinguisher, first-aid box, etc, are pre-requisites for approval of any factory.

(iv)           John was asked to take along his tool box which contains pliers, screw-driver, spanner, nuts etc.

(v)             I desire to eat fresh cat-fish barbecued with onions, pepper, salt, lime, etc.

e.g. or e.g stands for ‘exempli gratia’ (Latin), and exempli gratia means for example or for instance (in English).  The abbreviation is used to give examples or instances when writing or speaking.

Examples of Usage of e.g.:

(i)                Government is made up of several arms e.g. the executive, the legislature and the judiciary.

(ii)             Some Nigerian restaurants do have a variety of traditional foods e.g. Uncle B. Restaurant and Aunty Dora African Kitchen.

(iii)           Our nation is blessed with some cash crops e.g. oil palm, rubber, cocoa, groundnut and others.

(iv)           Every automobile should be equipped with some basic items e.g. jack, spare tyre, wheel spanner and fire extinguisher.

(v)             The United Nations Organization (UNO) has several affiliate bodies e.g. ILO, UNESCO and WHO.