A question for our beloved "grammar nazis"

[WolfEyes]

Which is the accepted way of using "tv" in place of television? Should it be capitalized or not in a sentence or description?

Examples:
a) He turned the tv off.
b) He turned the TV off.

Which is correct, a or b? Or are both acceptable?

 

[Cristiano]

Both are acceptable.

 

[Tigar]

Neither is acceptable.
Kill yer

 

[Sid]

Which is the accepted way of using "tv" in place of television? Should it be capitalized or not in a sentence or description?

Examples:
a) He turned the tv off.
b) He turned the TV off.

Which is correct, a or b? Or are both acceptable?

The important part is that the bloody telly is turned off.

 

[Katheryne Helendale]

I've always capitalized TV, like most acronyms. I guess it's one of my OCDs.

 

[WolfEyes]

I've always capitalized TV, like most acronyms. I guess it's one of my OCDs.

Except it isn't an acronym. It's an abbreviation. Television is one word, not two and the "v" isn't capitalized. If it were two words instead of a compound word then it could be considered an acronym.

 

[Govi]

For those who prefer authority in debates about language, here's Merriam-Webster. They have no entry for lowercase "tv".

 

[GradyE]

"He threw the TeeVee out of the window." is the correct usage.

 

[Veritable Quandry]

Either is fine.

 

[Val]

Polish English professors are the true grammar Nazis and my very English husband was shocked to learn how many tenses exist :> . With all those credentials AND my fab certificate which in theory allows me to teach in mind, I can tell you that it is TV. However, words never look properly spelled to me due to dyslexia so I could be wrong :B .

 

[Essence Lumin]

For those who prefer authority in debates about language, here's Merriam-Webster. They have no entry for lowercase "tv".

vocabulary.com has both.

 

[WolfEyes]

From what I can tell, TV is the correct way, however, tv is acceptable.

 

[Govi]

vocabulary.com has both.

A professional editor of my acquaintance always gives me s**t for relying on any other source than Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary to settle such questions regarding American English. Your mileage clearly varies.

.​

 

[Innula Zenovka]

The New York Times Manual of Style and Usage says it's TV (plural TVs). The Chicago Manual of Style is silent on the subject, as are the Guardian and Economist style guides (though The Economist style guide actually uses "TV" rather than "tv").

The OED suggests that TV, T.V. and tv are all to be found but it uses TV in all its examples and references.

So I would stick to "TV", though I don't think "tv" is actually wrong.

 

[Sid]

Is the prime time news on both of them?
Then I'm fine with them as well.

 

[Argent Stonecutter]

What kind of milksop barley-water Nazis accept either?

"Television? The word is half Greek, half Latin. No good can come of it." - C. P. Scott

 

[Essence Lumin]

When it comes to alternate spellings I often think of cancelled. I read somewhere that was the preferred spelling up untli the '80s (!) Maybe that why I always seem to spell it that way instead of the more common canceled since I'm an old fart. Also, news outlets always seem to say pleaded guilty at least nowadays. Whatever happened to pled guilty?

 

[WolfEyes]

The New York Times Manual of Style and Usage says it's TV (plural TVs). The Chicago Manual of Style is silent on the subject, as are the Guardian and Economist style guides (though The Economist style guide actually uses "TV" rather than "tv").

The OED suggests that TV, T.V. and tv are all to be found but it uses TV in all its examples and references.

So I would stick to "TV", though I don't think "tv" is actually wrong.

I'll keep that in mind for future reference. I'm not going back in and changing it now. lol

 

[Katheryne Helendale]

When it comes to alternate spellings I often think of cancelled. I read somewhere that was the preferred spelling up untli the '80s (!) Maybe that why I always seem to spell it that way instead of the more common canceled since I'm an old fart. Also, news outlets always seem to say pleaded guilty at least nowadays. Whatever happened to pled guilty?

My spell checker freaks out when I spell it "canceled". And, yeah, it should be "pled". What's next? "I rided the bus today"?

 

[Veritable Quandry]

The OED suggests that TV, T.V. and tv are all to be found but it uses TV in all its examples and references.

Are we going to have the prescriptive v. descriptive talk here? Use the style guide of the publication you are aiming for if it is for publication, but both are in common usage. The OED by design takes time to catch up, probably less so than Merriam-Webster.