The Main Rule Is Indicated in The Name of The System: ABCZ
This is a short, simple yet powerful rule that makes many words easy to type. English being what it is, other rules are of course necessary.
UNSPOKEN RULE: No abbreviation should form a common English word or proper noun. However, a word like ox or ay, for example, is considered rare enough to be used as an abbreviation in business or medical transcription.
NOTATION: For simplicity, when
describing a rule, we will let
a, b, c stand for the first three
letters of a word and y and z for the last two.
ABBREVIATION RULES FOR WORDS:
LONGER WORDS:
1a. For words of six or more letters, the basic rule is abcz
That is, absolutely = absy radicular = radr
Does this mean you have to count letters as you type? In practice, one's fingers pretty quickly come to "know" when an abbreviation is called for.
1b. In cases of conflicting abbreviations for the same word, use the form abcyz
That is, infn = infection, infon = inflammation.
ADDENDUM: More expanders now (2002) have visual advisories (Instant Text, Shorthand for Windows, Smartype) and you can use a method such as
abcz
infn = infection
abczb
infnb = inflammation
abczc
infnc = information
abczd
infnd = infarction
SHORTER WORDS:
2. In the "spirit of the main rule," use az for 4 letter words and abz for 5 letter words as much as possible.
Short forms for some of the 150 most common words and 150 common subject-verb combinations can be included (and are in the commercial versions of ABCZ).
ABRREVIATION RULES FOR PHRASES:
3a. PHRASE of 2 WORDS: the rule is abab.
That is, the first 2 letters of each word.
osab = osseous abnormality anan = antinuclear antibody
3b. If there is a conflict, the form is ababc (first two letters of first word, first three of second word).
meme = medial meniscus memen = medial meniscectomy
ADDENDUM: Again, more expanders now (2002) have visual advisories (Instant Text, Shorthand for Windows, Smartype) and you can use this more powerful method:
meme = medial meniscus
memeb = membrane
memec = memorize
memed = methyl methacrylate
memee = medial meniscectomy
Note that words and phrases can be interspersed and still easily differentiated with brief short forms as they are here.
3c. For plural of a two word phrase use ababs
That is, osabs = osseous abnormalities
4. PHRASE OF 3 OR MORE WORDS: the rule is aaa or aaaa
Four such letters is the standard length for phrases of 4 or more words (even if the phrase has 5, 6 or more words). Add a fifth letter if you need it to differentiate two phrases:
hoo = hospitalizations
or operations
tyvm = thank
you very much
tyvmf = thank
you very much for the opportunity of allowing me to see
iicb = if
I can be of further assistance to you in this matter
RULE FOR PREFIXES:
5. The rule for abbreviating a prefix is: a
a = anti, c = com, con, d = dis,
f = for, h = hyper,hypo, i = inter,intr, intra
n = neuro, s = sub, super, sup,
t = trans
Then construct the word according
to the usual rules:
construction
= cstrn (a abcz)
discussing
= dcusg (a abcz)
ENDINGS:
6. In many cases, the z of abcz already includes the ending. However, since some words (e.g. verbs) take varied endings, it is often convenient to omit the last letter (z) which we would ordinarily put there:
construct = cstr (rather than cstrt) dissolve = dsol
Then add endings as you desire: cstrs = constructs
cstrd = constructed cstrg = constructing
This method can also be used with nouns, adjectives, adverbs, etc.:
cstrn or cstrj
or cstrz = construction
larr = larger
lart = largest
trey or trel
= tremendously
SPECIAL CATEGORIES:
Additional suggestions for forming abbreviation for different categories of words. (Note: Some expanders do not allow beginning a short form with a number.)
7a. Abbreviations containing periods. Begin with a number such as 6.
For example: 6rn = R.N. 6bid= b.i.d.
7b. Addresses: Begin addresses with a number such as 7. One form of address is this form using the abab rule:
7abab = 7 ab (of last name) ab (of first name)
e.g. 7thhe
gives:
Henry Thorne,
M.D.
2000 Summit
Street, Suite 200
Oakland, California
94609
Note: the ab from the last name is placed first so the list in the lexicon will be alphabetical by last name for easy reference.
7c. Medications: Begin with a number such as 8. E.g. 8code = Codeine
7d. Signs and maneuvers Begin with a number such as 9. E.g. 9treg = Trendelenburg
SPECIAL FEATURES:
8a. Expansion of abbreviations:
use x
E.g., Magnetic Resonance Imaging
= mrix
8b. Written out numbers: cj8 =
eight, cj21 = twenty-one
oj1= first, oj2= second, oj22=
twenty-second
Where c stands for cardinal, o for ordinal and j is a null. Mainly useful for longer numbers.
8c. Geographical names: For place names of one word use the form abx. For place names of two words, aax
That is, Emeryville = emx San Francisco = sfx
8d. Special characters: You may prefer to use a trigger letter (k and f in these examples) for commonly typed words by category:
Category: family: Form: f*
e.g. fb = brother fs = sister
Category: anatomy: Form: abk
e.g. fok = forearm brk = brachioradialis
9. When you use a word or phrase very frequently, the regular abbreviation can be shortened:
approximately
= appy = ay
subsequently
= sseqy = sqy
consultation
= csuln = cn
however =
howr = ho
All these forms are found in the commercial ABCZ files.
ABCZ Typing Abbreviation System © 1989-2010 by Jon Knowles.