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Subject:Re: Question: Comma Before Company Abbreviation? From:"Dick Margulis " <margulis -at- mail -dot- fiam -dot- net> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Tue, 5 Feb 2002 16:22:52 -0500
Syed,
This is NOT a matter of style. It is a LEGAL matter. Each corporation is registered with the Secretary of State in the state where it is incorporated. The name of the company MUST follow the EXACT form on the incorporation papers. If there is a comma, use a comma. If there is no comma, then you would be wrong to insert one. If Inc. is abbreviated, abbreviate it. If it is spelled out, then you would be wrong to abbreviate it.
One usage note, and one only: If there is a comma before the "Inc." or "Incorporated" (as the case may be), and if the company name is in the interior of a clause, then you should also place a comma after the "Inc." or "Incorporated." For example:
"ABC, Inc., was founded in 1942."
NOT:
"ABC, Inc. was founded in 1942."
HTH,
Dick
Syed Ahmed wrote:
>I've been looking back at older copies of our guides and training manuals
>that were distributed to customers (before I got here), and found an
>inconsistency on the copyright page that has caused an argument.
>
>My question: Does a comma precede an abbreviation of the company type? And
>does the full spelling/abbreviation make a difference?
>
>For example, is it
>
>- GreatCompany, Inc.
>or
>- GreatCompany Inc.
>or
>- GreatCompany Incorporated
>or
>- GreatCompany, Incorporated
>
>The issue stems from the fact that we've used both in the past, and I have
>always seen it used as in the first example above.
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