TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Plurals of Compound Terms From:Beverly Parks <bparks -at- HUACHUCA-EMH1 -dot- ARMY -dot- MIL> Date:Thu, 9 Mar 1995 07:28:16 MST
"Arlen P. Walker" <Arlen -dot- P -dot- Walker -at- JCI -dot- COM> said...
(based on this question from someone else)
Would it be CDs-ROM, like attorneys general, as a co-worker
of mine insists?
Or has the acronym (is that right, Jan?) become a word in
its own right, making the plural CD-ROMs?
I'd plump for the latter, for the reason that it's *not* a CD,
it's a CD-ROM.
But then, I'd argue against the first. (yes,
I'd still do "-ys-at-law," but I'd argue that "general" makes
it a different beast than "-at-law.") ;{>}
=========
It is most definitely attorneys general, just as much as it is
commanders in chief, sergeants major, and notaries public.
=*= Beverly Parks =*= bparks -at- huachuca-emh1 -dot- army -dot- mil =*=
=*= "Unless otherwise stated, all comments are my own. =*=
=*= I am not representing my employer in any way." =*=