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Lv 7

Another question about English...?

Why do people use ECT when trying to abbreviate "etcetera"

The abbreviation is ETC but about 99% get it wrong.

I was taught this sort of thing at school; do they not cover these simple facts these days?

10 Answers

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  • 8 years ago
    Favourite answer

    Alas! People's English is going to the dogs thanks to auto-correct and spell-checks on computers and a general decline on the emphasis on language arts in school on all levels.

    ECT for ETC is only one of countless common errors because yes, these things are no longer covered. Be glad you had good schooling in English

  • ?
    Lv 6
    8 years ago

    Unless it was a serious typo I can't recall ever using ect... only etc... its bad enough that people don't know how to spell now a days but now people don't even know how to properly abbreviate words correctly... what is this world coming to?

  • Stu
    Lv 7
    6 years ago

    I agree with Rhona, Short of a typo , I have not seen your concern to be a prominent problem.

    I would add pertaining to your concern about "correctness" that in your own read, you neglected to properly put a period (. after ETC) ! To be "correct" as it IS a contraction ; it SHOULD BE written as ETC, !

    Just saying...HA !!

  • You can't blame one's "bad English" on the use of a French phrase. Perhaps we ought to stick to our own devices then we wouldn't face this dilemma.

  • 8 years ago

    Probably they have

    Electro-

    Chemico-

    Treatment

    in mind when spelling it

    ( a common Freudian slip?)

  • Anonymous
    8 years ago

    I've never seen anyone write ECT!!!

  • Andrew
    Lv 6
    8 years ago

    Haven't you got more important things to worry about?

  • 7 years ago

    Looks like there is no "thank you" or "please" in your question. I sense contradictions and hypocrisy.... Hmmm, interesting.

  • Anonymous
    8 years ago

    Ignorance I guess ....

    Source(s): J...
  • Anonymous
    7 years ago

    etc

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