I.E., vs. E.G.
Since a lot of things of the English language is borrowed from other languages, there are many elements present which can create a sense of confusion within this language. Two such things are the abbreviations “i.e.” and “e.g.” and the difference between the two. You have to remember that they are not interchangeable; each has its own distinctive meaning and usage. The abbreviation “i.e.,” stands for “id est”, which is Latin for “that is.” On the other hand, the abbreviation “e.g.,” stands for the Latin phrase “exempli gratia”, meaning “for example.”
But most people often get confused in using the two and that’s why in this post, I will attempt to resolve all the confusion.
Let’s get started.
i.e., e.g.,
The term i.e., is a shortening of the Latin expression “id est”, which means “that is.” The abbreviation “e.g.,” stands for the Latin phrase “exempli gratia”, meaning “for example.”
E.g., The standard rate; i.e., 14% interest is same for example. E.g., I want to have some fast food; e.g., pizza, burger and French fries.
Let’s look at an example to understand the different approach of these two.
Like, if we say that,
Every customer will receive the standard discount; i.e., 20 percent.
Since i.e., means “that is”, the store manager is using this term.
But since it is referring to the standard discount and not a discount given as an example. This is why e.g., is not used.
What’s the Difference between I.E., and E.G.?
As mentioned before, the term i.e., is a shortening of the Latin expression “id est”, which means “that is.” But we can also use it to introduce a rephrasing or elaboration of something that has already been stated.
On the other hand, you have e.g., which is also a Latin expression “exempli gratia”, meaning “for the sake of example” or as we know it, “for example.” We mostly use it to introduce examples of something that has already been mentioned.
Some Examples:
“Doctor asked me to have citrus fruits, i.e., the juicy, edible fruits which features aromatic rinds.”
In this example, i.e., gives us an elaboration on citrus fruits.
“It is healthy to have some citrus fruits every day, e.g., tangerines, lemons, and limes.”
Here, e.g., gives us some examples of citrus fruits.
How do You Correctly Use i.e., and e.g.?
A fairly easy way to remember the difference between these two abbreviations is by applying a very simple rule to keep them in mind. All you need to do is think of the “I” at the beginning of i.e., as the first word in the phrase “in other words.”
It will mean that the clause that will aim to rephrase or explain the first part of the sentence.
E.g., is very easy as you need to think that e stands for exempli meaning “example.”
Please bear in mind that during formal writing, e.g., and i.e., are mostly used in parentheses and always followed by a comma. But if it is not so formal writing, then you can place a comma before and after these terms.
Conclusion:
So, there you have it. The difference between “i.e.,” and “e.g.,”. Let us know if you have any other problems.
More Articles:
