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How to pronounce "vs."

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by inthesuburbs, Oct 11, 2008.

  1. Joe Williams

    Joe Williams Well-Known Member

    I'm no lawyer and I don't play one on TV. But I do watch some of them on TV. Don't they always shorten the pronunciation of "vs." to "vee?" As in "Roe vee Wade?"

    If that's not only acceptable but proper and lawyerly, then I can't blame the "kids" for going with "verse." Hmmm... actually, I can. They should have shortened theirs to "vee" way ahead of the shysters, if coolness really mattered.
     
  2. sg86

    sg86 Member

    Well the thing is, when you're referring to the court cases, it's just "v."

    There's no "s" hence the "vee" pronunciation.
     
  3. Point of Order

    Point of Order Active Member

    What he said. And I resemble that shyster remark.
     
  4. Football_Bat

    Football_Bat Well-Known Member

    We avoid "vs." unless it's at a neutral site. "Hooterville at Pixley," etc.
     
  5. Sly

    Sly Active Member

    I'm hoping that he told you where to shove it.

    As nicely as he could, of course.

    Talk about picking nits.

    (And yes, I'm a person who uses verse when talking.)
     
  6. Joe Williams

    Joe Williams Well-Known Member

    But doesn't the "v." stand for "versus" anyway? If so, and that's the excuse for the pronunciation of "vee," then the abbreviation of "vs." would rightly be pronounced "vssss." Or is "v." the abbreviation for something altogether different, like the difference between "Mr." and "Mrs."?

    Come to think of it, maybe the "kids" who say "verse" are simply trying to be gender neutral, in a "Ms." sort of way.

    Oh, and Point of Order, I stand corrected. Henceforth, forthwith and moreover, I'll refer to the shysters as "mouthpieces" instead. OK?
     
  7. shotglass

    shotglass Guest

    Joe, the "v." is indeed the same as "vs." -- except that it's the official and unique designation for court cases. Like Roe v. Wade. And the legal community refers to the case with the pronunciation "ROE V WADE."

    "v." isn't correctly used in any instance except that.

    So, "v." is a separate entity. "Vs." is an abbreviation for "versus." "v." is too, but it's different. The same ... but different.

    I shall now turn wine into mud.
     
  8. dooley_womack1

    dooley_womack1 Well-Known Member

    Versus. Anything else simmers in fail. Luckily, I've never heard anyone pronounce it "verse." Eek!
     
  9. Joe Williams

    Joe Williams Well-Known Member

    That reads like what I imagine the first day, first year, of law school must be like.

    Profession even invents its own abbreviations, just to add to impenetrability. Speak-a de English, youse guys, and maybe we would'n need ya.
     
  10. shotglass

    shotglass Guest

    I knew I picked the wrong major.
     
  11. Point of Order

    Point of Order Active Member

    I prefer "defender of liberty and justice", but each to his own.
     
  12. trifectarich

    trifectarich Well-Known Member

    It's common in legal journals to use v. instead of vs.: Me v. You.

    But if you're not a judge, have a law degree or work in the D.A.'s office, you probably ought to shy away from this usage.
     
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