Question on style; I can't find it in the AP Sports Guide

[MilanWall]

Is it an RBI single, or a RBI single? Or does it even matter?

 

[micropolitan guy]

I would say an RBI single because that's conversational English. It rolls off the tongue much easier than a RBI single.

I know that since RBI means run(s) batted in you wouldn't say "an runs batted in single" but someimes (I think) you have to say WTF to the rules of grammer and just write what sounds right and what is generally accepted as being the correct style.

 

[MilanWall]

That's what I always thought, too. Since RBI is pronounced "ahr bee eye" and starts with a vowel sound, then it should have "an" before it.

 

[chazp]

There's also a black sports style book, forgot what it is called, it may be in there. I have seen it as both "a RBI single," and "an RBI single." I've also seen it, "a RBI-single," and "an RBI-single."

 

[SuperflySnuka]

an Eh Neh Fell player...A Double-you En Be Ay player...an Ahr Be Eye...

AN AN AN AN AN

 

[Mighty_Wingman]

No doubt.

This same topic came up on the writer's workshop, where I posed this question:

"An 0-for-12 slump?"

 

[SF_Express]

an

 

[Chi City 81]

an

 

[fishwrapper]

So, it is:
"an round tripper?"

 

[LazyReporter]

Eliminate the problem altogether and use "A run-scoring single."

 

[Mighty_Wingman]

an

an

It's a real pleasure to see such unanimity on SportsJournalists.com.

 

[ADifferentOkie]

No doubt.

This same topic came up on the writer's workshop, where I posed this question:

"An 0-for-12 slump?"

But isn't that because you're reading 0 as "oh," when in actuality it's "zero." In that case, it's clearly, "a (zero)-for-12 slump."

 

[hpdrifter]

There's also a black sports style book, forgot what it is called, it may be in there. I have seen it as both "a RBI single," and "an RBI single." I've also seen it, "a RBI-single," and "an RBI-single."

Why's it got to be racial on here?

 

[SF_Express]

But isn't that because you're reading 0 as "oh," when in actuality it's "zero." In that case, it's clearly, "a (zero)-for-12 slump."

Don't agree. It usage, it's pronounced "oh."

 

[Left_Coast]

It's conversational. It's how people would expect to read it because they're intuned to say "Oh-for-12." Plus, it's an "oh-fer" not a "zero-fer."

 

[shotglass]

There's also a black sports style book, forgot what it is called, it may be in there. I have seen it as both "a RBI single," and "an RBI single." I've also seen it, "a RBI-single," and "an RBI-single."

I'm much more definite about the last two being wrong than I am about "a" vs. "an."

"RBI-single" ... nope. Favorite pet peeve of a copy editor, right up there with "second-straight victory."

 

[SF_Express]

"RBI-single" ... nope. Favorite pet peeve of a copy editor, right up there with "second-straight victory."

Too much hyphenation is a bane of our biz.

My understanding, finally in my late 40s, that there are few absolutes about hyphenation, and that less is best, has made editing life much easier on that front.

 

[ADifferentOkie]

It's conversational. It's how people would expect to read it because they're intuned to say "Oh-for-12." Plus, it's an "oh-fer" not a "zero-fer."

I agree that's how we pronounce it, but that doesn't make it right.
A lot of people will say "could care less," when it's "couldn't care less." Or they say "try and" instead of "try to." Or "supposeably." Or any number of other things.
I'm not saying I'm necessarily right. I'm just saying I don't think you can look at something written and say, "Well, this is how we would say it, so let's write it that way."

 

[SoCalDude]

RE: hyphenation ... Seems as though half the questions each night on the desk are whether something should be hyphenated. AP is attempting to reduce hyphenations. One of the rules of thumb I use now is, if you can't decided whether it should be hyphenated, then don't hyphenate it.

 

[SF_Express]

It's conversational. It's how people would expect to read it because they're intuned to say "Oh-for-12." Plus, it's an "oh-fer" not a "zero-fer."

I agree that's how we pronounce it, but that doesn't make it right.
A lot of people will say "could care less," when it's "couldn't care less." Or they say "try and" instead of "try to." Or "supposeably." Or any number of other things.
I'm not saying I'm necessarily right. I'm just saying I don't think you can look at something written and say, "Well, this is how we would say it, so let's write it that way."

Except in this case -- and not the others -- "an" seems more correct.