Who needs copy editors?

The plural of RBI is RBI. They are not Run Batted Ins.

 

Leaving the thread and never coming back. Life's too short.

 

You sure told all the SOB who think otherwise.

Setting aside the eternal stylistic debate, MightyMouse, that's pretty fucked up but not surprising.

 

Incorrect.

You're pluralizing the acronym. Example: What's the plural of POW? POWs. Yes, it's "Prisoners of War," but, again, you're pluralizing the acronym. One RBI; multiple RBIs.

And that's all I'm saying about that.

 

Neither RBI nor RBIs is incorrect as a plural. It's also not incorrect to use the serial comma. Every paper has its own style. Most follow The Associated Press Style Book, which uses RBIs. It's entirely a matter of style and consistency. I have a preference, sure. (I'm a copy editor; we all have preferences on these matters.) But I've been at places that use both styles.

The ass-hat writer on MightyMouse's staff is clearly defying his newspaper's style. Worse, he appears to know he is defying his newspaper's style. He is incorrect and obnoxious and should try getting a job at one of the few newspapers that use RBI as a plural.

 

As a fellow copy desker, I get this a lot, too.

A couple examples: Members of the city council are not "city councilors," and if we know the gender of the person speaking on behalf of an organization, don't use "spokesperson."

And for the record: we go with RBIs.

 

I don't know what's worse -- a writer shrugging off mistakes because it's the desk's job to fix them, or a copy editor who edits mistakes into a story.

 

Huh?

 

I thought you were leaving this thread, damn you!

 

We're RBI/RBI, but I agree that as long as your site/paper gets it the same every time, that's what you're after.

I can buy RBIs as a plural entity -- but that's not our style.

As to MightyMouse's writer, I'm a Polyanna generally, but we'd be having a serious talk headed for some kind of action. Seriously.

Saying, "I like my way better"?

Uh-uh.

 

That's ludacris.