Grammar Help

[bednobs]

i am wring an email.  i'm using a contraction that is 'sab' and that refers to an actual thing.  I would normally write an SAB.  However, between me and the person I'm sending the email to, we refer to it as a word (SAB) not 'ess ay bee'.  Do I write an sab or a Sab?

[barry1010]

Unless it starts with a capital letter then 'sab' is correct.

[Buenchico]

Write it as you'd say it which, from what you've written, would appear to be "a sab".

[bookbinder]

"A sab". Grammatically speaking, you would say "I'm sending you a sab." Not: an sab.

[Buenchico]

Barry:
As I read it, the question is about the choice of indefinite article ('a' or 'an') which precedes 'sab' in the sentence.

[bednobs]

correct chris.  to other people i might say 'ess ay bee' but to this particular person i would say the word Sab

[jno]

whatever the recipient will recognise. Whether it has a capital letter I don't know but if it helps the recipient know what you're "saying", go for it. Everyone's entitled to their own private language; the Oxford Dictionary detector vans can't pick it up.

[Prudie]

I'd put SAB in capitals, I assume it stands for something. We have very similar at work except it's SAP. We write it SAP but say it usually as ess ay pee (although a few say the word sap).

[bednobs]

it's probably a variation on what you term as SAP prudie - we work in the same industry i believe.

[10ClarionSt]

I'm lost with this OP. What's a SAB? I know what an SOB is! Maybe that says it all! A contraction that is "sab" and refers to an actual thing??! Is that legal speak, from some T's & C's?

[Redhelen72]

I would out it in capitals SAB

[Redhelen72]

I wonder if its is the same as a SOP?

[bhg481]

SAB for me.

[jno]

helen, I'd say if you pronounce it as "sab" to rhyme with slab then at most you'd write it as Sab - the way you capitalise all of BBC because it's always spelt out letter by letter, but just the first letter of Nato because it's pronounced as a word.

If bednobs is producing some sort of official document for someone she doesn't know, a formal "SAB" might be best; but it sounds as if she's writing to a friend or colleague, in which case just write it as it sounds. Writing only exists to record speech, and the only requirement is that the recipient of the email understands it.

[barry1010]

If sab is a shortened word such as 'sabbatical' then 'a sab' would be correct.  If it is the initials of a corporation or organisation such as 'Sports Advisory Board' then 'an SAB' would be the correct option.  'He has requested a sab.. '  and 'An SAB rule is .....'