Periods after abbreviations

[Baker, John]

        Well, my OED says:  "The contracted pronunciation, which in other applications of the word has never been more than a vulgarism (see Missis), became, for the prefixed title, first a permitted colloquial license, and ultimately the only allowable pronunciation.  When this stage was reached, Mrs. (with the contracted pronunciation) became a distinct word from Mistress."

John Baker


-----Original Message-----
From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU]On Behalf
Of Jesse Sheidlower
Sent: Tuesday, June 29, 2004 8:57 AM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Re: Periods after abbreviations


"Mrs" isn't an abbreviation? Could have fooled me. I trusted
my trusty OED when it told me that it's shortened from
"mistress".