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Archiver > PAF-5-USERS > 2003-09 > 1063417749


From: "Gary Templeman" <>
Subject: Re: [PAF-5] Another consideration
Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2003 18:49:09 -0700
References: <IJEIKFMIIHDKKBFPGGGICEICCAAA.rhaldy@comcast.net>


I looked for a long time for my Great Grandfathers birth in Missouri (MO).
Turns out he was born in Massachusetts (MA). That is what I got for
believing the handwritten piece of paper I had.

Gary Templeman
----- Original Message -----
From: "Richard L. Halliday" <>
To: <>
Sent: Friday, September 12, 2003 5:30 PM
Subject: RE: [PAF-5] Another consideration


> All;
>
> Another problem that I (actually all of us) have with abbreviations is the
> lack of redundancy. The postal abbreviations for the states in the US are
> an example of the worst possible. When a state name is fully spelled out
an
> error of one or two letters is usually east to correct. This is the
reason
> that when I was in elementary school (the 1930s) we were taught to
> abbreviate California as "Calif" and Colorado as "Colo". When the shorter
> forms (i.e., Ca and Co) are used it is very easy to confuse them,
especially
> when written in cursive.
>
> Richard H.
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Thomas Glassel [mailto:]
> Sent: Thursday, September 11, 2003 12:23 PM
> To:
> Subject: [PAF-5] Another consideration
>
>
> Great perspectives, learning from other countries should help us
> improve. Genealogists have to be practical, and have to consider other
> countries, languages and abbreviations. English shouldn't be considered
> the only language and standard.
> In 1983-84, we hosted a great foreign student from Brazil. She noticed
> that we in Wisconsin would say we were Americans, and refer to our
> country as America. She felt very strongly that "America" referred to
> both North and South America, and said that Brazilians, like many South
> Americans, saw themselves as Americans too.
>
> So my concern is, to solve the problems with South Africa and other
> designations, please don't recommend that PAF users use "America" as an
> improvement over "United States" or "USA." That would be confusing to
> many, abbreviated or not.
>
> For some genealogical purposes, especially space-saving, there must be
> abbreviations. In the future, a 4-digit letter scheme may be more
> accurate and agreeable to people in more countries. The set of
> abbreviations just needs to be standardized, acceptable to as many
> cultures as possible, and as similar to the originating country name as
> possible, so that beginners can readily puzzle it out and memorize it.
> Does anyone know if any of the national or international genealogical
> societies is studying this particular issue?
>
> Barb G.
>
>
>
>
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