Not necessarily. We have Nazis here in Japan as well, but their acronym is NSJAP, so maybe just NSGP (Nationalsozialistische Grammatikerpartei - National Socialist Grammarian Party)? Anyway, it's best to avoid calling people nazis for a reason.

Disclaimer: Despite having linked to a Nazi website, I am vehemently opposed to the ideology espoused by any Nazi organization, or any organization whose ideology espouses exclusion and/or oppression based on uncontrollable and superficial characteristics such as race, ethnic or national origin, sex, sexual orientation, and so on. I just wanted to make that absolutely clear. Oh, and there has never been, is none currently, and never will be any nazi party that is in any way even remotely socialist - they just use the word (actual socialism is by definition not nationalist, authoritarian, or exclusionary in nature).

 

Do you want the full "etcetera" written out? I don't think I've ever noticed this.

 

It'd be preferred, yeah. The abbreviation just doesn't make sense in dialogue, and it's always bugged me to see it used there.

 

It would seem that the very use itself of "et cetera" or "etc." in the first place.

It's considered bad form in academic writing to use "et cetera" because it assumes that the audience understands what "the rest" is.

In creative writing, it is absolutely unacceptable outside of its use in dialogue. Personally, I have yet to see it used in fanfiction, but then again, I limit myself to mostly quality fanfiction.

How would you react to a line like this:

Harry dropped into his bed, tired from a night's study, spell practice, et cetera, and he simply wanted to sleep.
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It would just show a complete lack of creativity.

Related to this is a pet peeve of mine: Latin, and other foreign words (that aren't abbreviated) are traditionally supposed to be italicized in plain text (in 1), or left un-italicized in a block of italicized text (in 2). Example:

1. The use of foreign words is considered apropos.
2. The use of foreign words is considered apropos.

This includes words like et cetera.

And this brings us to another pet peeve: when people write "ect." instead of the proper abbreviation, "etc."

 

It stems from the fact most people don't probably know how to spell "et cetera" (or even know it's two words, or even that it's latin). Etc. belongs in dialogue only, as stated.

It irritates me when people use DOLLARS in dialogue where Harry is in Britain, Japan, etc. if you don't know how to spell the currency (or don't know it) use 'money' (though I find the former inexcusable, the internet is availible everywhere guys).

I rage when I see "Que" (accent on e = what in spanish) or "Cue" (action to be carried out @ specific time) when the writer means "queue" (depends on use, but deals with time, position, and lines/waits). Yes, I don't know why there's an extra ue at the end, but that's how it's spelled.

 

Some of us actually say etc. in conversations. Don't knock it.

EDIT: "queue"

I always wondered about this one.

Also, the perfect link for this thread
.
http://phrontistery.info/ihlstart.html

It does not get any worse than this, period.

 

You pronounce the abbreviation? Or do you say "et cetera"? I imagine that saying "etuhkuh" would be rather odd and cumbersome.

Anyway, using it in conversation and subsequently in dialogue in writing is fine. Using it in the body of the text (ouside dialogue) is considered bad form.

 

Obviously it's a problem when used outside of dialogue. The original complainant was concerned with using the abbreviated 'etc.' within dialogue.

As for it being two words, it's acceptable to spell it either way. Many dictionaries use the one word spelling.

http://www.answers.com/etcetera
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Et_cetera

 

French word, my lovelies!