I hate “etc.,” “i.e.,” and “e.g.” You should, too. Here’s how to fix them.

I hate “etc.,” “i.e.,” and “e.g.” You should, too. Here’s how to fix them.

The wonderful thing about editing is that every day you discover a new pet peeve. My latest are the Latin-derived etc., i.e., and e.g. They annoy readers, they’re lazy, and you don’t need them. What they all have in common is that, since they’re Latin, they’re supposed to make the writer sound more sophisticated, but…