Use of English

NEMO

Neutrino Ettore Majorana Observatory

Spell out in first use then use acronym for the CERN Courier

Not to be confused with: Neutrino Mediterranean Observatory (NEMO)

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abbreviations, acronyms, Courier

NEMO

Neutrino Mediterranean Observatory

Spell out in first use then use acronym for the CERN Courier

Not to be confused with: Neutrino Ettore Majorana Observatory (NEMO)

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abbreviations, acronyms, Courier

neutrino

Plural: neutrinos.

A neutral subatomic particle with a mass close to zero and half-integral spin, which rarely reacts with normal matter. Three kinds of neutrinos are known, associated with the electron, muon, and tau particles.

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physics

neutron

A subatomic particle of about the same mass as a proton but without an electric charge, present in all atomic nuclei except those of ordinary hydrogen.

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physics

nevertheless

translation

next generation (pred.); next-generation (adj.)

translation

night-time

translation

Nikhef

Nationaal instituut voor subatomaire fysica (National Institute for Subatomic Physics), the Netherlands

Acronym doesn’t need spelling out for the CERN Courier (and, indeed, relates to a now obsolete name)

Note: capital N, the rest of the letters lower case

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abbreviations, acronyms, Courier, translation

no one

not "no-one"

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translation

No.

i.e. number; not "n°"

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translation

Nobel prize

Capitals for specific titles: Nobel Prize in Physics, Nobel Prize in Literature, Nobel Peace Prize, etc.

But: "She won a Nobel prize".

Nobel laureate

See nobelprize.org for detailed information about Nobel laureates, including biographies and full transcriptions of their acceptance speeches. 

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Courier, style, translation

non

The prefix "non" usually takes a hyphen.

non-linear

non-baryonic

non-Abelian

non-existent

non-governmental

BUT noncommittal

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Courier, translation

Non-discriminatory language

In the preamble to its Staff Rules and Regulations [CERN NICE Login required], CERN reaffirms equality of treatment between people as one of the basic principles of its personnel policy and does not discriminate between members of its personnel, in particular on account of race, religion, sex or sexual orientation. Authors of CERN texts must take care to avoid any discriminatory language that could cause offence, exclude certain groups of people or reinforce stereotypes.

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style

non-Member State

use hyphen

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translation

none

It is a (persistent) myth that "none" has to take a singular verb: plural is acceptable and often sounds more natural, e.g. "none of the current squad are good enough to play in the Premiership", "none of the issues have been resolved"

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grammar

nonetheless

translation

nonzero

no hyphen, not non-zero

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Courier

north-east(ern)

use hyphen

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translation

north-west(ern)

use hyphen

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translation

note verbale

no italics

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translation

NSF

National Science Foundation (US)

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abbreviations, acronyms, translation

nucleon

A proton or neutron.

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physics

nucleon–nucleon

use ndash

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Courier

numbers

Numbers

When applied to countable objects, spell out numbers below 10:

  • There are four large detectors at the LHC.
  • The LHC construction project had three phases.

For 10 and above, use digits. Numbers up to 9999 do not take a comma or a space. Numbers with five digits take a non-breaking space every three digits. So it’s:

One, nine, 10, 100, 1001 and 9999, but 10 000 or 564 381 or 1 057 983.

Try to avoid putting numbers at the start of a sentence, but if it’s unavoidable, spell them out.

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style

NuPAC

Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics at CERN

Spell out in first use then use acronym for the CERN Courier

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abbreviations, acronyms, Courier

NuPECC

Nuclear Physics European Collaboration Committee (an Expert Committee of the European Science Foundation)

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abbreviations, acronyms, translation

NuSTORM

Neutrinos from STORed Muons (Fermilab project)

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abbreviations, acronyms, translation

n_TOF

neutron Time-Of-Flight facility

Spell out in first use then use acronym for the CERN Courier

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abbreviations, acronyms, Courier, translation

obituary

The headline should be in the format NAME (Birthyear - Deathyear)

Joe Bloggs (1933 - 2008)

The strapline should contain a description of the person based on highlights from their career:

Theorist who revolutionised random-sets algebra and paved the way for supersymmetric theories of time

The obituary should be respectful and measured. Do not be defamatory, but equally do not exaggerate the person's contribution. Avoid superlatives.

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style

occur, occurring, occurred, occurrence

translation

offline

translation

offset

translation

offshore

translation

OK

Not "okay"

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style

old age (noun); old-age (adj.)

translation

Ombud

Capital "O" for CERN's Ombud.

Not "Ombuds", "Ombudsman" or even "Ombudsperson".

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style, translation

omnidirectional

translation

on board (pred.); on-board (adj.)

translation

on site (pred.); on-site (adj.)

translation

ongoing

no hyphen, not "on-going"

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Courier, translation

online

no hyphen, not "on-line"

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Courier, spelling, translation

only

"only" comes after the verb, i.e. ‘not only provided’ should be ‘provided not only’

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Courier

Open Days

Capital "O", capital "D".

Over 70 000 people visited CERN during the Open Days event this year. 

 

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style

openlab

CERN openlab has a lower case "o". See their website

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style, translation

OPERA

Oscillation Project with Emulsion tRacking Apparatus

Spell out in first use then use acronym for the CERN Courier

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abbreviations, acronyms, Courier

optical fibre (noun)

translation

organisation, organise

With an "s". 

Except when referring to CERN – "The Organization" – which takes a "z" and an upper case "O". (This is because the name was spelled with a "z" in the CERN convention, so the "z" is part of the official name).

Remember, follow British English for spelling.

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style, translation

OSG

Open Science Grid

Spell out in first use then use acronym for the CERN Courier

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abbreviations, acronyms, Courier

OSQAR

Optical Search for QED Vacuum Bifringence, Axions and Photon Regeneration (experiment at CERN)

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abbreviations, acronyms, translation

out of date (pred.); out-of-date (adj.)

translation

Pages

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