Information about Abbreviations
Due to accessibility requirements and internationalization constraints, Oracle's policy is to avoid abbreviations in Web-based applications. Two exceptions to this rule are:
Spec Version # - 3.1
Spec Contributors - Betsy Beier, Mervyn Dennehy
UI Models - all models
Example Products - all products
Related Guidelines - all
Interaction and Usage Specifications
When use of abbreviations is unavoidable due to space constraints, designers can define the abbreviation using key notation, a tip, or a messaging icon.
Defined abbreviations follow these rules:
- Only abbreviate terms if space is not available for the full term.
- Each abbreviation must be defined above the first instance of the abbreviation in a page or group of related pages.
- Key notation is the preferred method of defining abbreviations, but is limited to four definitions in a single location per page.
- If the page already contains four key notation definitions, or the page is so long that a definition may not be visible when needed, use a tip or a messaging icon to define abbreviations.
- If the term consists of multiple words, abbreviate to a single word, and use key notation for the full term, such as "Yield = Annual Percentage Yield"
- Oracle has approved certain abbreviations and acronyms for use when space for the full term is not available. Refer to the tables below for details.
- The percent symbol "%" can be used without key notation. See Common
Formats: Numeric Information.
- If you have multiple uses of a term, but only some must be abbreviated due to space constraints, fully spell out those with enough space for the full term.
- For math or spreadsheet functions, see Common Formats: Math Operators, Functions, and Symbols.
See the Key Notation specification for more information.
Standard Abbreviations and Acronyms
Oracle Internationalization (I18N) has already developed translations for standard abbreviated terms and acronyms. Even though an acronym may be used across more than one language, it may not be used in Oracle products unless already registered by I18N.
In Oracle HTML apps, these abbreviations and acronyms may only be used when:
- Space is not available for the full term, AND
- When the full term is specified with key notation.
Oracle internal developers can see the full list of standard abbreviations, acronyms, currency codes, and symbols at the following internal sites:
Registered Currency Codes:
Note: Certain non-standard acronyms need to be replaced with different terms that convey the same meaning: For example, instead of expanding "URL" to "Universal Resource Locator", use the terms "Web address" or "Web site".
The Date Picker is implemented with the Java Calendar object, which displays a standard set of abbreviations for months and days of the week in its header row. The Calendar object has been localized into all supported languages. The language displayed is determined by the object's language setting.
See the Date Picker specification for details.
06.21.00 - Jaws screen reader dictionaries can technically be created/modified to read
specified abbreviations correctly. Dictionaries can also be application-specific. These can be delivered
on CD and/or via the Oracle Website. Is this feasible given NLS constraints? Process needs to be
developed (who maintains, who translates, etc.)
24-Dec-2003: Replaced tables of abbreviations and acronyms with links to I18N site.
01.2001 - No more abbreviations can be added.
06.06.00 - ATG and NLS still support Oracle standard abbreviations.
05.16.00 - Abbreviations are permitted in Calendar control, because of built-in localization support.
06.15.00 - Tested abbreviations with Jaws screen reader. Some abbreviated terms read letter by letter (A,P,R), but others read as words (APY reads as APEE). Use of periods as separators is difficult to follow. Latest version of Jaws does not recognize HTML 4 accessibility code (ABBR and ACRONYM tags, element TITLE properties, and Speak: spell-out Style tag)