To "the" or not to "the": the curious case of the definite article

Do you know the difference between an initialism, and an acronym? If you do, then you might have no trouble deciding if you should place the word "the" before UK or KFC or NASDAQ. But if you're like me (and not saying this is right), your first instinct is to go with what sounds better. But it's important to understand the rules. I learned this the other day at work.

I wanted to send an email to a coworker to ask her opinion on whether we should place "the" in front of our unit's abbreviation, let's call it "OI." Having seen it with and without, I wanted to make a definitive choice. She's a senior member, so I figured she should weigh in. But as I began to draft the email, it occurred to me that I should first search around (Google) to see what other thoughts were out there. [Note: Even though I have access to style manuals galore, I enjoy online resources because they're quicker and oftentimes have an interface that allows visitors to leave "wow, thank yous" and "I beg to differs."] Five minutes later, I had my answer, and was reminded that the learning process never ends, especially if you call yourself an editor. And that my sounds better technique had been leading me astray.

Here's what I learned, and what I want to share with you:

1. Had I drafted the email to my coworker, I would have been correct to refer to "OI" as an initialism, because it cannot be pronounced as a word like "NAFTA," an acronym, can.

2. You should use "the" if the spelled-out name begins with "the" but is not used in the initialism. Example: the People's Republic of China (PRC). The PRC honored the visiting dignitaries.

3. When "the" is not a part of the spelled-out name, then you should not place it before the name's initialism.
Example: Chicago Public Schools. All CPS students are excused from classes this week.

4. Do not place "the" before an acronym. Remember, acryonyms are abbreviations that can be pronounced as words, like "NASCAR" and "NATO."
Example: My brother is a huge fan of NASCAR races.


So, in the end, I answered my own question. I work in the OI.