Question of the day
Monday, Feb 25, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Finke with tongue firmly in cheek…
As some of you may be aware, there’s been a minor tempest floating around the state’s news media on the proper spelling of the governor’s initials. What’s in an initial, right?
But it has to do with the question of do you use periods (J.B.) or not (JB). Pritzker prefers his initials appear without periods. However, many publications, including this one, have a style policy that says use periods. And the administration doesn’t get to dictate all media policy.
The crisis stemmed from the ceremony Pritzker had last week to sign into law the hike in the minimum wage. Lots of people attend these ceremonies, including the one for the minimum wage. Most of them expect to walk away with a souvenir pen that was used to sign a portion of the governor’s name. The more people who want pens, the tinier the part of the signature the pen is part of.
Pritzker felt the stress of making everyone happy and apparently rued his choice of spelling.
“Now is when the periods would have come in handy,” he said.
* The Question: J.B. or JB? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please…
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- Chicago Cynic - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 3:01 pm:
Periods are for losers. If you have to ask for periods you can’t afford them. Real men go punctuation free.
- City Zen - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 3:03 pm:
It’s a metric, metric world.
- Wensicia - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 3:04 pm:
It’s his name. If he prefers JB, so be it.
- curtis - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 3:04 pm:
Agency says go by JB.
Official documents say JB.
It’s JB.
- Goner - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 3:05 pm:
J.B.
If for no other reason than to spite the focus group/poll-tested b.s. that led to this softened, sanitized, period-less presentation.
Don’t deny us our punctuation.
- lake county democrat - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 3:05 pm:
I think Democrats more likely to dispense with formalities/tradition (though they’ll take my oxford comma from my cold keyboard-hovering fingers).
- State Employee 2 - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 3:07 pm:
His name, his rules
- Rabid - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 3:07 pm:
JB is his nickname or alias. J.R. is his legal name
- Tommydanger - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 3:08 pm:
Voted for plain old JB. Giving a reporter the opportunity to have two additional spaces for their stories by eliminating the periods will allow them more opportunity for content in their stories.
- DuPage Saint - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 3:08 pm:
JB but for bill signings: Jayyy Beeee
- 47th Ward - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 3:08 pm:
I agree with Cynic but that brings up another question if you believe in punctuation should there be no space one space or two spaces after the period this question comes up a lot these days since many younger folks weren’t taught typing but we were all supposedly taught proper english and punctuation for some reason was an important part of the curriculum but i am left wondering if punctuation really matters anymore.
- Notorious RBG - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 3:08 pm:
The B is actually an R, so I think we can do away with the formality.
- Name/Nickname/Anon - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 3:10 pm:
Yes, the motive is clear. J.B. is a more distinguished, but also invokes a robber baron like image. JB is folksier. Being a billionaire, my vote is for J.B. Call a spade a spade.
What does M.K. go by? As a side note, I’ve never heard anyone in my life go by M.K.
- A State Employee Guy - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 3:13 pm:
May I propose a third option:
JB!
In the vein of Jeb!
- Concerned Dem - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 3:16 pm:
As long as he continues to pronounce the letter g I’m fine with whatever he wants.
- Not It - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 3:19 pm:
gotta use AP style.
- Hercules Perriod - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 3:22 pm:
=== What does M.K. go by? As a side note, I’ve never heard anyone in my life go by M.K. ===
Well, we were officially told that she goes by “M.K.”, but if you look at her name in the official copy of the governor’s address, there are no periods.
There is no famed “MK” that I am aware of offhand, but as everyone knows Peter Parker’s true love went by “MJ” and Stan Lee used no periods.
Wakanda Forever.
- QuickDraw - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 3:23 pm:
Who cares? Honestly. I’d rather have more info about his fuzzy math than poor grammar.
- Lt Guv - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 3:24 pm:
I’m usually a punctuation stickler, but voted for no periods. In this context, it’s just cleaner and the period adds no addition information for the reader.
- OurMagician - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 3:25 pm:
Since his name is Jay Robert and Jay Bob (or is it?), it would JB.
- Hercules Perriod - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 3:25 pm:
=== gotta use AP style.===
You mean “A.P. style,” right?
Stan Lee trumps AP, sorry.
- Bigtwich - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 3:28 pm:
When I worked at a radio station, many years ago, the pronunciation guide said to defer to locals for pronunciation of the name of their community . I think the rule applies to individuals also.
- Unpopular - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 3:32 pm:
Jail. Bird.
- Scamp640 - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 3:32 pm:
I voted JB. His name has morphed into a single identifier like Cher or Beyonce. No last name or punctuation needed.
- Grandson of Man - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 3:33 pm:
JB. I’m tired of archaic over-punctuation, like is seen in the New York Times and elsewhere.
- Anonymous - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 3:34 pm:
What Notorious said. Since the “B” is for “Robert,” it isn’t an abbreviation and it doesn’t actually stand for his name, there’s a strong argument for saying that his “name” is “JB” and not “J. B.”
Also, that’s how he wants it, and it’s not worth arguing over.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 3:36 pm:
===You mean “A.P. style,” right?===
Zing!
- Demoralized - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 3:37 pm:
JB - it’s his name and he can say no initials if he wants
- Chris Kaergard - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 3:38 pm:
At our paper, we opted for then-candidate JB Pritzker’s stated preference — bolstered by the fact that the “B” is not an abbreviation for anything.
If we can accept stated preference from companies — with the random capitalizations of iPad or UnityPoint Health or OSF HealthCare — we can darn sure accept them from people.
- Reality Check - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 3:39 pm:
Um, are publications seriously deciding they, not the individual in question, get to decide how to spell someone’s name?
That’s ridiculous.
- don the legend - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 3:39 pm:
47th ward well played in my estimation you really nailed it and I think JB would approve
- I Miss Bentohs - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 3:40 pm:
less is always more; more or less
- RNUG - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 3:41 pm:
JB is easier to type on my phone
- Rich Miller - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 3:42 pm:
===the “B” is not an abbreviation for anything===
Bob.
- I Miss Bentohs - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 3:43 pm:
And he should sign in print. That’s right. I am anti-dots AND anti-cursive.
- RNUG - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 3:44 pm:
== should there be no space one space or two spaces after the period ==
I still enforce the 2 space rule in the newsletter I edit and publish.
- OneMan - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 3:49 pm:
The state will save money on toner and ink without the .
- Hercules Perriod - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 3:49 pm:
Thanks Rich.
I welcome a response from the Asso. Press.
- Amalia - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 3:55 pm:
not wanting to waste time….or computer space….on it. so no punctuation.
- Anonish - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 4:11 pm:
JB, it is what my yard sign had.
- Waffle Fries - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 4:11 pm:
I voted JB because I don’t care.
- Chuck - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 4:13 pm:
BS?
- Anonymous - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 4:25 pm:
“I am anti-dots AND anti-cursive.”
Here you have to be anti-cursive or you will get banned.
- Wylie Coyote - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 4:37 pm:
What is he? A cartoon character?
- Christopher - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 4:43 pm:
This afternoon, i passed by a hotel on West Adams St. in the Chicago Loop and noted the awning read, “JW [ no periods ] Marriott”
- Pot calling kettle - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 4:43 pm:
We might refer to a similar issue regarding President Truman’s middle initial.
From the Harry S. Truman Library website: https://www.trumanlibrary.org/speriod.htm
- Henry Francis - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 4:58 pm:
I think he should distance himself from this J.B JB controversy and just go by “Donald Trump’s Friend”.
- Leslie K - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 5:04 pm:
I voted J.B. because I was once a copyeditor and abbreviations are abbreviations. But commenters have convinced me to change my mind. JB looks better, is what he wants, and Bob is a nickname anyway.
- The Most Anonymous - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 5:05 pm:
In order:
Anything Doug Finke says > Jay Bob > J.B. (cuz AP Style) > JB (aesthetically pleasing)
- dbk - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 5:22 pm:
An individual’s own preferences re: their name trump (oops) house style, that’s a pretty solid rule.
Therefore, JB (forever).
- 32nd Ward Roscoe Village - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 5:30 pm:
The Oscar winner for Best Documentary Short Subject last night was called “Period. End of Sentence.” No joke.
- Ok - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 5:31 pm:
N.F.L.
D.C.E.O.
U. Of I. S.
S.J.R.
- DuPage Saint - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 5:52 pm:
And was Harry S Truman not Harry S. Truman
- West Sider - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 6:20 pm:
Some earlier got close. As a matter of editorial style, as the Governor’s given name is Jay Robert Pritzker, if he used “JR”, they would be initials, and require punctuation. As he goes by “JB”, it’s a nickname, and therefore is spelled as he chooses.
- Huh? - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 7:17 pm:
No periods.
I have a very long last name followed by initials of numerous professional certifications. Ended up losing periods in initials of certifications. Was in danger of running out of space on the business card.
- TinyDancer(FKASue) - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 7:20 pm:
What you see is what you get.
It’s Jay Bee, not Jay period Bee period,
so…to put it succinctly, it’s JB
- Pot calling kettle - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 8:34 pm:
==And was Harry S Truman not Harry S. Truman==
The S was Truman’s middle name, but he signed with a “.” after the S. See the above link for details.
- Sam Hall - Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 11:26 pm:
J.B. just so the billionaire governor learns early that not everything will go his way.