WV, W.Va.: which abbreviation for West Virginia is correct?

12850
WV, W.Va.: which abbreviation for West Virginia is correct?
WV or W.Va. -- which is correct?

Throughout West Virginia Explorer you'll find West Virginia abbreviated as both WV and W.Va. Which is the correct abbreviation for West Virginia?

Advertisement

According to official guides to American English, "W.Va." is still the preferred punctuation. This is because it leaves little room for misunderstanding. The abbreviation WV is also the accepted abbreviation for scores of other two-word combinations that being with the letters W and V, including weight variant, Wabash Valley, West Vancouver, and Whitewater Valley.

Will the abbreviation WV gain acceptance formally?

Will the abbreviation WV ever gain acceptance formally? Yes and no. Its correct use depends on circumstance. The two-letter abbreviation first arose widespread as part of the United States zip code system, in which the two characters appeared as part of a string of seven -- as in the example "WV 25301" a mail code for part of Charleston, West Virginia. In this case, its use has dictates the form and, followed by the numbering system, there is less chance of misunderstanding. As part of a code, the use of WV has became widespread throughout electronic communication. Computer language and Internet searches depend far more on WV as a term. Whether or not a search will recognize W.Va. as a relevant term depends entirely on search-engine algorhythms, proprietary to the engines themselves.

Wheeling means Place of the Skull

Horrific origin of West Virginia city name Wheeling: "Place of the Skull"

WHEELING, W.Va. — To the average motorist hurtling through the City of Wheeling on Interstate 70, nothing about the place might seem particularly nefarious. An...
Shadowy figure in West Virginia forest

Mysterious shadow luring hikers to Beckley trail system near Piney Creek

RODES, W.Va. — Tales of a shadow alleged to haunt part of the Grey Flats Trail area near Beckley, West Virginia, could be tied...
Might a headless ghost still haunt the forests around Bakers Run Campground?

Remote campground in central West Virginia includes its own ghost

CENTRALIA, W.Va. — While there are many remote campgrounds in West Virginia, few are as remote as Baker's Run Campground and boast their own...
Transallegheny Asylum

West Virginia establishes statewide "paranormal trail" for dark tourism

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia has established a statewide Paranormal Trail to help spook-seekers discover its most spine-chilling sites. According to Chelsea Ruby, director of...
David Sibray at Poke Hollow Trail 1

Twin Falls Resort State Park in West Virginia boasts its own monster

SAULSVILLE, W.Va. — While reports of the Polk Hollow Monster haven't reached the frequency they had in the 1970s and '80s, there's no doubt...

Facebook Comments

Advertisement