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orthography - Does the abbreviation for Saint in a church name require a period?


In referring to a local church, does the name "St Giles" require a period after the "St"? I was told that to add a period confuses it with the abbreviation for street.



Answer



I believe this is primarily a difference between American English and British/Australian English. American English usually includes the period (e.g., St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York or St. Paul, Minnesota) whereas British and Australian English typically omits it (e.g., St Paul's Cathedral in London).


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