Comms for Communications, abbreviation question...

[-K2-]

For at least 20-years that I know of (likely longer), communications (equipment, software, etc.) has been referred to casually as "comms"-- I'm intentionally NOT ending that statement with a period to demonstrate the typical spelling for the abbreviation. Comms vs. comms. or perhaps comms' --

In formal writing, such as in a novel, is the informal abbreviation 'comms' without the period acceptable? In such a case, would you want to add an apostrophe such as -comms'- ? It seems such a standard, that even various dictionaries list it as such (without a period), but, knowing that it is an abbreviation, I felt it would be worth asking.

Sorry for the elementary question. Thanks for your input!

K2

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Just comms is fine. Any punctuation will make it weird and confusing in sentences.

 

[-K2-]

Thanks for that. I realize it's a beginner question, yet, when I encounter something that contradicts standard rules, I begin questioning myself and everything I find on it.

Thanks again @TheDustyZebra !

K2

 

[Abernovo]

What TDZ said. Communications can simply be comms, just as intelligence is often intel, or (on a tangent) an omnibus is now more commonly known as a bus. Generally understood usage, as language is fluid, and changes.

Not so much a beginner question, so much as just the weirdness of language.

 

[tinkerdan]

When looking this up for work I was doing I found
com, comm, and commn listed as abbreviations for communication
For plural the suggestion was to add s to any of the above.
I decided on com for my purposes.