A recent edit that I got from a law review reminded me that not everyone knows the distinction between these two.
“E.g.” means “for example”; it’s short for the Latin exempli gratia. “I.e.” means “that is” or “that is to say”; it’s short for the Latin id est.
So you might say, for instance “European countries (e.g., France and Germany)” but “Benelux countries (i.e., Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg).” Or you might stick with the purely English equivalents, though “e.g.” at least is common enough that people should get it from context, and also has the merit of brevity.
UPDATE: Reader Ken White reminds me about this exchange from Get Shorty:
Ray “Bones” Barboni: Let me explain something to you. Momo is dead. Which means everything he had now belongs to Jimmy Cap, including you. Which also means, when I speak, I speak for Jimmy. E.g., from now on, you start showing me the proper fuckin’ respect.
Chili Palmer: “E.g.” means “for example”. What I think you want to use is “i.e.”
Ray “Bones” Barboni: Bullshit! That’s short for “ergo.”
Chili Palmer: Ask your man.
Bodyguard: To the best of my knowledge, “e.g.” means “for example.”
Ray “Bones” Barboni: “E.g., i.e., fuck you! The point is this: When I say “jump”, you say “OK”, okay?
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