[OS X TeX] right (resp. left)

[Alain Schremmer]

Understandably, LaTeX reads the . as ending a sentence and gives  
"right (resp.  left)", that is leaves a big space between resp. and  
left.

Assuming that the space ought to be smaller, I looked in Companion  
2ed but didn't find anything and \. gives "respleft" while  "resp$\dot 
$ left" gives me the error  "Extra }, or forgotten $" which I don't  
understand.

So, what is the scoop?

Not very worried regards
--schremmer