Question for Engineers; Others May Feel Free To Chime In As Well
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Jul 2001
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From: Yorba Linda, CA
When, and how, and, perhaps most importantly, why, did engineers start using the term "acronym" when they mean "abbreviation"?
At my work we have various "acronym lists", all entries in which are abbreviations while few are acronyms. Every policy, procedure, work instruction, proposal--virtually every official document--has such a list. When they mean "abbreviation", why can't they say "abbreviation"?
For the unenlightened, an acronym is an abbreviation which spells--and is pronounced as--a word. NASA, radar, snafu, and TIG are all acronyms; PTA, GPS, NAACP, and TRW are abbreviations but not acronyms.
Perhaps this should be part of the "Why can't they learn to speak English?" thread.
Sigh.
At my work we have various "acronym lists", all entries in which are abbreviations while few are acronyms. Every policy, procedure, work instruction, proposal--virtually every official document--has such a list. When they mean "abbreviation", why can't they say "abbreviation"?
For the unenlightened, an acronym is an abbreviation which spells--and is pronounced as--a word. NASA, radar, snafu, and TIG are all acronyms; PTA, GPS, NAACP, and TRW are abbreviations but not acronyms.
Perhaps this should be part of the "Why can't they learn to speak English?" thread.
Sigh.
Registered User
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 15,323
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From: Longmont, CO
Nope, there's nothing in the definition of "acronym" that requires it end up with something actually pronounceable. Look at the origin of the word:
acro- or acr-
pref.
Top; summit: acropetal.
Height: acrophobia.
Tip; beginning: acronym.
Extremity of the body: acromegaly.
-onym
suff.
Word; name: acronym.
Sorry magician, I think you're in the wrong here.
acro- or acr-
pref.
Top; summit: acropetal.
Height: acrophobia.
Tip; beginning: acronym.
Extremity of the body: acromegaly.
-onym
suff.
Word; name: acronym.
Sorry magician, I think you're in the wrong here.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 6,592
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From: Yorba Linda, CA
The problem is worse than I thought. On my way home from Broken Horn Saddlery this evening I heard Ivan Watson on NPR refer to "PPP"--the abbreviation of the name of one of some seventy political parties in Pakistan--as an acronym.
PPP is not a word; hence, it is not an acronym.
PPP is not a word; hence, it is not an acronym.
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Registered User
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 565
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From: SF Bay Area
magician,
I believe you are correct!
acronymfinder.com defines it as:
GPS, IRS, and TCP are better described as initialisms .
I guess I learned something new today.
I believe you are correct!
acronymfinder.com defines it as:
An acronym is a pronounceable word formed from each of the first letters of a descriptive phrase. An acronym is actually a type of abbreviation.
I guess I learned something new today.
