Let's all learn what an acronym is

[Barry Smalley]

Why? Nothing wrong with Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino

Or Fix It Another Time........

 

[reflux]

Or, as I was going to write, let's all learn what a sodding acronym is.

I see people get this wrong time and time again.

An acronym is an abbreviation, the letters of which stand for other words.

Acronyms are all words which you can speak phonetically and which fit into a sentence like, "oh look, a blue laser" or "gosh, I do find RAID arrays fascinating."

Things like PLC, HTML, MP are not acronyms, they are just abbreviations. You could not speak them aloud as full words: you have to spell out their individual letters.

Now stop getting it wrong.

 

[gumbald]

 

[DampCat]

http://www.themaskedblogger.com/images/thanks_for_the_info.jpg[IMG][/QUOTE]

Quoted so you can't edit.

 

[Cosimo]

FUCT - Failed Under Continuous Test

 

[Dark_Angel]

@reflux ahhhh, so you wish a holiday!

 

[gumbald]

It was even a hotlink!

 

[Energize]

...

Welcome to the 21st century, the english language has changed since 1943.

 

[Vixen]

Surely a forum is the wrong place for this? It's a rant aimed towards the community, about how people speak out loud .

 

[Amleto]

Things like PLC, HTML, MP are not acronyms, they are just abbreviations. You could not speak them aloud as full words: you have to spell out their individual letters.

Now stop getting it wrong.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acronym_and_initialism
says there isn't a definite well accepted definition of acronym that makes the distinction you put upon it.

dictionary.com also says that an acronym makes a 'word', and defines a word as

a unit of language, consisting of one or more spoken sounds or their written representation, that functions as a principal carrier of meaning...

From what I can tell, that makes HTML just as valid a acronym as RADAR.

 

[uvarvu]

What about the F-word? Fornication Under Consent of the King?

 

[Energize]

What about the F-word? Fornication Under Consent of the King?

Thats a backronym.

 

[FTM]

my favourite at the moment

British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons


which given the work they do makes BAAPS all the better!!

 

[Archy]

So do you see now Burnsey lol?

 

[Le_Petit_Lapin]

F.A.P.

Family Advocacy Program (US Navy)

 

[fini]

PETA = People Eating Tasty Animals
SUMAT = Shut Up Men Are Talking

 

[Lysander]

What about the F-word? Fornication Under Consent of the King?

The F-word is not an acronym. That's an internet myth. Look it up on Snopes.

 

[Magic_x_uk]

GOLF
Gentleman Only Ladies Forbidden

 

[orderoftheflame]

Acronyms are all words which you can speak phonetically and which fit into a sentence like, "oh look, a blue laser" or "gosh, I do find RAID arrays fascinating."

Things like PLC, HTML, MP are not acronyms, they are just abbreviations. You could not speak them aloud as full words: you have to spell out their individual letters.

Now stop getting it wrong.

Wrong

Hyper Text Markup Language <- Acronym

The term acronym is widely used to describe any abbreviation formed from initial letters

 

[eXor]

EDIT: DVD is a good example of an acronym given its 'doovde' pronunciation.

D V D

Gosh, I feel I have learnt a lot from this thread...

Apparently not