Author Topic: Acronyms  (Read 3936 times)

Tom44

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Acronyms
« on: March 12, 2019, 12:05:05 PM »
As I understand it, abbreviations pronounced as words without any accent or punctuation marks and in lower case (example: scuba) are OK.  But it does seem to me that this is too restrictive.  Some acronyms are widely used as words and follow the rules except for the lowercase requirement, and I believe they should be allowed.  Examples I can think of are SETI and SARS.  Note the automatic spell checker highlights SETI but not SARS (but sars is highlighted).  For anyone not in the loop SETI is Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence and SARS is Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome.

Alan is and always will be the final arbiter (  :police:), but what do you folks think of the idea?
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Morbius

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Re: Acronyms
« Reply #1 on: March 12, 2019, 11:38:47 PM »
I've only ever seen SETI and SARS written with capitals, so to my mind, neither qualify as acronyms that have become words in their own right.  I think transition to word status is the exception rather than the rule - most acronyms remain acronyms.  I can't think of too many other than scuba.  Snafu maybe.  I'm sure there are others, but probably not that many.

mkenuk

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Re: Acronymsmoll
« Reply #2 on: March 13, 2019, 12:36:45 PM »
radar and sonar would be two others.

tpc

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Re: Acronyms
« Reply #3 on: March 13, 2019, 01:10:12 PM »
I’ll throw in fubar and laser.

TRex

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Re: Acronyms
« Reply #4 on: March 14, 2019, 09:06:57 AM »
Off the top of my head:
BIOS (usually written in caps)
SCSI (pronounced 'skuzzy' but usually in caps)
lidar (usually lower case)
loran (seen both)
maser (usually lower case)
snafu (usually lower case)
TITSUP (usually upper case)

Morbius

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Re: Acronyms
« Reply #5 on: March 14, 2019, 10:17:07 AM »
Off the top of my head:
BIOS (usually written in caps)
SCSI (pronounced 'skuzzy' but usually in caps)
lidar (usually lower case)
loran (seen both)
maser (usually lower case)
snafu (usually lower case)
TITSUP (usually upper case)

I reckon the only ones of those that qualify as words are maser and snafu (both are allowed in Chi, I'm pretty sure).  I've never heard of most of the others.

rogue_mother

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Re: Acronyms
« Reply #6 on: March 15, 2019, 03:26:07 AM »
Off the top of my head:
BIOS (usually written in caps)
SCSI (pronounced 'skuzzy' but usually in caps)
lidar (usually lower case)
loran (seen both)
maser (usually lower case)
snafu (usually lower case)
TITSUP (usually upper case)

I reckon the only ones of those that qualify as words are maser and snafu (both are allowed in Chi, I'm pretty sure).  I've never heard of most of the others.

Maser and snafu are indeed allowed in Chi. Snafu may even be common; I don't quite recall. Lidar and loran are also allowed in Chi, both classified as less common. An additional acronym word allowed in Chihuahua, is asdic, which is something akin to sonar. Asdic used to be classified as common, but no longer is.
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Katzmeow

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Re: Acronyms
« Reply #7 on: March 15, 2019, 02:15:20 PM »
Is asap accepted?  I use it a lot but don't know how common it is ...
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Maudland

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Re: Acronyms
« Reply #8 on: March 15, 2019, 11:35:41 PM »
The one I'm most likely to think of is awol but I couldn't tell you why!

mkenuk

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Re: Acronyms
« Reply #9 on: March 16, 2019, 12:08:03 AM »
I think both awol and asap are accepted.

Two acronyms that I have suggested in the past that are still sub judice are milf and notam (notice to airmen).

I realise now that the first of these (milf) is probably not eligible for inclusion in Chi, since the second letter/word of the 'full' version is the first person singular pronoun  I, which will always be capital.

rogue_mother

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Re: Acronyms
« Reply #10 on: March 16, 2019, 01:42:29 AM »
Is asap accepted?  I use it a lot but don't know how common it is ...

Asap is indeed accepted. There was a thread about it in 2009, started by (surprise, surprise -- or not) by the original poster in the current thread. The old thread has some discussion of Alan's philosophy concerning acronym words. Awol is also accepted. It was originally classified as common but was subsequently changed to less common.
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