Acronymisitis: 21st Century Plague
This is the word I've coined to describe the syndrome suffered by people too ignorant to recognize what a particular acronym stands for. An acronym, you may know, is a word or string of letters used like a word that is formed from the first letter or letters of, generally, the major words of a larger phrase. Some examples:
- ASAP is As Soon As Possible
- RADAR is RAdio Detection And Ranging
- LASER is Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation
We run into acronymisitis when an acronym contains common words and we forget which words are included. When an acronym includes a word, that word becomes unnecessary, in most cases, to use in the sentence independently. The chronic acronymismatic is most likely to spotted using the final word of an acronym a second time. Some very popular examples (followed by the phrases spelled out to illustrate the redundancy) include:
- PIN Number: Personal Identification Number number
- ATM Machine: Automated Teller Machine machine
- TCBY Yogurt: The Country's Best Yogurt Yogurt
Won't you please help these poor people? There isn't yet a cure to this tragic disease, but together we can find one. Thank you.
Terence P Ward expresses much of his observations about the world through the written word, spoken word, visual media . . . well, any way he damned well pleases. Most of what he's responsible for can be found at, or through, http://otherlleft.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Terence_Ward |
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