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Subject:Re: Init/Abbrev/Acron From:Beverly Parks <bparks -at- HUACHUCA-EMH1 -dot- ARMY -dot- MIL> Date:Thu, 9 Mar 1995 07:18:55 MST
"Arlen P. Walker" <Arlen -dot- P -dot- Walker -at- JCI -dot- COM> said...
[snip]
It's an initialism, not an acronym nor an abbreviation.
To be an abbreviation it would be "C. V." To be an acronym, it
would have to be prounceable. A collection of initials
(without periods) is an initialism. That was the only thing I
learned from the flamefest when it came around last time.
(About a year ago -- is it back so soon?)
=======
RSVP is considered an abbreviation--not an initialism--yet it
has no periods. Also, IBM and FBI. They follow the rules of
initialisms in that each letter is pronounced.
Actually, the way my reference describes abbreviations,
initialisms, and acronyms, the latter two are merely TYPES of
abbreviations.
So to call any of them abbreviations is not incorrect. It is the
general term; whereas, initialism and acronym are specific.
=*= Beverly Parks =*= bparks -at- huachuca-emh1 -dot- army -dot- mil =*=
=*= "Unless otherwise stated, all comments are my own. =*=
=*= I am not representing my employer in any way." =*=
