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Subject:Re: TIEBREAKER NEEDED: What do you call this? From:Beverly Parks <bparks -at- HUACHUCA-EMH1 -dot- ARMY -dot- MIL> Date:Thu, 20 Jul 1995 08:00:28 MST
I'm sticking with my original vote, which was contraction, to
describe how the word "bit" was formed. But I believe "bit" can
no stand on its own as a *word*.
*My* dictionary :) defines contraction as "A shortened word or
words formed by omitting or combining _some_ of the letters or
sounds." [Emphasis mine].
HOWEVER, that same dictionary lists "bit" as a noun, as used in
computer science, unto itself, without explicitly pointing out
that it is an abbreviation, acronym, or contraction of any sort.
For derivation, it does suggest that it came from "[B(INARY)
(DIG)IT]".
=*= 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." =*=
