Acronym vs Initialism - or About Curse Words

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

In a recently locked thread, there was a heated debate about using swear words in forum posts, and whether acronyms and initialisms* are acceptable substitutes.

This is an attempt to lighten up the debate with some visual humor:


P.S. Oh, by the way, if you are wondering what the difference is, acronyms are pronounceable (e.g. NASA), initialisms are not (e.g., FBI)

[Chris_Brown]

Oh, by the way, if you are wondering what the difference is, acronyms are pronounceable (e.g. NASA), initialisms are not (e.g., FBI)

Thanks! I was the one guy on the planet wondering WTF the difference was.

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

I always thought FBI was pronounced "fibby."   

And in today's jargon, the "F" could stand for, well,...

[BJL]

In a recently locked thread, there was a heated debate about using swear words in forum posts, and whether acronyms and initialisms* are acceptable substitutes.

Sometimes it is the other way around: there was/is a club at an Australian university called Flinders University canoes and kayaks.

[Jeremy Roussak]

Sometimes it is the other way around: there was/is a club at an Australian university called Flinders University canoes and kayaks.

The story that Newcastle Polytechnic, when it became a university, initially chose to call itself the City University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne is, I'm sure, an urban myth.

Jeremy

[PeterAit]

P.S. Oh, by the way, if you are wondering what the difference is, acronyms are pronounceable (e.g. NASA), initialisms are not (e.g., FBI)

Say "fuhbeye"

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

And then there are the tacky euphemistic backronyms such as See you next Tuesday.

Ah, yes, euphemisms... a whole new can of worms:

In a confidential 2008 memo, General Motors advised:

Instead of "Safety," an employee should write that something has "Has potential safety implications." Instead of "Defect," an employee should say that something "Does not perform to design." Instead of a "Problem," there is an "Issue, condition, matter."

[Colorado David]

There was nothing wrong with the Corvair.  That was a witch hunt.