OT: We're running out of letter combinations. . .

[Kibitzer]

. .with which to form abbreviations.

[Before we get to that, a quick reminder that an abbreviation is a series of letters that represent a series of words (e.g., USA). An acronym is similar but the series of letters may be spoken like a word (e.g., NATO, NASA, scuba, radar).]

IRA = Individual Retirement Account. Was Irish Republican Army.
DP = Double Play. Was Displaced Persons.
HR = Human Resources or Home Run.
CD = Certificate of Deposit or Compact Disc. OR:

Chris Dailey, Caroline Doty (CD2) or Crystal Dangerfield Crystal Dangerfield)​

I'm sure there are many more. So post them, OK?

 

[Wally East]

An initialism is an abbreviation where the the letters are pronounced individually, like FBI or UCLA.

Abbreviations encompass both initialisms and acronyms.

Two that come to mind here, both of which have already been the source of discussion:

UT
USC

 

[Sonny44]

. .with which to form abbreviations.

[Before we get to that, a quick reminder that an abbreviation is a series of letters that represent a series of words (e.g., USA). An acronym is similar but the series of letters may be spoken like a word (e.g., NATO, NASA, scuba, radar).]

IRA = Individual Retirement Account. Was Irish Republican Army.
DP = Double Play. Was Displaced Persons.
HR = Human Resources or Home Run.
CD = Certificate of Deposit or Compact Disc. OR:

Chris Dailey, Caroline Doty (CD2) or Crystal Dangerfield Crystal Dangerfield)​

I'm sure there are many more. So post them, OK?

Well I would, but first yours have to be corrected.
IRA = I Rule Always
DP = Darn Pooped (for us old guys)
HR = Hot Rod
CD = Can Do or Can't Do depending on the context
OOT = Out Of Touch

 

[Sonny44]

An initialism is an abbreviation where the the letters are pronounced individually, like FBI or UCLA.

Abbreviations encompass both initialisms and acronyms.

Two that come to mind here, both of which have already been the source of discussion:

UT
USC

Those are banned here.

 

[Kaizen]

Cuz: because
WTF: way to far, or, what the fxxk

 

[bags27]

Best acronym, of course, is SNAFU

 

[Kibitzer]

An initialism is an abbreviation where the the letters are pronounced individually, like FBI or UCLA.

Abbreviations encompass both initialisms and acronyms.

Once again, the feedback supersedes my input. I was so focused on calling attention to the frequent misuse of "acronym" that I just forgot about "initialisms."

Good catch - and thanks.

 

[Kibitzer]

Yikes! How did I overlook these?

NRA, currently the National Rifle Association - in the 1930's the National Recovery Act/Authority.

OD = Olive Drab (military uniforms) or overdose.​

 

[meyers7]

An initialism is an abbreviation where the the letters are pronounced individually, like FBI or UCLA.

Abbreviations encompass both initialisms and acronyms.

Two that come to mind here, both of which have already been the source of discussion:

UT
USC

Easy
UT - Longhorns
USC - Trojans

 

[meyers7]

POV - Point of View, Personally Owned Vehicle
MVP and MOP - actually mean different things

WTF: way to far, or, what the fxxk

And F$%& itself
For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge
Fornication Under Consent of King

POTUS and FLOTUS, S&M (not that those 3 go together )

My favorite though to stump people with, LB, when you are talking about abrev. Works when talking, not so much when writing.

 

[Wally East]

Sorry but not so about bomb. It's a false etymology (as is "Gentlemen Only, Ladies Forbidden" leading to "golf").

 

[meyers7]

Sorry but not so about bomb. It's a false etymology (as is "Gentlemen Only, Ladies Forbidden" leading to "golf").

But we are talking abbrev. and acronyms, not etymology. Doesn't matter where it came from, it's what it stands for now. (Just ask Van Halen)

 

[Wally East]

Other than the Van Halen album, does it really stand for that?

(No, no it doesn't, because trying to say it does just leads to another for this topic: BS -- Bachelor of Science and [steer manure]. )

 

[meyers7]

Other than the Van Halen album, does it really stand for that?

Sure, so much so it's become a false etymology.

 

[NVUConnFan]

Best acronym, of course, is SNAFU

Also from the military: FUBAR which was spoken often in "Saving Private Ryan".

 

[NVUConnFan]

Again from the military: BUFF which is the informal nickname of the B-52 bomber.

 

[Kibitzer]

I have used occasionally and never encountered a demand for translation. Same goes for a recent movie, "Whiskey Tango Foxtrot" (using the standard military phonetic alphabet letters to avoid an "R" rating). (And BTW, what's "whiskey" in America is "whisky" in Scotland.)

 

[bramos]

Well I would, but first yours have to be corrected.
IRA = I Rule Always
DP = Darn Pooped (for us old guys)
HR = Hot Rod
CD = Can Do or Can't Do depending on the context
OOT = Out Of Touch

I thought OOT was the way Canadians pronounced OUT..maybe we should defer this to our resident Nurse..