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Abbreviations and Acronyms
In our day to day we constantly use abbreviations and acronyms to communicate. At the time of writing and even when purchasing a product. In some cases it is very easy to know when this happens. Especially with which we are more adapted. But in others it is sometimes difficult for us to realize that, in effect, we are in the presence of acronyms and acronyms.
Initials and acronyms have notable differences. Although they seem very similar to us.
Abbreviations
Acronyms are words created from the initials of each main element of a complex phrase. This means that in order to refer to a larger element, a word is built that will be formed with the initial grapheme of each of the words of the sentence that we want to transform.
A well-known example of an acronym is the word UN. We all know what the United Nations means. And this is because the main words of this phrase (which are organization, nations, united) contributed their initial letter to build the acronym. It must be taken into account that the acronyms do not include within their formation those elements that are not considered the main carriers of meaning. In the case of UN they would be the words of and the.
Examples of acronyms
Here are some other examples of well-known acronyms:
- ACB: Association of Basketball Clubs
- DNA: deoxyribonucleic acid
- CPU: Central Processing Unit
- RNE: National Radio of Spain
- DTT: Digital Terrestrial Television
- TNT: trinitrotoluene
Acronyms
For their part, acronyms can take two different forms. They can be acronyms that, due to their constant use, have come to be pronounced and used as words and not seen as acronyms of a larger element. Such is the case of the acronyms laser and ufo that, although they can still be broken down and their greater meaning guessed, are commonly used as words with independent meanings.
Another type of acronyms are those formed by parts of two words. Usually, this acronym unifies the first part of the initial element and the last part of the second element. To form, thus, an independent word whose meaning is found in the union of the two elements that create it. An example of this is the acronym motel. Formed by the beginning of the word engine and the end of the word hotel. In this case, motel unifies the meaning of both words to become one with its own meaning. That is, a resting place for travelers arriving by car, for example.
Acronyms can be made up of the union of two nouns, as is the case with the well-known emoticon: from the English nouns emotion and icon. They are also formed by an adjective and a noun, as seen in computing: from the noun information and the adjective automatic.
examples of acronyms
Here are some familiar examples of acronyms:
- Gestapo: name given to the Nazi police, from Geheime Staatspolizei.
- laser: acronym formed from the English Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation
- FIFA: International Federation of Association Football
- VAT: Value Added Tax
- UFO unidentified flying object
- radarfrom english radio detection and ranging
- RAE: Royal Academy of Language
- PIN: Personal Identification Number. Important acronym.
- Small and medium-sized SMEs, an acronym that includes a non-core element in its formation.
- Spanglish(from the union of Spanish and English), among others.
- VIP: Very Important Person. We love this acronym.
Acronyms and acronyms explained in video
To finish, we leave you with an illustrative video of what we have been seeing. What is an acronym and how does it work? How is it different from an acronym?
