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Line 1: − Our sister encyclopedia, Encarta, informs us that "There are four main kinds of abbreviations: shortenings, contractions, initialisms, and acronyms." <ref name=encarta>[http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_1861582945/abbreviation.html]</ref>+ − − ==Using the initial letters of each word== − − So-called '''Initialisms''' are a form of abbreviation in which a phrase is abbreviated to the first letter of each word in the phrase; familiar examples include − − *''[[CPA]],'' for ''Certified Public Accountant'' − *''[[CBS]],'' for ''Columbia Broadcasting System'' − *''KJV,'' for ''[[King James Version]].'' − − Initialisms are distinguished from [[acronym]]s in that initialisms are pronounced as individual letters, while acronyms are pronounced as if the letters spelled out a word (which they may in some cases do). As Encarta says, "Acronyms are initialisms that have become words in their own right." <ref name=encarta /> The use of the word "acronym" to ''include'' initialisms is increasingly accepted. − − Both initialisms and acronyms are defined by custom; sometimes they do not strictly follow the rule of using every initial, or only the first initial. Unimportant words may be omitted. In the case of acronyms a certain amount of creativity may be employed. − − *''[[FBI]],'' for ''Federal Bureau of Investigation''' − *''[[AFL-CIO]],'' for ''American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations'' − − Examples of acronyms include: − − *''[[USA PATRIOT]]'' Act, for ''Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act'' − *''TULIP,'' for Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace, and Perseverance of the Saints (the core tenets of [[Calvinism]]). − *''[[Roy G. Biv]],'' for ''Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, and Violet'' (the conventional description of the colors in the [[spectrum]]). − − ==Notes== − <references /> − − ==External Links== − *[http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/acronyms-grammar.aspx Grammar Girl explains initialisms and acronyms] − − [[Category:Linguistics]]
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