Difference between revisions of "Abbreviation"

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	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>		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==	+	==Usi<nowiki>
		+	<nowiki><nowiki>
−	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	+	'''Christian apologetics''' is the defense of the [[Christianity|Christian]] faith through logical arguments. The term comes from the [[Greek]] word ''apologia'', which means "defense". The expression "Christian apologist" therefore does not mean that someone is apologising for or on behalf of [[Christianity]] as is sometimes thought, but that he or she is defending and justifying it. There are a <nowiki>f the Bible, and still others in historical or philosophical defenses of Christianity (such as [[Gary Habermas]] or [[Lee Strobel]]). Christian apologist [[JP Holding]] has recommended that prospective apologists choose one area of focus rather than trying to be a "jack of all trades". <ref>http://www.tektonics.org/qt/sowant.html</ref> Some feel that faith alone should ne<nowiki>
		+	ed no justification, however, many feel that Christians should be prepared to defend and spread their faith by intellectual means, especially as many people will not accept Christianity without a "rational" reason to do so.
		+	{{Christianity}}
		+	==History of Christian Apologetics==
		+	Christian apologetics has existed as long as Christianity itself.  [[Jesus]] himself spent time in the temples and synagogues, debating and explaining the meaning of the scriptures.  The [[Saint Peter|Apostle Peter]] exhorted early Christians to apologetics, writing,
		+	:"Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander."  1 Peter 3:15-16.
−	*''[[CPA]],'' for ''Certified Public Accountant''	+	The Apostle Paul also spent time in [[Athens]], debating [[Stoicism|Stoic]] and Epicurian philosophers. Acts 17:16.
−	*''[[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''	+
		+	Great theologians such as [[Origen]], Athanasius, [[Irenaeus]], [[Martyr]], [[Augustine]], and [[Aquinas]] continued the tradition of apologetics on a dramatic scale.  At the same time, apologetics was practiced by countless individual Christians, explaining and defending their beliefs.
	Examples of acronyms include:		Examples of acronyms include:

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Revision as of 22:55, January 16, 2011

Our sister encyclopedia, Encarta, informs us that "There are four main kinds of abbreviations: shortenings, contractions, initialisms, and acronyms." ^[1]

==Usi <nowiki><nowiki> '''Christian apologetics''' is the defense of the [[Christianity|Christian]] faith through logical arguments. The term comes from the [[Greek]] word ''apologia'', which means "defense". The expression "Christian apologist" therefore does not mean that someone is apologising for or on behalf of [[Christianity]] as is sometimes thought, but that he or she is defending and justifying it. There are a <nowiki>f the Bible, and still others in historical or philosophical defenses of Christianity (such as [[Gary Habermas]] or [[Lee Strobel]]). Christian apologist [[JP Holding]] has recommended that prospective apologists choose one area of focus rather than trying to be a "jack of all trades". <ref>http://www.tektonics.org/qt/sowant.html</ref> Some feel that faith alone should ne<nowiki> ed no justification, however, many feel that Christians should be prepared to defend and spread their faith by intellectual means, especially as many people will not accept Christianity without a "rational" reason to do so. {{Christianity}} ==History of Christian Apologetics== Christian apologetics has existed as long as Christianity itself. [[Jesus]] himself spent time in the temples and synagogues, debating and explaining the meaning of the scriptures. The [[Saint Peter|Apostle Peter]] exhorted early Christians to apologetics, writing, :"Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander." 1 Peter 3:15-16. The Apostle Paul also spent time in [[Athens]], debating [[Stoicism|Stoic]] and Epicurian philosophers. Acts 17:16. Great theologians such as [[Origen]], Athanasius, [[Irenaeus]], [[Martyr]], [[Augustine]], and [[Aquinas]] continued the tradition of apologetics on a dramatic scale. At the same time, apologetics was practiced by countless individual Christians, explaining and defending their beliefs. 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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