Acronym

The acronym (from the Greek / "at the end, extreme" and / "name") is the abbreviation of a group of words formed by the first letter of those words that result, called acronym is pronounced like a normal word - also known as lexicalization where use of the acronym can be generalized to the point no longer be distinguished from a name (and not necessarily be attached to its original meaning). The acronym can also be formed by shortening words by their first syllable (eg.: Benelux) when the letters are not spelled out (such as "ASSEDIC" but in fact the most pronounced and often written so as the true acronym Assedic "and not the acronym" ASSEDIC "), but It is distinguished from the abbreviation which is pronounced long (eg, "etc.." pronounced like the Latin phrase "etcetera" but almost always abbreviated in writing).

Current usage tends to write the acronym is:

• as a common name , established by custom and then lexicalized without capital. For example: laser , UFO , radar , AIDS , civil partnerships , etc.. ;
• as a proper name in other cases, provided with a capital letter. For example: NASA , NATO , UNESCO.

This is only the majority use in any case a rule, if one believes Le Bon Usage by Maurice Grevisse.

Some companies are creating acronyms that "sound" well then look retrospectively meaning for each letter. These are special cases of backronym. One of the most famous cases is that of Nylon , created in 1938, which gave rise to backronym more or less fanciful.

The acronym can also be used as a mnemonic for example in aviation, the acronym is sometimes used to complete list everything that we should not forget to check before taking off (A tterrisseur for A, C to for etc..). We can also learn in driving school at the time you leave, you must be quick: V itesse, INDICATORS, F kidney.

The acronyms are not the plural, unless they have been lexicalized as nouns - s of radar, lasers s -. In this case, it can also serve as a root for other nouns, verbs and adjectives - smic ard and un his.

Acronym and neologisms

The acronym, once lexicalized by usage, in turn, is creator of new lexical items by adding prefixes or suffixes. Examples: CGT , ufology , etc..

Usage literary

The writers are quickly appropriated this process to play:

• R. Queneau change their spelling: Achlme (acrymisation of "public housing", which stands for "low-income housing") ...
• Other authors invent acronyms originals (by not following their exact rule for forming and inserting extra letters sometimes meaningless): eg SDREDRERARLO, the Union of troublemaker in Round Laugh at the Opera, for R. Ducharme .
• R. Desnos : False Deceased Charles V , QED

Record

The acronym Russian Niiomtplaboparmbetzhelbetrabsbomonimonkonotdtekhstromont (in Cyrillic : ) is the world's longest (56 letters but 54 in Cyrillic ) and means: "Laboratory for hedging, reinforcement, concrete and reinforced concrete composite structures -monolithic and monolithic Department of Building Technology Operations assembled the Scientific Research Institute of the Organization for building mechanization and technical aid from the Academy building and the architecture of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics " .

References

Bibliography

• Bernard Dupriez, Gradus, The literary devices (Collins), Editions 10/18 , al. "French Field, 1984.
• George Himelfarb, Acronyms, Belin, coll. The French found, 2002.
• Patrice Cartier The language of acronyms, De La Martiniere, 2009

See also

• Abbreviation
• Recursive acronym
• Portmanteau
• Neologisms
• Newspeak
• Backronym
• Retronym
• Acronym
• List of Acronyms

External Links

• (En) databases of a large number of acronyms and abbreviations in 7 languages
• (In) databases of a large number of acronyms
• (En) Dictionary of acronyms (International overrepresentation of France)
• (En) Wiki: Abbreviations Vaud cantonal and communal (Switzerland)
• (En) more than 200,000 acronyms multilingual (Quebec site)

• Portal Language

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