OK, just to put in my two cents worth. I've seen where there are actually three types of abbreviations as follows.
* A basic abbreviation is pronounced like the full word it represents. So 'St.' is pronounced 'Street' (or 'Saint'), 'Ct.' is pronounced 'Court', and 'Mr.' is pronounced 'Mister', etc. These basic abbreviations are usually followed by a period. * An initialism is a type of abbreviation pronounced one letter at a time. For instance, PGA, AARP, IOU, etc. * An acronym is a type of abbreviation that is pronounced as a word. For instance, SCUBA, LASER, PUSH, etc. Therefore CICS is an acronym since it can be pronounced 'kicks' but USS is an initialism, not an acronym. :) Tom Kelman Commerce Bank of Kansas City (816) 760-7632 -----Original Message----- From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of J R Sent: Wednesday, June 06, 2007 12:42 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: Annd yet more pedantry( was: USS pedantry (was Friday musings on the future of 3270 applications) From Webster: abbreviation: a shortened form of a written word or phrase used in place of the whole acronym: a word (as NATO, radar, or laser) formed from the initial letter or letters of each of the successive parts or major parts of a compound term; also : an abbreviation (as FBI) formed from initial letters I'd say both USS and CICS could be considered both abbreviations and acronyms. >From: Howard Brazee <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Reply-To: IBM Mainframe Discussion List <[email protected]> >To: [email protected] >Subject: Re: Annd yet more pedantry( was: USS pedantry (was Friday musings >on the future of 3270 applications) >Date: Wed, 6 Jun 2007 11:33:45 -0600 > >On 6 Jun 2007 10:15:27 -0700, in bit.listserv.ibm-main you wrote: > > > > >I also agree with "S.Metz" that USS is an abreviation, not an acronym. > >:-) > >I wonder - I guess for some of us, CICS is an abbreviation, for others >an acronym. (I never say "kicks"). > >---------------------------------------------------------------------- >For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, >send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO >Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html _________________________________________________________________ Like puzzles? Play free games & earn great prizes. Play Clink now. http://club.live.com/clink.aspx?icid=clink_hotmailtextlink2 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html ***************************************************************************** If you wish to communicate securely with Commerce Bank and its affiliates, you must log into your account under Online Services at http://www.commercebank.com or use the Commerce Bank Secure Email Message Center at https://securemail.commercebank.com NOTICE: This electronic mail message and any attached files are confidential. The information is exclusively for the use of the individual or entity intended as the recipient. If you are not the intended recipient, any use, copying, printing, reviewing, retention, disclosure, distribution or forwarding of the message or any attached file is not authorized and is strictly prohibited. If you have received this electronic mail message in error, please advise the sender by reply electronic mail immediately and permanently delete the original transmission, any attachments and any copies of this message from your computer system. ***************************************************************************** ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
