"Richard Crowley" wrote :...> ... Whenever I see the acronyn "PCM", > I automatically activate my BS filter.Correction. "PCM" is an initialism, not an acronym. Acronyms are pronouncable (like "OPEC"), whereas initialisms are not pronouncable (like "FBI").
Re: PCM (was: I am back)
Started by ●October 2, 2005
Reply by ●October 3, 20052005-10-03
"Richard Crowley" <rcrowley@xpr7t.net> wrote in message news:11k15qn972pmg95@corp.supernews.com...> "Richard Crowley" wrote :... >> ... Whenever I see the acronyn "PCM", >> I automatically activate my BS filter. > > Correction. "PCM" is an initialism, not an acronym. > Acronyms are pronouncable (like "OPEC"), whereas > initialisms are not pronouncable (like "FBI").You may be correct, but common usage seems to be to use acronym for either one. In fact, I've never heard of the word initialism (and neither has the MS spell-checker). -- Jon Harris SPAM blocker in place: Remove 99 (but leave 7) to reply
Reply by ●October 3, 20052005-10-03
On Mon, 03 Oct 2005 06:08:46 GMT, Jon Harris wrote:> "Richard Crowley" <rcrowley@xpr7t.net> wrote in message > news:11k15qn972pmg95@corp.supernews.com... >> "Richard Crowley" wrote :... >>> ... Whenever I see the acronyn "PCM", >>> I automatically activate my BS filter. >> >> Correction. "PCM" is an initialism, not an acronym. >> Acronyms are pronouncable (like "OPEC"), whereas >> initialisms are not pronouncable (like "FBI"). > > You may be correct, but common usage seems to be to use acronym for either one. > In fact, I've never heard of the word initialism (and neither has the MS > spell-checker).These are normally called TLAs (three letter abbreviations). d
Reply by ●October 3, 20052005-10-03
"Jon Harris" <jon99_harris7@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:OV30f.4272$097.3614@trnddc01...> "Richard Crowley" <rcrowley@xpr7t.net> wrote in message > news:11k15qn972pmg95@corp.supernews.com... >> "Richard Crowley" wrote :... >>> ... Whenever I see the acronyn "PCM", >>> I automatically activate my BS filter. >> >> Correction. "PCM" is an initialism, not an acronym. >> Acronyms are pronouncable (like "OPEC"), whereas >> initialisms are not pronouncable (like "FBI"). > > You may be correct, but common usage seems to be to use acronym for either > one. In fact, I've never heard of the word initialism (and neither has the > MS spell-checker). >The muss spell-checker isn't the best authority but I can pronounce fubby and puckem so suspect that this line of reasoning is an example of beiess. Best of Luck - Mike
Reply by ●October 3, 20052005-10-03
"Jon Harris" wrote ...> You may be correct, but common usage seems to be to use > acronym for either one. In fact, I've never heard of the word > initialism (and neither has the MS spell-checker).I prefer Merriam-Webster as an arbiter of language over the MS spell-checker. www.m-w.com Handy.
Reply by ●October 3, 20052005-10-03
On Mon, 3 Oct 2005 06:41:56 -0700, Richard Crowley wrote:> "Jon Harris" wrote ... >> You may be correct, but common usage seems to be to use >> acronym for either one. In fact, I've never heard of the word >> initialism (and neither has the MS spell-checker). > > I prefer Merriam-Webster as an arbiter of language > over the MS spell-checker. www.m-w.com Handy.No good. It can't spell colour. d
Reply by ●October 3, 20052005-10-03
Don Pearce <donald@pearce.uk.com> writes:> On Mon, 3 Oct 2005 06:41:56 -0700, Richard Crowley wrote: > >> "Jon Harris" wrote ... >>> You may be correct, but common usage seems to be to use >>> acronym for either one. In fact, I've never heard of the word >>> initialism (and neither has the MS spell-checker). >> >> I prefer Merriam-Webster as an arbiter of language >> over the MS spell-checker. www.m-w.com Handy. > > No good. It can't spell colour.Huh? I get: Main Entry: col�our Pronunciation: 'k&-l&r chiefly British variant of COLOR -- % Randy Yates % "Rollin' and riding and slippin' and %% Fuquay-Varina, NC % sliding, it's magic." %%% 919-577-9882 % %%%% <yates@ieee.org> % 'Living' Thing', *A New World Record*, ELO http://home.earthlink.net/~yatescr
Reply by ●October 3, 20052005-10-03
On Mon, 03 Oct 2005 13:57:47 GMT, Randy Yates wrote:> Don Pearce <donald@pearce.uk.com> writes: > >> On Mon, 3 Oct 2005 06:41:56 -0700, Richard Crowley wrote: >> >>> "Jon Harris" wrote ... >>>> You may be correct, but common usage seems to be to use >>>> acronym for either one. In fact, I've never heard of the word >>>> initialism (and neither has the MS spell-checker). >>> >>> I prefer Merriam-Webster as an arbiter of language >>> over the MS spell-checker. www.m-w.com Handy. >> >> No good. It can't spell colour. > > Huh? I get: > > Main Entry: col�our > Pronunciation: 'k&-l&r > chiefly British variant of COLORExactly - we don't have variants, we have the correct spelling. I understand there is an American variant, however. Also the phonetic pronunciation is incorrect. The two vowel sounds are far from the same. d
Reply by ●October 3, 20052005-10-03
Don Pearce <donald@pearce.uk.com> writes:> On Mon, 03 Oct 2005 13:57:47 GMT, Randy Yates wrote: > >> Don Pearce <donald@pearce.uk.com> writes: >> >>> On Mon, 3 Oct 2005 06:41:56 -0700, Richard Crowley wrote: >>> >>>> "Jon Harris" wrote ... >>>>> You may be correct, but common usage seems to be to use >>>>> acronym for either one. In fact, I've never heard of the word >>>>> initialism (and neither has the MS spell-checker). >>>> >>>> I prefer Merriam-Webster as an arbiter of language >>>> over the MS spell-checker. www.m-w.com Handy. >>> >>> No good. It can't spell colour. >> >> Huh? I get: >> >> Main Entry: col�our >> Pronunciation: 'k&-l&r >> chiefly British variant of COLOR > > Exactly - we don't have variants, we have the correct spelling. I > understand there is an American variant, however.Yes, I suppose that's correct if you insist your viewpoint is the authoritative one. -- % Randy Yates % "I met someone who looks alot like you, %% Fuquay-Varina, NC % she does the things you do, %%% 919-577-9882 % but she is an IBM." %%%% <yates@ieee.org> % 'Yours Truly, 2095', *Time*, ELO http://home.earthlink.net/~yatescr
Reply by ●October 3, 20052005-10-03
On Mon, 03 Oct 2005 14:10:56 GMT, Randy Yates wrote:> Don Pearce <donald@pearce.uk.com> writes: > >> On Mon, 03 Oct 2005 13:57:47 GMT, Randy Yates wrote: >> >>> Don Pearce <donald@pearce.uk.com> writes: >>> >>>> On Mon, 3 Oct 2005 06:41:56 -0700, Richard Crowley wrote: >>>> >>>>> "Jon Harris" wrote ... >>>>>> You may be correct, but common usage seems to be to use >>>>>> acronym for either one. In fact, I've never heard of the word >>>>>> initialism (and neither has the MS spell-checker). >>>>> >>>>> I prefer Merriam-Webster as an arbiter of language >>>>> over the MS spell-checker. www.m-w.com Handy. >>>> >>>> No good. It can't spell colour. >>> >>> Huh? I get: >>> >>> Main Entry: col�our >>> Pronunciation: 'k&-l&r >>> chiefly British variant of COLOR >> >> Exactly - we don't have variants, we have the correct spelling. I >> understand there is an American variant, however. > > Yes, I suppose that's correct if you insist your viewpoint is the > authoritative one.Well, certainly original. I think we have to agree that a variant is that which came after - not before. d
