Talk:Acronym

May need better source
We might need a better source for the term "word acronym" (also spelled "word-acronym"). I went with the first free-full-text source in a journal that I ran across, and it triggered an edit-filter that doesn't like this journal. https://ijifactor.com/journals/151/International-Journal-of-English-Linguistics-(IJEL) doesn't seem to show any red-flags; says the journal is double-blind peer-reviewed. But someone on WP must have an issue with it. — SMcCandlish ☏ ¢ 😼  15:05, 29 October 2023 (UTC)


 * I reverted all the changes introduced by 70.50.49.6, as they completely change the definition and were implemented without building consensus here on the talk page. Nohat (talk) 17:06, 29 October 2023 (UTC)
 * That works, too. However, we do mention "word acronym" later in the material, and it could maybe use better sourcing anyway.  — SMcCandlish ☏ ¢ 😼  17:31, 29 October 2023 (UTC)

"Contrived acronyms" section
Why does this section have this cleanup tag? Jarble (talk) 04:12, 28 January 2024 (UTC)


 * @Jarble not sure what tag that is as I'm on the mobile app. If you're asking about the tone tag, the paragraph beginning with "The short-form names of clinical trials..." reads like an informal essay. Six Oh Five (talk) 04:24, 28 January 2024 (UTC)

Confusing use of Gaelic in the last paragraph 81.98.11.143 (talk) 18:29, 11 May 2024 (UTC)


 * The last paragraph mentions Gaelic when talking about the abreviation TBh for TV, but the previously talked about Irish and Scots Gaelic. Which is meant by "Gaelic"? (I know that the Irish language is commonly referred to as "Gaelic" in the US, but the English word for the language is "Irish" not "Gaelic") 81.98.11.143 (talk) 18:34, 11 May 2024 (UTC)

Article pic/example
@Bremps I agree that laser is a better example than NYPD (what it was before you changed it). Since laser is pronounced as a word one cannot claim: it's _not_ an acronym; even though that initialism thing is weak IMO. But, I don't think laser is great since it's not all-caps and therefore more unusual. Also, I do not personally like the pic you used. It looks like a gun which is triggering (no pun intended). To me a good pic of a laser is a hand-held pointer or a physics experiment. [I tried to include examples, but WP won't let me link to external images.]

IMO, a good example of acronym is all-caps, has no punctuation and is pronounced as a word. The first one that always pops in my head is NASA. Surely there are many more good candidates. But, most like NASA and what it represents so it's pleasing. Stevebroshar (talk) 12:52, 28 May 2024 (UTC)


 * NASA is great. "Taser" as an example of an acronym is loose and weak and while NASA is a more standard, and thus better, example.  Bremps  ...  18:14, 28 May 2024 (UTC)
 * oh. It was a taser. Makes more sense that it looked like a gun. Stevebroshar (talk) 19:44, 28 May 2024 (UTC)

Not examples
As is common on WP articles, I think the examples have gone overboard; including too much and also including items that are not examples of the concept of the article.

Amphetamine: is an abbreviation of "alpha-methyl-phenethylamine" but not an acronym since is not just initials; an acronym would be like AMP or AMPT (not a chemist so just guessing at important parts of the words)

Gestapo: is an abbreviation of Geheime Staatspolizei; GS would be an acronym; I'd say SS is an acronym

All of the Shortcut incorporated into spelling items are questionable. They look sorta like acronyms since they are all-caps without punctuation. But, they seem like something other than an acronym to me. For example, MMM surely is an acronym, but is 3M? 3M seems to be an abbreviation of an abbreviation!

The mnemonics are acronyms, but ... are they on topic? I think not. Same for multi-layered, recursive, gramograms and RAS. Example overkill IMO. Stevebroshar (talk) 13:11, 28 May 2024 (UTC)


 * Would agree, as the purpose of examples is to illustrate, not to include everything. If no one objects for a while, I'll be doing a culling.  Bremps  ...  18:15, 28 May 2024 (UTC)
 * super Stevebroshar (talk) 19:42, 28 May 2024 (UTC)