A Rose by Any Other Name
Recently memnotk (sorry mate, I don't know your real name!) wrote a definition of RSS on his blog. He incorrectly referred to the term as an acronym, and I politely corrected him.
Now, memnotk is not a native English speaker, so he can easily be forgiven for getting something wrong that many native English speakers get wrong every day. An acronym is a word formed from the initials (and sometimes some supplementary letters) of other words. For example, "radar" is an acronym (an abbreviation of "RAdio Detection And Ranging"), whereas "RSS" (an abbreviation of "Really Simple Syndication", among other things) is not. You don't pronounce "RSS" as a word - you spell it out when you say it.
Since then, memnotk has looked up the definition of "acronym" on an online dictionary and posted it to his blog. Problem is, the dictionary he used got it wrong!
- The OED gets it right
- Encarta gets it right (memnotk is a Microsoft blogger!)
- dictionary.com gets it right
- Webster's gets it wrong!
This is very disturbing. I don't know how many people use Webster's as their online dictionary, but perhaps you should switch to a better one now!
Comments
# crucible
14/03/2006 7:27 AM
I'm going to enjoy watching your efforts of correcting the spelling, grammer, and wording of the internet.
Problem is - I think they're going to produce more content than you can check.
Its all one conspiracy to see how insane you can be driven by misplaced apostrophes and, other issues.
Good thing I'm not helping them by mistakes even in my replys for you're pendantic ego fodder, isn't it? ;)
# mabster
14/03/2006 8:39 AM
"grammer", "Its", "and,", "replys", "you're" ... *sigh*
# crucible
14/03/2006 11:10 AM
you know I just through all them in for you, don't you?
# MSCRM Freak
18/03/2006 11:37 AM
Dude, i got it right tho. Read this and copied from my blog comemnts:
RSS is definitely a type of acronym but has been given a special classification:
initialism
An abbreviation of a phrase consisting of the initial letter of each word in the phrase; distinguishable from an acronym in that it is not pronounced as a single word; for example B.B.C., C.I.A.
or from www.m-w.com (Merriam Webster):
Main Entry: ini·tial·ism
Pronunciation: i-'ni-sh&-"li-z&m
Function: noun
: an acronym formed from initial letters
# mabster
18/03/2006 4:08 PM
Like I said - Webster's has it wrong. I found posts on alt.usage.english warning people that at least one major dictionary had an incorrect definition for acronym online; looks like Webster's was the one they were talking about.
# MSCRM Freak
20/03/2006 9:42 AM
I still d not agree. You have to read it again what I have typed. It is a special form of acronym.
# mabster
20/03/2006 10:11 AM
Except ... it's not. Your "special form of acronym" definition is coming from Webster's, which is wrong.
An "initialism", as they call it, is *not* an acronym. Both a forms of abbreviation, but they are not the same thing.
# Rize
24/03/2006 8:45 AM
This is mildly amusing. I came across this post as I was perusing said MSCRM Freak's Blog and felt a need to pop over here and drop my two cents. Not that it will matter as Mabster seems pretty set in his ways on this but RandomHouse has an interesting write-up on this very topic:
@www.randomhouse.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
...Some people consider an acronym to be a type of initialism, instead of something that contrasts with it. Other forms can be hard to classify as well; sitcom, for example, is from situation comedy, but should it be considered an acronym or an abbreviation of a different type? ...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Couple things I found interesting:
1. In no way, shape, or form do ANY of the sites you list explicitly say that an initialism is NOT an acronym.
2. Webster says it is an acronym which you have "beyond a reasonable doubt" proven incorrect with such convincing evidence as, "Like I said - Webster's has it wrong" and my personal favorite, "I found posts on alt.usage.english..." One thing I will warn you about, things on the internet aren't always true :p
So until there's a reputable site (alt.usage.english doesn't qualify) that explicitly states something to the contrary I think I will continue to consider an initialism as a type of acronym.
I will try to come back often to see what you have to say :)
# mabster
24/03/2006 9:03 AM
Haha. Nicely put, Rize.
I'll stick with the definitions from the other three sources I cited for now. That's enough proof to me that Webster's "has it wrong".
And what do you mean by "things on the internet aren't always true"??? You've shattered my entire belief-system!!!
# mabster
24/03/2006 9:04 AM
ps. An initialism CAN be an acronym. "NASA" is a good example. However, "HBO" is an initialism that is NOT an acronym.
# crucible
24/03/2006 7:13 PM
Hoo boy, I saw Rize's post and had a giggle to myself.
Mabster, you should know - things on the internet aren't always correct, and you're three sources aren't, but my online dictionary (Websters) is.
It's funny they've found one site that explicitly backs them up - we've found more than three that back you up - and they're saying that your intarwub is wrong... bad, bad intarwub, no din dins for you!
If you're such an english buff - you should be able to read Dictionary.com, Encarta, Wikipedia, or any other sites that qualify what an Acronym is - and maybe comprehend it.
An Initialism IS an Abbreviation.
An Initialism CAN be an Acronym - but not always.
An Abbreviation CAN therefore be an Acronym.
But not all Abbreviations are Initialism or Acronyms.
IE: IE is not an acronym.
Nothing you have said has actually provided a solid arguement - reading your comment is like saying "Water is blue, the sky is blue, therefore the sky must be made of water".
You have taken parts of what Mabster has said and decided to attack smaller points, without actually providing backup to your arguement or fully responding to his.
Myself? I'd rather grab an Oxford dictionary, or believe 20 internet sites are right over 1.
And in case you haven't ever been on a usenet group - they may not be definitive answers to things... but if you get something wrong - you get corrected by gum! (Note: Gum is not a person, but a slang term).