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> Assuming the acronym isn't widely used I don't care how widely used the acronym for a noun is, first use should always be the full form. Only time I don't t
by ajcp 6y ago
> Assuming the acronym isn't widely used
I don't care how widely used the acronym for a noun is, first use should always be the full form.
Only time I don't think it should be applied is in the case of a standard/protocol, or policy (such as gif or VAT). Then the first use should be the concept explained, not what it stands for.
I do like their style-guide definition:
acronym: A pronounceable word, formed from the initials of other words, like radar, nimby or NATO. It is not a set of initials, like the BBC or the IMF.
- ghaff 6y agoI don't know. Spelling out the words that make up RADAR or SONAR would seem very pedantic to me. As would, in tech, something like SCSI when that was a common interface. In a general purpose magazine, I'd probably be inclined to given a context for NIMBY, NATO, and the IMF--but maybe not BBC (to a British audience).
- ajcp 6y agoUpon thinking about it further I agree. So I think, using their style-guide definition I would go with: acronym: not spelled out, function explained. initials: spelled out, function explained.
- ghaff 6y agoAgreed. And to the specific examples, it's arguably more important in an article to briefly explain what the function of NATO is and why it's important/relevant than to simply state it's the North Atlantic Treaty Organization which tells me zero if I don't know what NATO is.