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> These upstart crypto-competitors > in comparison to crypto. I'm somewhat saddened to see Snowden adopt the highly questionable practice of shortening the te
by tromp 5y ago
> These upstart crypto-competitors
> in comparison to crypto.
I'm somewhat saddened to see Snowden adopt the highly questionable practice of shortening the term "cryptocurrency" to "crypto".
- raman162 5y agoWhy is it highly questionable? It's pretty common to shorten long words or phrases.
- Yoric 5y agoBecause "crypto" is already "cryptography". It's annoying to use the same abbreviation for two different domains that are closely related.
- tromp 5y agoCrypto isn't short for anything. It derives from the Greek kryptós (meaning hidden), and acts like an adjective in words like cryptography, cryptology, and cryptanalysis.
- Yoric 5y agoPretty sure I've heard "crypto" used a few thousand times as shorthand for "cryptography". And now also for "cryptocurrency".
- frankbreetz 5y agoPeople absolutely use crypto as a shortened form of cryptography and cryptocurrency. It is not an adjective it is a prefix, which is part of a word. Words can mean more then one thing so it can be a shortened form of a word and a word all on its own, but I've never seen crypto used as a complete word. I don't see why where it is derived from is relevant.
- betwixthewires 5y agoIt's a gripe of mine also because it creates ambiguity, but it is common parlance and usually clear in context.