4 ms·

Why does the BBC refuse to capitalize the letters in NASA as an acronym? Is it British grammar or do they not realize it's in all caps?

_asummers 11y ago
From their style guide[0]: Acronyms Use the abbreviated form of a title without explanation only if there is no chance of any misunderstanding (eg UN, Nato, IRA, BBC). Otherwise, spell it out in full at first reference, or introduce a label (eg the public sector union Unite). Where you would normally pronounce the abbreviation as a string of letters - an initialism - use all capitals with no full stops or spaces (eg FA, UNHCR, NUT). However, our style is to use lower case with an initial cap for acronyms where you would normally pronounce the set of letters as a word (eg Aids, Farc, Eta, Nafta, Nasa, Opec, Apec). [0] http://www.bbc.co.uk/academy/journalism/news-style-guide/article/art20131010112740749 http://www.bbc.co.uk/academy/journalism/news-style-guide/art...
- mercurialshark 11y ago
  Great answer, thanks!
greenyoda 11y ago
That's apparently correct British usage. From The Guardian Style Guide:[1] "Use all capitals if an abbreviation is pronounced as the individual letters (an initialism): BBC, CEO, US, VAT, etc; if it is an acronym (pronounced as a word) spell out with initial capital, eg Nasa, Nato, Unicef, unless it can be considered to have entered the language as an everyday word, such as awol, laser and, more recently, asbo, pin number and sim card." [1] http://www.theguardian.com/guardian-observer-style-guide-a http://www.theguardian.com/guardian-observer-style-guide-a
- joshuapants 11y ago
  Do they actually pronounce it as "vee-ay-tee" instead of just "vat?"
  - nnethercote 11y ago
    Yes.
    - simonh 11y ago
      We do, but every now and then someone will pronounce it as 'vat rhymes with fat', so it's also understood. On the TV it's almost always pronounced as an acronym.
  - prof_hobart 11y ago
    Formally, yes. Informally, it's sometimes referred to as "vat", e.g. calling a tax inspector "the vat man". If used in context, no one is going to get confused by either pronunciation though.
    - JupiterMoon 11y ago
      I just realised that I have no idea how I normally pronounce VAT... It's like trying not to think about pink elephants.
pdabbadabba 11y ago
From the BBC style guide: > Where you would normally pronounce the abbreviation as a string of letters - an initialism - use all capitals with no full stops or spaces (eg FA, UNHCR, NUT). However, our style is to use lower case with an initial cap for acronyms where you would normally pronounce the set of letters as a word (eg Aids, Farc, Eta, Nafta, Nasa, Opec, Apec). http://www.bbc.co.uk/academy/journalism/article/art20130702112133548 http://www.bbc.co.uk/academy/journalism/article/art201307021...
cgorshing 11y ago
who knows

_asummers 11y ago

From their style guide[0]: Acronyms Use the abbreviated form of a title without explanation only if there is no chance of any misunderstanding (eg UN, Nato, IRA, BBC). Otherwise, spell it out in full at first reference, or introduce a label (eg the public sector union Unite). Where you would normally pronounce the abbreviation as a string of letters - an initialism - use all capitals with no full stops or spaces (eg FA, UNHCR, NUT). However, our style is to use lower case with an initial cap for acronyms where you would normally pronounce the set of letters as a word (eg Aids, Farc, Eta, Nafta, Nasa, Opec, Apec). [0] http://www.bbc.co.uk/academy/journalism/news-style-guide/article/art20131010112740749 http://www.bbc.co.uk/academy/journalism/news-style-guide/art...

mercurialshark 11y ago
Great answer, thanks!

greenyoda 11y ago

That's apparently correct British usage. From The Guardian Style Guide:[1] "Use all capitals if an abbreviation is pronounced as the individual letters (an initialism): BBC, CEO, US, VAT, etc; if it is an acronym (pronounced as a word) spell out with initial capital, eg Nasa, Nato, Unicef, unless it can be considered to have entered the language as an everyday word, such as awol, laser and, more recently, asbo, pin number and sim card." [1] http://www.theguardian.com/guardian-observer-style-guide-a http://www.theguardian.com/guardian-observer-style-guide-a

joshuapants 11y ago
Do they actually pronounce it as "vee-ay-tee" instead of just "vat?"
- nnethercote 11y ago
  Yes.
  - simonh 11y ago
    We do, but every now and then someone will pronounce it as 'vat rhymes with fat', so it's also understood. On the TV it's almost always pronounced as an acronym.
- prof_hobart 11y ago
  Formally, yes. Informally, it's sometimes referred to as "vat", e.g. calling a tax inspector "the vat man". If used in context, no one is going to get confused by either pronunciation though.
  - JupiterMoon 11y ago
    I just realised that I have no idea how I normally pronounce VAT... It's like trying not to think about pink elephants.

pdabbadabba 11y ago

From the BBC style guide: > Where you would normally pronounce the abbreviation as a string of letters - an initialism - use all capitals with no full stops or spaces (eg FA, UNHCR, NUT). However, our style is to use lower case with an initial cap for acronyms where you would normally pronounce the set of letters as a word (eg Aids, Farc, Eta, Nafta, Nasa, Opec, Apec). http://www.bbc.co.uk/academy/journalism/article/art20130702112133548 http://www.bbc.co.uk/academy/journalism/article/art201307021...

cgorshing 11y ago

who knows