GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW) | ||||||
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17:18 Nov 6, 2004 |
English language (monolingual) [PRO] Science - Astronomy & Space / pronunciation + astronomy | |||||||
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| Selected response from: zaphod Local time: 07:41 | ||||||
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SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED | ||||
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5 +1 | Bams, Pams, Sams, Lambs |
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4 -1 | letter by letter, as it is an abbreviation not an acronym |
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Discussion entries: 3 | |
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zams letter by letter, as it is an abbreviation not an acronym Explanation: that is what I have been told about the difference an acronym and an abbreviation, but never found a good explanation about it -------------------------------------------------- Note added at 12 mins (2004-11-06 17:31:35 GMT) -------------------------------------------------- abbreviation, in writing, arbitrary shortening of a word, usually by cutting off letters from the end, as in U.S. and Gen. (General). Contraction serves the same purpose but is understood strictly to be the shortening of a word by cutting out letters in the middle, the omission sometimes being indicated by an apostrophe, as in the word don\'t. Most abbreviations are followed by a period. Usage, however, differs widely, and recently omission of periods has become common, as in NATO and UN. Acronyms are combinations of the first letters/syllables in a group of words to form a new grouping of letters that can be pronounced as a word. A period is never used when apostrophes appear. A list of abbreviations used in this encyclopedia may be found in the prefatory matter. |
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Bams, Pams, Sams, Lambs Explanation: No "E" at the end to make the noun say it's name. So it's flat. |
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