Frequency pair

"Bob Noel" wrote in message
...
In article , John
wrote:

VOR and DME are both acronyms (VOR being a compound
acronym).

No. How do you pronounce "DME" as a word? "NASA" is an acronym. "RADAR"
is an acronym. DME is not, although it is an abbreviation.

VOR - Very High Frequency Omni-directional Range
DME - Distance Measuring Equipment

Abbreviations, not acronyms.

My dictionary doesn't say anything about pronouncing an acronym as a word.

Abbreviation: a shortened form of a word or phrase used for brevity

Acronym: A word formed from the initial letter or letters of each of the
successive parts or major parts of a compound term.

--
Bob Noel
Looking for a sig the
lawyers will hate

An acronym is not a word. Like Bob said there is no requirement that an
acronym be pronouncable, . For detailed references, troop down to your local
library (or branch) and peruse the Chicago Manual of Style, AP Style Guide,
or New York Time Manual of Stye and Usage.

"Jose" wrote in message
. com...
Actually, the apostrophe is NOT incorrect here if you consider VOR
to be a grouping of letters (abbreviation) rather than a acronym
(a word made out of the abbreviation).

That seems to be the New York Times' convention (CD's, DVD's) but I find
it repulsive. They seem to have the apostrophe stand for the missing
letters (ompact isk, igital ideo isk, or perhaps igital ersatile isk, if
you buy into the hype). However, we don't write "C'D'", we don't even
write C.D., we write CD, which to me says that "CD" is a unit - a "word",
as it were.

So, the CD's plural is CDs.


If it is any solace to you, the AP Stlybook and Chicago Manual of Style
both agree with you against the NY Times. Chicago waffles a tiny bit,
however, saying that if the plural form is confusing without the apostrophe,
then use it.

"Bob Noel" wrote in message
...
My dictionary doesn't say anything about pronouncing an acronym as a word.

Abbreviation: a shortened form of a word or phrase used for brevity

Acronym: A word formed from the initial letter or letters of each of the
successive parts or major parts of a compound term.

Did you look up the definition of "word"? How is "DME" a "word"? As Ron
implies, "VOR" *could* be considered a "word", but the vast majority of us
spell it out and don't consider it to be a "word".

In article ,
"Peter Duniho" wrote:

My dictionary doesn't say anything about pronouncing an acronym as a word.

Abbreviation: a shortened form of a word or phrase used for brevity

Acronym: A word formed from the initial letter or letters of each of the
successive parts or major parts of a compound term.

Did you look up the definition of "word"? How is "DME" a "word"? As Ron
implies, "VOR" *could* be considered a "word", but the vast majority of us
spell it out and don't consider it to be a "word".

Then what do you think it is? It's not an abbreviation and you apparently don't
think it's an acronym. So, what is it?

--
Bob Noel
Looking for a sig the
lawyers will hate

On Sat, 29 Jul 2006 16:36:45 GMT, "Casey Wilson" N2310D @ gmail.com
wrote:


An acronym is not a word. Like Bob said there is no requirement that an
acronym be pronouncable, . For detailed references, troop down to your local
library (or branch) and peruse . . . , or New York Time Manual of Stye and Usage.

The latter being a quick read on eye infections.

(Sorry, couldn't help myself.)

Don

"Bob Noel" wrote in message
...
Did you look up the definition of "word"? How is "DME" a "word"? As Ron
implies, "VOR" *could* be considered a "word", but the vast majority of
us
spell it out and don't consider it to be a "word".

Then what do you think it is? It's not an abbreviation

They *are* both abbreviations. "DME" is a shortened form of the phrase
"Distance Measuring Equipment", while "VOR" is a shortened form of the
phrase "Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Range".

In article ,
"Peter Duniho" wrote:

Did you look up the definition of "word"? How is "DME" a "word"? As Ron
implies, "VOR" *could* be considered a "word", but the vast majority of
us
spell it out and don't consider it to be a "word".

Then what do you think it is? It's not an abbreviation

They *are* both abbreviations. "DME" is a shortened form of the phrase
"Distance Measuring Equipment", while "VOR" is a shortened form of the
phrase "Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Range".

I'll have to correct every acronym list I've worked with... wait, the odds of
the military changing are pretty low.

Did you see the latest AOPA rag? It uses the term "initialism" for DME
and VOR etc. That's even worse then our disagreement over the term
acronym and abbreviation.

--
Bob Noel
Looking for a sig the
lawyers will hate

"Bob Noel" wrote in message
...
I'll have to correct every acronym list I've worked with... wait, the odds
of
the military changing are pretty low.

What's your point? That the military also misuses the word "acronym"? Are
we supposed to be surprised about that?

Did you see the latest AOPA rag? It uses the term "initialism" for DME
and VOR etc. That's even worse then our disagreement over the term
acronym and abbreviation.

Why? "Initialism" is a perfectly valid word and does describe both "DME"
and "VOR". Perhaps when you go look up the word "word", you'll take the
moment to check out "initialism" as well.

Pete

In article ,
"Peter Duniho" wrote:

I'll have to correct every acronym list I've worked with... wait, the odds
of
the military changing are pretty low.

What's your point? That the military also misuses the word "acronym"? Are
we supposed to be surprised about that?

I suppose my point is that never before I have heard/read/seen anyone
anywhere complain that DME and VOR, for example, are not acronyms.
But the next time someone supposedly misuses a word such as acronym,
it won't be the last.


Did you see the latest AOPA rag? It uses the term "initialism" for DME
and VOR etc. That's even worse then our disagreement over the term
acronym and abbreviation.

Why? "Initialism" is a perfectly valid word and does describe both "DME"
and "VOR". Perhaps when you go look up the word "word", you'll take the
moment to check out "initialism" as well.

Already looked up "word" - the definitions were not useful to the discussion.
"initalism" isn't in my dictionary.

--
Bob Noel
Looking for a sig the
lawyers will hate

In article ,
Bob Noel wrote:

Did you see the latest AOPA rag? It uses the term "initialism" for DME
and VOR etc. That's even worse then our disagreement over the term
acronym and abbreviation.

Afraid I missed that thread -- but just noticed that my electronic
American Heritage gives "WAC/Women's Army Corps" as an example of an
acronym, and "USMC/United States Marine Corps" as an example of an
abbreviation, with no cross-referencing between them. Weird!