Post by TimberWolf7.62 on Oct 20, 2009 13:43:15 GMT -5
Once again, the civilian world has taken something from the military and hosed it up. I am referring to the acronym “ASAP”. This stands for “As Soon As Possible”, which usually translates into “NOW”. It is pronounced “AAA-SAP” The “AAA” rhymes with “lay” and the “SAP” rhymes with “lap”. Two syllables. The civilians spell it all out, “AAA-ESS-AAA-PEE”. (Actually, I have heard some military types pronounce it this way recently, but this is due to their pre-military upbringing in the civilian world).
This is just stupid. The whole idea behind substituting an acronym for a phrase is that it is quicker and easier to say. “As soon as possible” is six syllables. “AAA-SAP” is two. Big savings, right? But spelling it out “AAA-ESS-AAA-PEE” is four syllables, which pretty much defeats the purpose of making it an acronym in the first place.
If an acronym is able to be pronounced like a word, you generally do so, not spell it out. NATO, for example is “NAY-TOW”, not “EN-AAA-TEE-OH”. The M249 Squad Automatic Weapon is the “SAW”, not the “ESS-AAA-DOUBLE-U”. The Navy abbreviates “Commander in Chief, Pacific” to CINCPAC, pronounced “SINK-PACK”, not “CEE-I-ENN . . . ” oh, hell, I’m not going to spell that all out. You get the idea.
The same goes for “UFO”. This is pronounced “YEW-FO”; two syllables, not spelled out.
And while I’m on the subject of pronunciation, how in the hell do they get “LEN-UCKS” out of “Linux”? The man’s name is Linus (“LIE-NUSS”), so the “Lin” should be pronounced “LINE”. The operating system is pronounced “YEW-NICKS”, so the “ix” should be just like it looks, “ICKS”. This gives you “LINE-ICKS”, and that is the way a number of people say it. To pronounce it “LEN-UCKS”, the man’s name would have to be “LEN-NUSS” and the operating system would have to be “YOU-NUCKS”. “YOU-NUCKS” (eunuchs), my dear boy, are those big, castrated guys that guard harems. If you claim to be experienced with “YOU-NUCKS”, then are you talking about computer software or some kind of weird homosexual acts?
This is just stupid. The whole idea behind substituting an acronym for a phrase is that it is quicker and easier to say. “As soon as possible” is six syllables. “AAA-SAP” is two. Big savings, right? But spelling it out “AAA-ESS-AAA-PEE” is four syllables, which pretty much defeats the purpose of making it an acronym in the first place.
If an acronym is able to be pronounced like a word, you generally do so, not spell it out. NATO, for example is “NAY-TOW”, not “EN-AAA-TEE-OH”. The M249 Squad Automatic Weapon is the “SAW”, not the “ESS-AAA-DOUBLE-U”. The Navy abbreviates “Commander in Chief, Pacific” to CINCPAC, pronounced “SINK-PACK”, not “CEE-I-ENN . . . ” oh, hell, I’m not going to spell that all out. You get the idea.
The same goes for “UFO”. This is pronounced “YEW-FO”; two syllables, not spelled out.
And while I’m on the subject of pronunciation, how in the hell do they get “LEN-UCKS” out of “Linux”? The man’s name is Linus (“LIE-NUSS”), so the “Lin” should be pronounced “LINE”. The operating system is pronounced “YEW-NICKS”, so the “ix” should be just like it looks, “ICKS”. This gives you “LINE-ICKS”, and that is the way a number of people say it. To pronounce it “LEN-UCKS”, the man’s name would have to be “LEN-NUSS” and the operating system would have to be “YOU-NUCKS”. “YOU-NUCKS” (eunuchs), my dear boy, are those big, castrated guys that guard harems. If you claim to be experienced with “YOU-NUCKS”, then are you talking about computer software or some kind of weird homosexual acts?