From: morrisj@epsilon3.me   
      
   On 10/17/2025 11:30 AM, The Horny Goat wrote:   
   > On Tue, 14 Oct 2025 20:13:06 -0500, Jay Morris    
   > wrote:   
   >   
   >> Both acronyms and initialisms are made up of the first letter or letters   
   >> of the words in a phrase. The word acronym typically applies when the   
   >> resulting thing can be read as a word; for example, radar comes from   
   >> "radio detection and ranging" and scuba comes from "self-contained   
   >> underwater breathing apparatus." The word initialism only applies when   
   >> the resulting thing is read as an abbreviation; for example DIY, which   
   >> comes from "do it yourself," is pronounced by saying the names of the   
   >> letters. Note that the word acronym is also sometimes used to mean   
   >> "initialism."   
   >>   
   >> M-W used to have a hard line between the two.   
   >   
   > So if I refer to CPOC as "see-pee-oh-see" it's an 'initialism' but if   
   > as "see-pock" it's an acronym - have I got it right? (It's the   
   > initials of a non-American political party)   
      
   I would think so but do people actually use both? I rarely see/hear ones   
   that people use both ways. I have never heard USAA (my insurance)   
   pronounced US-AH or NASA as en-a-ess-a. The exception for me would be   
   asap. I learned it in the army as A-SAP and it meant "What? You haven't   
   already done it?"  But in the last couple decades I hear it as   
   a-ess-a-pee and it means as soon as you can.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)