Unit 10.1
Abbreviations
Introduction
Abbreviations are shortened or contracted forms of words or phrases.
Form
Abbreviations are the generic word for this kind of forms, but there are different types of abbreviations.
- Initialism: Formed by the first letters of a group of words. The letters are pronounced individually.
- Acronyms: Formed by the first letters of a group of words. The letters are pronounced as a single word.
- Shortening: Using only the beginning or the ending of the word.
- Contractions: Omitting letters of the middle of the word.
Example
Initialism
- CEO – Chief Executive Officer
- USA – United States of America
- FBI – Federal Bureau of Investigation
Acronyms
- NASA – National Aeronautical and Space Administration
- SIM – subscriber identification module
- PIN – personal identification number
Shortenings
- Temp. – temperature
- etc. – etcetera
- ad – advertisement
Contractions
- Mr – Mister
- vs – versus
- St – Saint
Use
We use abbreviations in everyday life and in all fields of knowledge, so is important to be familiar with them. They can be substituted by the whole word or phrase, though it is more work to do.