acronyms versus abbreviations

[Mark A. Mandel]

Jim added:
    >>>>>
yet another member of the acronym family:  the one in which a string of
letters which is not pronounceable as stands is rendered into something
pronounceable.  The example that comes to mind is /'nim squat'/ for NMSQT
(National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test).
 <<<<<

POSSLQ = /'pas at lkju/ = "possle Q", official U.S. Census (I think) -ese for
"person of same sex sharing living quarters".

-- Mark
[This text prepared with Dragon NaturallySpeaking.]

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