ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS
By Viv Quarry (www.vivquarry.com)
Abbreviations are formed from the initial letters of two or more words and are used to represent a short form of the words, for example 'the UN'. Each letter is spelt as a letter in the alphabet e.g. /YOO EN/ and the letters are usually in capitals if the words, when written, start with a capital letter.
For speakers of Latin based languages like French, Spanish and Italian, a tip for understanding abbreviations and acronyms, especially with international and financial organisations, is first to reverse the order of the letters. It may not always work because sometimes individual words in the abbreviation are translated from English, but doing this will often get you close to the word order in your language.
English language and writing
abbreviations
abbr. / abbrev. = abbreviation
approx. = approximately
ASAP = As soon as possible
B.A. = Bachelor of Arts
BCC = Blind carbon copy (anonymous copy of e-mail sent to)
B.Sc. = Bachelor of Science
c/o = care of e.g. when sending a letter to someone staying at a friend's house
CAE = The Cambridge Advanced Examination
CC = Carbon copy (copy of e-mail message sent to)
cf = confer / compare
ch = chapter
cont'd = continued
Dip. = Diploma
ed = edited by
e.g. = for example (the letters stand for the Latin 'exempli gratia')
encl. = enclosed
etc. = and so on (stands for the Latin 'et cetera')
ext. = extension (telephone number)
FAO = For the attention of
FCE = The Cambridge First Certificate in English
fig = figure (drawing or picture)
ID = Identity
incl. = including / inclusive
info. = information
intro. = introduction
I.Q. = Intelligence Quota
LL.M = Master of Laws
M.A. = Master of Arts
misc. = miscellaneous (different examples of the same thing)
M.Sc. = Master of Science
N/A = Not applicable (does not apply)
NB = important note (stands for Latin 'nota bene')
p. = page
para =
paragraph
Ph.d = Doctor of Philosophy
PTO = Please turn over (the page)
PP = pages
qv = see another entry (in a dictionary) - stands for the Latin 'quod vide'
ref. = reference (number)
RSVP = Please reply to this (invitation) - stands for the French 'Respondez s'il vous plait'
s.a.e. = Stamped addressed envelope (a prepaid envelope with the address written on it)
vocab. = vocabulary
Location, measurement, numbers and time
abbreviations
1st, 2nd & 3rd = the first, the second and the third
C =
Centigrade
cm =
centremetre(s)
cwt = hundredweight
doze = dozen (12)
F = Fahrenheit
g = gram
GMT = Greenwich Mean Time
kg = kilogram
km = kilometre(s)
lb = imperial pound (weight)
m = metre(s) or million
max. = maximum
min. = minimum
N, S, E & W = north, south, east & west (only capital letters in geographical place names)
No. = Number
oz = imperial ounce (weight)
p.a. = per year (from the Latin 'per annum')
pt = imperial pint (liquid)
Rd. = Road
St. = Street
t = Ton (weight)
tel. no. = telephone number
tsp = teaspoon (cooking)
tbsp = tablespoon (cooking)
Xmas = Christmas
Financial, commercial & business
abbreviations
CV = Curriculum Vitae (resume in American English)
Dept. = Department
FTAA = Free Trade Area of the Americas
GM crops = Genetically Modified crops ('Transgenicos' in Portuguese)
IMF = The International Monetary Fund
IBRD - The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
IADB = The Inter-American Development Bank
ILO = International Labour Organisation
IRS = Internal Revenue Service (USA)
GNP = Gross National Product
GDP = Gross Domestic Product
GNI = Gross National Income
Ltd = Limited (company)
NASDAQ = National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation (system)
PA = Personal Assistant or Public Address (system)
plc = pubic limited company
p.p. = signed on behalf of (from the Latin 'per procurationem')
VAT = Value Added Tax (Government tax on luxury goods)
VIP = Very important person
International and governmental
organisations
CIA = The Central Intelligence Agency (International Security USA)
EEC = The European Economic Community
EU = The European Union
FAA = Federal Aviation Administration (USA)
FAO = Food and Agriculture Organisation
FBI = The Federal Bureau of Investigation (Internal Security USA)
FDA = Food and Drugs Administration (USA)
IAEA = The International Atomic Energy Agency
IOC = The International Olympic Committee
MI5 = Military Intelligence 5 (National Security UK)
MI6 = Military Intelligence 6 (International Security UK)
MP = Military Police or Member of Parliament
NGO = Non-governmental organisation
UN = The United Nations
UNO = The United Nations Organisation
UNHCR = Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
WFP = World Food Programme
WHO = The World Health Organisation
WTO = The World Trade Organisation
WWF = The World Wildlife Fund
USA = United States of America
Acronyms
An Acronym is a word formed from an abbreviation, where instead of spelling the letters individually, the abbreviation is made into a new word e.g. SARS /SARZ/. An acronym is also usually written in capitals.
AIDS = Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
FIFA = The Federation of International Football Associations
NATO = The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation
OPEC = Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries
SARS = Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
TOEFL = Test of English as a Foreign Language
UEFA = Union of European Football Associations
UNCTAD = United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
UNESCO = United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation
UNICEF = United Nations Children's Fund (formerly the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund)
For more information on abbreviations and acronyms see this entry in
the Wikipedia
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