Acronyms and initialisms can be powerful tools for concise communication, but be careful how you use them.
Before I go further, let’s be clear on our terms. My New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary defines acronym as “a word formed from the initial letters or parts of other words.” Some commonly used acronyms are NATO (for North Atlantic Treaty Organization) and FUBAR (F*cked Up Beyond All Recognition).
Acronyms can be distinguished from initialisms in that acronyms are pronounced as words (you say “nay-toh”) while initialisms are pronounced letter-by-letter (you say “C-I-A,” not “see-ah”). They are formed the same way, with the first letters of words, but acronyms and initialisms are not quite the same thing. People often call something an acronym when, really, it’s an initialism.
The main purpose of acronyms – arguably their very reason for existing – is to make written and spoken communication more concise. Why say “North Atlantic Treaty Organization” (four words, 11 syllables) when you can just say “NATO” (one word, two syllables) and everyone will know what you’re talking about? It’s easy, then, to understand why the acronym is a popular implement in any writer’s toolbox.
But there’s a caveat to keep in mind here. You need to be sure that your audience knows what you’re talking about. Don’t assume everyone knows what STEM learning and LEED certification are. For clarity, most acronyms and initialisms should be paired on first use with the full terms being abbreviated:
- “Why are science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs so important?”
- “The builders applied for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification.”
Sometimes you can be pretty darn sure the reader knows what you mean, because some acronyms and initialisms have become so commonly used that no clarification is needed. The reader probably doesn’t need you to clarify that NATO stands for North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or that AIDS is an abbreviation of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. A person may not know that NASA’s full name is National Aeronautics and Space Administration, but still you could probably just use the acronym without parenthetical expansion and the average reader would know you’re talking about the American space agency.
Some acronyms have become so entrenched in everyday language that they are spelled in lowercase letters and many people don’t realize they are acronyms. You never have to explain that scuba stands for “self-contained underwater breathing apparatus,” though I wonder how many folks know it does. People just know what you mean when you talk about scuba diving. Likewise, people talk about radar and spell it all-lowercase without necessarily knowing it’s an old U.S. Navy acronym for “radio detection and ranging.”
A good rule of thumb here is that you should probably let your reader know what an acronym or initialism stands for the first time you use it. Some don’t need clarification, but most do. If you’re not sure whether a particular string of letters needs clarifying, it probably does. In any case, your editor can make that judgment for you. That’s what editors are for.