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Redundancy in acronyms

Redundancy in acronyms

Thursday, November 03, 2011, 14:47 GMT+7

Dr. Grammar says: First let’s check the answers from last week.

1. It is important to show mutual respect to each other in a marriage. (mutual = to each other) 2. The foreign imports are a lot more popular than the locally made products. (imports are from another country, and therefore must be foreign!)

3. You must plan in advance for any problems you might experience on holiday. (planning is something we do before we go: i.e. in advance)

4. I didn’t like the film because the story just kept recurring again. (recurring = happening again)

5. I was supposed to be catching the flight at 3am in the morning, but I thought it was 3pm in the afternoon! (am is in the morning and pm is in the afternoon!)

Now, let’s look at ACRONYMS!

“What’s wrong with this sentence? I went to the ATM machine to pay for my IELTS test, but I couldn’t get any money out as I had forgotten my PIN number.”

EXPLANATION:

We often abbreviate long names of things or places to make them easier to say. For example, the UK = the United Kingdom. Sometimes we add a word onto the end of an abbreviation when there is no need. However, while strict grammar says these sayings are wrong, they are commonly used and are accepted by many people.

The following lesson will point out some common redundancies used in English and will discuss whether they are ok to use, or wrong!

ATM machine?

What is an ATM? It is a machine which we can use to withdraw money from our bank account. But do we say “ATM” or “ATM machine”? Well the answer is quite simple!

ATM = Automated Teller Machine

So if we say “ATM machine” we are actually saying “Automated Teller Machine machine”! but is it ok?

Where is the nearest ATM? √

Where is the nearest ATM machine? √

You will hear people saying both. Formal writing (e.g. a letter from the bank) will normally use ATM.

PIN Number?

Can you guess what we are looking at here? A PIN is the number you receive from the bank to use to access your account when at an ATM (machine). So is “PIN number” wrong?

PIN = Personal Identification Number

Therefore:

I have forgotten my PIN. √

or

I have forgotten my PIN number. √

That’s right, both are ok in this situation too. Although again, a formal letter from the bank will probably use the “correct” version: PIN.

HIV virus?

How about this one?

HIV = Human Immunodeficiency Virus

In this situation, it is less likely that people will say HIV virus (Human Immunodeficiency Virus virus!).

In Africa many people are infected with HIV/AIDS.

IELTS Test?

Well IELTS stands for “The International English Language Testing System”, so when we think about the grammar it is a bit strange to say IELTS test, but again it is probably more common to say “IELTS test” than “IELTS”.

I have an IELTS test this weekend. √

ER room? And etc?

See if you can find out the problem with these two redundancies:

1. I cut my hand quite badly, so had to go to hospital and receive treatment in the ER room. 2. There are many things that a traveller should take with them, a torch, a penknife, a first aid kit and etc.

So…

I went to the ATM machine to pay for my IELTS test, but I couldn’t get any money out as I had forgotten my PIN number. √

I went to the ATM to pay for my IELTS, but I couldn’t get any money out as I had forgotten my PIN. √

Answers:

1. ER = Emergency Room (Emergency Room room?!)

2. etc = et cetera (latin) which means literally "and so forth." (and and so forth?!)

FURTHER PRACTICE:

See if you can find any more abbreviations which have redundancies. You might be able to find some local examples in Vietnam (VCB bank?!).

This material is provided by the Australian Centre for Education and Training (ACET). 

Tuoitrenews

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