Abbreviation

An abbreviation is a shorter version of a word or phrase. For example, RSPCA is a shortened version of “Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty or Animals“. “Approx.” is a shortened version of “approximately”.

The word “abbreviation” is an umbrella term for many different types of shortened words and phrases. For example:

• Contractions
• Acronyms
• Initialisms
• Logograms
• Syllabic Abbreviations
• Portmanteaus
• Crases
• Elisions
• Numeronyms
• Clippings or Truncations
  • Aphaereses
  • Apheses
  • Apocopes
  • Syncopes
  • Clipped Compounds

There are many reasons why we use these. It largely depends on which type and the context of when it’s used! However, here are some of the more common reasons:

• It’s easier than saying or writing the full word or phrase (E.g. “FBI” is quicker than “Federal Bureau of Investigation”).
• You want to communicate information quickly and efficiently.
• You have a word limit, such as on a social media platform or for an essay.
• The abbreviation has become so popular that it’s more well-known than the full word or phrase (E.g. many people don’t know that “laser” is an acronym).
• You’re using it as a form of jargon that only people in the same group as you understand.
• Contractions, in particular, tend to be more informal than their full versions. So, they’re useful for casual situations.
• You want to communicate that a person is speaking in slang or a dialect.

Be careful when you use abbreviations in your writing! You need to make sure that they’re appropriate for the situation and that they can be understood easily by your implied reader. If not, it’s up to you to explain it before you use it too much. Never use contractions in essays.

Also, make sure you know the difference between acronyms and initialisms. Many people use the word “acronym” for both! If you’re not sure, it’s much better for you to just use the word “abbreviation”. However, the difference is very clear once you notice it!

You say an acronym like it’s a word, e.g. POTUS. With an initialism, you say each letter, e.g. RSPCA or FBI.