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#2 (permalink) Thu Jan 11, 2007 9:50 am 'a DIY enthusiast' – please, pronounce it for me :) |
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Hi Tamara,
Yes, you spell out each letter and give each its full value as in V I P or P T O.
A _________________ English as a Second Language You can read my ESL story In short |
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Alan Co-founder

Joined: 27 Sep 2003 Posts: 9191 Location: UK
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#3 (permalink) Thu Jan 11, 2007 13:45 pm 'a DIY enthusiast' – please, pronounce it for me :) |
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Hi Alan
Thanks.
My question was caused by my Russian background, as in informal spoken Russian some abbreviations - as VIP from your example - are likely to be pronounced by people as a 'word' - just [vip] (despite the same formal rules for pronouncing abbreviations as in English). _________________ It’s impossible to learn swimming without entering the water… |
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Tamara I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 25 May 2006 Posts: 1577 Location: UK
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#4 (permalink) Thu Jan 11, 2007 14:19 pm 'a DIY enthusiast' – please, pronounce it for me :) |
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Hi Tamara, I believe VIP is more an acronym than an abbreviation. However, I agree that in Russian there is no difference between the two. |
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Pamela I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 14 Mar 2006 Posts: 1239 Location: Rf
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#5 (permalink) Thu Jan 11, 2007 15:49 pm 'a DIY enthusiast' – please, pronounce it for me :) |
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Hi Pamela,
| Quote: |
| I believe VIP is more an acronym than an abbreviation. I agree that in Russian there is no difference between the two. |
OR? Do you mean that they are two different notions? And that there is any difference in definitions of acronym - in Russian and English? I know nothing about that.
Let's just investigate it a bit. 
| Quote: |
acronym an abbreviation consisting of the first letters of each word in the name of something, pronounced as a word: AIDS is an acronym for 'Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome'. |
© Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary
As I know, in Russian also: акроним – это инициальная аббревиатура для НАЗВАНИЙ (acronym = 'initials' abbreviation for names) In the strict sense of the words.
So, in this strict sense, VIP is not an acronym - neither in Russian, nor in English (as it is not a name of something or somebody), even though it’s an abbreviation in both languages.
Or show me where I’m wrong. 
PS Hmm. Now, due to your note, I know more formal rules about pronunciation of "инициальных аббревиатур" in Russian  Russian special dictionary for publishers
They are of three different types/groups – depending on the way of creating. And they pronounce and decline differently, depending on the type. Wow!
Thanks. 
PPS http://acronyms.thefreedictionary.com/VIP - 98 different defintions/decoding : ) of VIP 
And they say it's acronym, yes... but then... what about pronounced as a word (see the above definition I quoted)?...  _________________ It’s impossible to learn swimming without entering the water… |
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Tamara I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 25 May 2006 Posts: 1577 Location: UK
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#6 (permalink) Fri Jan 12, 2007 0:38 am 'a DIY enthusiast' – please, pronounce it for me :) |
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while we're on the subject, O.B.G.Y.N. is a false acronym.
"Hey, Shelly, where've you been for the past two hours?"
"Oh, I went to see my O.B.G.Y.N."
"Really, what's that -- Obnoxious Burglar Getting Your Niceties?"
"No... my Obstetrician-Gynecologist."
"Oh, so you mean your Ob-Gyn or O.G..."
"No, my O.B.G.Y.N.!"
"Oh, brother..." _________________ Billie Jean is not my lover. Hee. |
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Prezbucky I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 07 Nov 2006 Posts: 2527 Location: Nashville, TN (USA)
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#7 (permalink) Fri Jan 12, 2007 8:40 am 'a DIY enthusiast' – please, pronounce it for me :) |
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…Now, having opened Wikipedia and some other useful links on the subject (thanks, Pamela, for your PM), I’ve learnt a lot.
abbreviations... acronyms (pure, false), apronyms (false, recursive, offensive..), backronyms…
OK…
( ) _________________ It’s impossible to learn swimming without entering the water… |
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Tamara I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 25 May 2006 Posts: 1577 Location: UK
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| "Reddish" vs "The reddish" | Expression: "With reference to the following points..." |