History Main / FunWithAcronyms

In fictional acronyms, priorities are reversed. It's not so important that the full name be clear, memorable and to the point; it matters much more that the actual acronym spell out a word or phrase, preferably a {{meaningful|Name}}, [[RuleOfCool impressive]] (or just plain [[RuleOfFunny funny]]) one. This results in "backronyms", acronyms created before the names they allegedly stand for -- if the acronym even stands for anything at all. In other words, fiction tends to go for [[SelfDemonstratingArticle Appellations Creatively Relevant, Occasionally Nonsensical, Yet Meaningful]].

->'''Calvin:''' Our top-secret club, G.R.O.S.S.– '''G'''et '''R'''id '''O'''f '''S'''limy Girl'''S'''!\\
'''Susie:''' "Slimy girls?!"\\
'''Calvin:''' I know that’s redundant, but otherwise it doesn’t spell anything.
-->--''ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes''

->'''Calvin:''' Our top-secret club, G.R.O.S.S.– '''G'''et '''R'''id '''O'''f '''S'''limy girl'''S'''!\\

-->-- ''ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes''

See also InitialismTitle and AcronymAndAbbreviationOverload. Many examples involve [[JustForFun/SyndicateQuestersUnitedAgainstDeviousness a]] ShoehornedFirstLetter.

See also InitialismTitle and AcronymAndAbbreviationOverload. Many examples involve a ShoehornedFirstLetter.

In government, military, and engineering contexts, this is absolutely TruthInTelevision, probably because there are so many acronyms in those fields that nobody can remember them if they don't have a nice mnemonic. ThatOtherWiki calls it a [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backronym Backronym.]]

-->-- ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes

Of course, sometimes a neat acronym can be derived from a sensible name. This is what we call the best of both worlds. (Or should that be the best of both [[IncrediblyLamePun words]]?)

For even more fun, make it a RecursiveAcronym, or add AcronymConfusion. In government, military, and engineering contexts, this is absolutely TruthInTelevision, probably because there are so many acronyms in those fields that nobody can remember them if they don't have a nice mnemonic. ThatOtherWiki calls it a [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backronym Backronym.]]

->'''Calvin:''' Our top-secret club, G.R.O.S.S.– '''G'''et '''R'''id '''O'''f '''S'''limy girl'''S'''!
->'''Susie:''' "Slimy girls?!"
->'''Calvin:''' [[ComicallyMissingThePoint I know that’s redundant, but otherwise it doesn’t spell anything.]]

* FunWithAcronyms/Other

-->--ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes

For instance, no writer would have allowed New York's police force to come up with the abbreviation "NYPD". That can't even be properly pronounced. No, they'd have named it, ehm... something like the [[WesternAnimation/{{COPS}} Central Organization of Police Specialists]]. It doesn't matter so much that the full title is [[WordSalad essentially meaningless]] -- we got it to spell out COPS! Heck, we can even sell some toys now! Or, you know what would be better than COPS, would be JUSTICE! So what does JUSTICE stand for? Nothing. That's right, we don't even ''need'' it to stand for anything if we don't want it to!

Center for Really Awesome Pictures]]

In fictional acronyms, priorities are reversed. It's not so important that the full name be clear, memorable and to the point; it matters much more that the actual acronym spell out a word or phrase, preferably a {{meaningful|Name}}, [[RuleOfCool impressive]] (or just plain [[RuleOfFunny funny]]) one. This results in "backronyms", acronyms created before the names they allegedly stand for -- if the acronym even stands for anything at all.

For even more fun, make it a RecursiveAcronym, or add AcronymConfusion. In government, military, and engineering contexts, this is absolutely TruthInTelevision, probably because there are so many acronyms in those fields that nobody can remember them if they don't have a nice mnemonic.

See also InitialismTitle and AcronymAndAbbreviationOverload.

Of course, sometimes a neat acronym can be derived from a sensible name. This is what we call the best of both worlds. (Or should that be the best of both words?)

See also InitialismTitle.

-->Calvin: ''"Our top-secret club, G.R.O.S.S.– '''G'''et '''R'''id '''O'''f '''S'''limy girl'''S'''!"''
-->Susie: ''"Slimy girls?!"''
-->Calvin: ''"[[ComicallyMissingThePoint I know that’s redundant, but otherwise it doesn’t spell anything.]]"''

[[caption-width-right:320:This image brought to you by the Center for Really Awesome Pictures]]

%% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1368741231095780100

-->Calvin: ''"I know that’s redundant, but otherwise it doesn’t spell anything."''

[[quoteright:250:[[WesternAnimation/{{Superjail}} http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ascrac.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:250:[-"I ain't climbin' inside no ASCRAC!"-] ]]

For instance, no writer would have allowed New York's police force to come up with the abbreviation "NYPD". That can't even be properly pronounced. No, they'd have named it, ehm... something like the [[WesternAnimation/{{COPS}} Central Organization of Police Specialists]]. It doesn't matter so much that the full title is essentially meaningless -- we got it to spell out COPS! Heck, we can even sell some toys now! Or, you know what would be better than COPS, would be JUSTICE! So what does JUSTICE stand for? Nothing. That's right, we don't even ''need'' it to stand for anything if we don't want it to!

-->--CalvinAndHobbes

In fictional acronyms, priorities are reversed. It's not so important that the full name be clear, memorable and to the point; it matters much more that the actual acronym spell out a word or phrase, preferably a [[MeaningfulName meaningful]], [[RuleOfCool impressive]] (or just plain [[RuleOfFunny funny]]) one. This results in "backronyms", acronyms created before the names they allegedly stand for -- if the acronym even stands for anything at all.

->''"King Wrestling/KofiKingston also has a nice ring to it... not so nice on the initials, but a nice ring."''
-->-- '''Wrestling/CMPunk''', ''[[Wrestling/{{WWERaw}} WWE Monday Night Raw]]''

----

->''"King Kofi Kingston also has a nice ring to it... not so nice on the initials, but a nice ring."''
-->-- '''CMPunk''', ''Wrestling/{{WWE}} MondayNightRaw''