Abbreviation

Abbreviation is the act or result of reduction of word or phrase by omitting letters or syllables.

Abbreviation Types

Graphic abbreviation is the shortened form of a word or phrase used only in written speech to represent the whole.

E.g., Dr. (doctor), B.C. (before Christ), c.b. (cash book), Ice. (Iceland), s.s. (sections), vltg. (voltage), wt (warrant; weight; without), e.g. (Lat. exempli gratia: for example), Cu (Chem. Lat. cuprum: copper)

Acronym is a word formed from the first letter or letters of words in a phrase and pronounced as an ordinary English word. Acronyms are used in all types of speech.

Eg., EXTEND (Exercise Training for the Elderly and/or Disabled), GEMS (Global Environmental Monitoring System [in the UN]), SWALK (Sealed With A Loving Kiss [on envelopes]), YIP (US [a member of the] Youth International Party)

Initialism is a word formed from the first letter or letters of words in a phrase and pronounced as a series of letters. Initialisms are used in all types of speech.

E.g., ACT (American College Test), NNS (Nonmetalic Sheathed Cable), PCI (a Potential Criminal Informant), SOL (US Sl: Shit Out of luck), TGIF (Thank God It's Friday)

Clipped Form is an independent word formed by dropping one or more syllables from a longer word or phrase.

E.g., deb (debutante), fridge (refridgerator), phone (telephone), deli (delicatessen), flu (influenza)

Abbreviation Mechanism

Apocope (final clipping) is the loss or omission of one or more letters or syllables at the end of a word or phrase, or words in a phrase.

E.g., amp (ampere), co-op (co-operative), act. (actual), sp vol (specific volume), NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), n.p.p. (no passed proof)

Syncope (medial clipping) is the loss or omission of one or more letters or syllables from the middle of a word or phrase.

E.g., maths (mathematics), fancy (fantasy), ma'am (madam), intl (international), jnt stk (joint stock), mge (message), Dr. (doctor)

Apheresis (initial clipping) is the loss or omission of one or more letters or syllables at the beginning of a word or phrase.

E.g., squire (esquire), count (account), phone (telephone), plane (aeroplane), tend (attend), fend (defend)

Apocope + Apheresis

E.g., flu (influenza), frig (refrigerator)

Apocope + Syncope (Syncope + Apocope)

E.g., sm. caps. (Printing: small capitals), Lt-Col (Lieutenant-Colonel), Beds (Bedfordshire)

Apheresis + Syncope

E.g., x'd (executed), xlnt (excellent)

Blending

Blending is the word formation process combining abbreviation and compounding.

Blend (portmanteau) is a word whose second constituent is always represented by an aphaeretic¹ stem; the first constituent may be represented by a non-clipped, apocopated² or syncopated³ stem. Non-clipped stems may form a blend if they have a telescopic syllable in common.

E.g., cinemactress = cinemA + Actress

guesstimate = guess + estimate

smog = smoke + fog

Additive Blend is transformable into a phrase consisting of the respective non-clipped stems combined by the conjunction AND.

E.g., SMOG: a mixture of SMOKE AND FOG.

Restrictive Blend is transformable into an attributive phrase with the first element serving as modifier of the second.

E.g., spam = spiced ham

telecast = television broadcast

pulsar = pulsating stellar

Blending Mechanism

1. Telescoping Non-Clipped Stems

E.g., cinemActress = cinemA + Actress

2. Juxtaposing Clipped Stems

a). apocopated stem + aphaeretic stem

E.g., spam = SPiced + hAM

b). non-clipped stem + aphaeretic stem

E.g., toytoon = toy + cartoon

3. Overlapping Clipped Stems

a). apocopated stem + aphaeretic stem

E.g., smog = SMOke + fOG

b). non-clipped stem + aphaeretic stem

E.g., beefalo = beeF + bufFalo