Page 120 - Perfect English Grammar: The Indispensable Guide to Excellent Writing and Speaking

In North America, they are usually written as all capitals. In the United
Kingdom, they are sometimes written as proper nouns (see section 8.7, Proper

Nouns), with only the first letter capitalized.

■ ■ anti-social behaviour order (UK): ASBO, Asbo acquired immune

deficiency syndrome: AIDS
■ ■ National Aeronautics and Space Administration: NASA North Atlantic

Treaty Organization: NATO
■ Rhode Island School of Design: RISD, pronounced but never written

“RIZ-dee”

9.3 Shortening and Clipping

Shortened or clipped words remove letters or syllables, with the remainder

sometimes undergoing modification.

■ ■ ■ ■ advertisement ad because ’cause cockroach roach doctor

■ ■ ■ ■ ■ doc especially specially espy spy facsimile fax gasoline gas
■ ■ ■ influenza flu madam ma’am memorandum memo omnibus

■ ■ ■ ■ bus parachute chute robot bot spectacles specs telephone
phone

9.4 Blends and Portmanteaus

Portmanteaus or blends take parts of two words and combine them into a single
word.

■ ■ ■ costume + play cosplay fan + magazine fanzine motor + hotel

■ ■ ■ motel situation + comedy sitcom Spanish + English Spanglish

■ spoon + fork spork telephone + marathon telethon