Abbreviations and acronyms in the english language abbreviation as a linguistic phenomenon

4. WAYS OF FORMING ACRONYMS IN ENGLISH

New word-building models that are often in their infancy include models for the formation of acronyms. Models of acronyms, like any formulas for the structure of linguistic units, can only appear in specific, actually existing lexical units. Acronym models arise in the language not simply because some “successful” acronym appears, which becomes a model, the basis of a model for the subsequent formation of new acronyms, but primarily due to the structural nature of the language, the desire for typification of language units, ensuring the regularity of their reproduction and their uniformity. understanding, and also due to the fact that in the language there are word-formation models for other types of words.

The starting point in the analysis of acronym models should be a structural-semantic approach. In other words, we should not talk about some purely formal sound or letter structures, devoid of a content plan, but about structural-semantic models that are inextricably linked with a certain semantic load.
This situation can be illustrated by the example of the well-known acronym radar . This most typical, "classic" sample of an acronym is given in almost all works devoted to the problems of abbreviation.
The word radar , which is the most typical example of acronyms, serves as a model for the formation of a number of acronyms expressing single-order concepts.
When viewed in isolation, the acronym radar appears as a single morphemic , then non-segmented word. However picture , essentially becomes more difficult if We we will consider radar, for example in next row similar acronyms : RADAR< Radio Detection and Ranging; AUDARand others _
Writing acronyms in capital letters in this case is conditional; in general, it ranges from regular writing of abbreviations such as radar , sonar , to unstable - in the cases of ladar and LADAR, Vedar and VEDAR.
In this series of acronyms, quite clearly built "in the image and likeness" of the acronym radar , the -AR component is quite definitely identified. This component, which is related to the components ... and ranging in the correlate, serves as a kind of identifying feature that allows us to attribute each of the acronyms of the above series to the names of location devices, that is, radio devices designed to determine the location of objects in space.
It is obvious that in this case we are dealing with a structural-semantic model for designating location devices, which roughly approximately will look not like CVCVC (E. P. Voloshin's formula), but like (X)AR, where X can also be CVC ( RAD-AR), and WC (AUD-AR), and CVCVC (COLID-AR), etc.
A group of acronyms built according to the (X)AN model, with a common meaning "navigation system, navigation device, navigation device" is also quite clearly distinguished.
As in other cases, the final component -AN carries a well-defined semantic load; it is he who indicates that this series of acronyms serves to designate various navigation devices, although this component itself can be correlated with various elements of correlates:
1) ... and navigation (ATRAN< Automatic Terrain Recognition and Navigation);
2) ... airborne navigator (DEXAN3) ... aids to navigation (HIRAN4) ... aerospace navigation (MAN5) ... automatic navigator (MANCAN6) ... air navigation (PECAN
In the formation of acronyms for the series (X)AN, the phenomenon of telescoping can also occur: HIRAN - High Precision Shoran . Here, too, telescoping plays a subordinate role; it serves only as one of the ways to "fill" the model.
maser (maser) and laser (laser) have become widespread , especially the latter. These words were created on the principle of acronymy American physicist Townes (S. N. Townes ) from Columbia University in 1951.
This structural - semantic model (X ) aser serving For education row acronyms for _ various quantum mechanical _ devices : laser< light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation; maserThus, here we are dealing with a clearly distinguished model for the formation of acronyms (X) aser with a well-defined meaning "a device (device) for amplifying ... (X) ... by stimulating radiation."
Thus, the acronyms laser and maser , created by Townes , really became the prototypes for a number of acronyms that serve to name quantum mechanical amplifiers.
Among the active models of acronyms in modern English is the (X)AC model, according to which the abbreviated names of various kinds of automatic electronic computing devices are formed.
First acronym this series was ENI A C - electronic numerical integrator and computer. How And V others models , general element - AC It has sustainable meaning " automatic electronic - computing device ", although Maybe have various compliance V correlates : ... automatic computer (UNIVAC - Universal Automatic Computer); ... analog computer (BEAC - Boeing Electronic Analog Computer); ... and computer (ENIAC - Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer); ... ( data ) assimilation computer (NAVDAC - Navigation Data Assimilation Computer). Various correlates can refine, modify to a certain extent the value of the -AC component, but nevertheless its general meaning as a component indicating the value of the model remains unchanged.
The trend towards the formation of acronyms according to structural and semantic models is manifested in the creation of numerous acronymic terminological "microsystems" in various industries.
For example, in radio-electronic vocabulary, a group of acronyms is distinguished, created according to the (X)INS model (from ... inertial system or inertial navigation system ), which serves to form the names of various inertial navigation systems: CINS - Cryogenic Inertial System; GAINS _ Analytical Inertial System; PINS - Portable Inertial ( Navigation ) System; REINS- Radar Equipped Inertial System; RINS - Radio Inertial System; SINS - Ships Inertial System.
A group of acronyms with the -TOL component (... takeoff or landing ), denoting certain methods of takeoff and landing, as well as aircraft designed taking into account the corresponding methods of takeoff and landing: ATOL - Assisted takeoff or Landing ; CTOL - Conventional takeoff or Landing ; GETOL- Ground effects takeoff or Landing ; HTOL- Horizontal takeoff or Landing ; STOL- Short takeoff or Landing ; VTOL- Vertical takeoff or Landing ; V/STOL- Vertical and / or short takeoff or Landing .
In the maritime literature, a number of acronyms with the component -AG (... and Gas Turbine ) are noted, denoting various combined ship (ship) power plants: CODAG - Combined Diesel and Gas Turbine ; CODEAG - Combined Diesel Electric and Gas Turbine ; COGAG- Combined Gas Turbine and Gas Turbine ; CONAG- Combined Nuclear and Gas Turbine ; COSAG- Combined Steam and Gas Turbine .
Examples of series of this kind could be multiplied. Noteworthy is the fact that all these series of acronyms are essentially open: the number of new lexical units created according to these and similar models is limited only by the practical needs of expressing new concepts in a particular area.
It can also be noted that not only the acronyms included in the terminological vocabulary are marked by the desire for “ modeling ”. The same trend is found in slang formations. An example is a group of slang words formed according to the type of the well-known SNAFU, snafu - situation normal , all fouled up - "the situation is normal - a complete mess": CUMMFU - complete utter monumental military foul-up ; JAAFU - joint Anglo-American foul-up ; JACFU - joint American- Chinese foul-up ; JANFU - Joint Army- Navy foul-up ; SAPFU - surpassing all previous foul-ups ; SUSFU - situation unchanged , still fouled up ; TARFU - things are really fouled up ; TUIFU- the ultimate in foul-up .
Truncated parts of words can also act as some common part of the model, which serves to identify it. So, to form acronyms denoting logical language converters, the (X)TRAN model is used, where -TRAN is a truncation of translator - “transformer”: ALTRAN - Algebraic Translator ; COMTRAN-Commercial Translator ; CONTRAN - Control Translator ; FORTRAN-Formula Translator ; GOTRAN- Load and Go FORTRAN; HYCOTRAN - Hybrid Computer Translator
Models (X)TRAN and (X)AN, despite the similarity of the final component -AN, do not mix; among the acronyms formed according to the (X)AN model, there are no such in which the letter combination -TRAN would be observed.
Finally, an acronym that was previously used independently can also act as a common part of the model. An example of this is a series of acronyms with the -CAP component from Combat Air Patrol - "aircraft cover squad of an aircraft carrier group." Initially, for the name of this detachment, one acronym SAR was dispensed with; however, with the differentiation of functions and in connection with the change in the composition of the detachment depending on the tasks performed, that is, with the advent of new types of such detachments, it became necessary to give them special names, in connection with which the model (X) CAP arose, which well links the concept, expressed by the acronym CAP and has already become generic, with newly emerging specific concepts. The following acronyms were created to name these new types of air cover units: LOCAP - Low Altitude Combat Air Patrol - "air cover squad operating at low altitudes"; NIGHTCAP - Combat Air Patrol for Night Protection - "air cover squad operating at night"; DADCAP - Dawn and Daylight Combat AirPatrol - "an air cover squad operating at dawn and during the day" , etc.
So, the above material quite convincingly shows that many acronyms in modern English are built according to certain structural-semantic models and that in acronyms built according to one model, some common part is distinguished, indicating the general meaning of this model.