Acronyms

If I may stick my oar in -

An acronym is read as a word. If the abbreviation cannot be read as a word, it is called an initialism:

Laser, UEFA, NATO, radar, scuba - all acronyms
BBC, FBI, EU - all initialisms

UFO is both, but that's a story for another day :)
 
If I may stick my oar in -

An acronym is read as a word. If the abbreviation cannot be read as a word, it is called an initialism:

Laser, UEFA, NATO, radar, scuba - all acronyms
BBC, FBI, EU - all initialisms

UFO is both, but that's a story for another day :)
That’s not fully correct as there is disputing opinion on it. Initialisms are definitely agreed upon but many early sources explaining acronyms use initialisms as examples. Acronym is the more modern word and probably explains more how an initialism can be additionally spoken in word like form reflecting changing speech patterns. The initialism ‘ASAP’ is a good example of an initialism undergoing change from one way of spoken style to another via US usage.
 

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