“Acrhomonyms” is the word I just invented to described acronyms that can have more than one meaning, depending on context. (I would have spelled it “achromonyms”, but that sounds so colorless.)
For example, PC could mean both Personal Computer or Politically Correct. (Or even Program Counter, to use another computer meaning.)
Another example: DNR = Department of Natural Resources, or DNR = Do Not Recusitate (I’m told this is the designation for patients who are not to be brought back to life if they begin to die. Creepy, I know, and I may be wrong, but these are the sorts of things I hear.)
I’m sure there are many more. Any suggestions?
You can do a little research using Acronym Finder if you’re interested. For example, the finder returned four different meanings for “WWF”, 77 for “CD”, and a whopping 109 for “PC”, including “professional corporation”, “patrol craft”, “Panama Canal”, “Peace Corps”, “personal chat”, “petty cash”, and “police constable”.
Type in your initials! Turns out “zut” is not an acronym, but my real initials yield four hits, and just for you, BlackKnight, BK has 21, including “blood killers”, “backstroke”, “Burger King”, and “British Knights”. “GWB”, by the way, yields five, including “George Walker Bush”. Must be nice to be recognized as an acronym.
I wish I could figure out which acronym gives the most different phrases. My money’s on “AA” (114) for two-letter acronymns and “ABC” (86) for three-letters.
I can’t believe I missed the WWF one! When I was young I once saw a sign for the World Wildlife Fund and spent the day wondering what pandas had to do with professional wrestling.
An abbreviation that occasionally causes confusion at the Hometownboy house is **TP ** which is used interchangably for “toothpaste” and “toilet paper.” Ask twice, before you go to the store.
Since my parents were both teachers, I grew up hearing about NEA#2 all the time, but had never heard of NEA#1. Needless to say, I was a bit confused when every newspaper in America started accusing the NEA of being nothing but a haven for perverts and pornographers (my parents are doing that?!? Cool!).
