I think that the meaning of SCUBA has changed from an acronym to a word, which is now an adjective. If you said “I’m going to go buy some SCUBA”, you would face an odd look at the least and possibly a misunderstanding too. Everyone understands what “ATM” and “PIN” mean, though.
I vote for “go ahead and say it”.
Why not? We insist on saying “deja vu all over again”.
Remember the arguement (here) over pluralizing “WMD”?
It’s a lively language, and I like it that way.
So shut up. Cut the mike.
Peace,
mangeorge
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That’s a reference to a Yogi Berra quote, so cut the crap and the mic. 
I agree with this. Acronyms that get too precise lose acronym value and become defacto words. I have nothing to add to the debate and was not going to post, but then I realized that in the spirit of the thread we needed more redundancy in replies.
SWAT is Special Weapons And Tactics, adding teams at the end is not redundant.
So it does. Thank you for the correction.
Ah, here’s why I thought it was redundant: it used to mean Special Weapons Assault Team. Clearly my sources are just outdated!
Computer Programmers, who are usually very nitpicky about exactness (they have to be, professionally) have been talking about the COBOL language for nearly 50 years. But the last L in COBOL is for Language, so this is another such redundancy.
TCBY yogurt?
I understand what you’re saying but PIN is a word as well as an acronym. What else could you interpret , “ATM” as? Don’t forget the original thread as trivial as it may be.
Think before you speak…don’t be a sheep!
RAS syndrome. LOL
Yeah, Automated Teller Machine Machine makes a lot more sense. :wally
I always say “ATM machine” as it seperates it from the “ATM switch” that I work on. I don’t think my friends would be confused if I stopped, but it is the way it is.
-Otanx
I think an even more interesting point is that ATM machines have been around for 20-25 years and people are still amazed that people say “ATM machines.” Right now, this very second, there is a child being born, who once he learns the nuances of the English language, is going to make the statement “Hey, wait a minute, you know what? Did ya ever notice that some people are saying ATM machine, isn’t that redundant?!” 
Of course, this is coming from a guy (me) who once asked the question “Why do some English rock stars seem to sing with an American accent?” 
Where I work, we maintain communication to Automated** T**eller Machines, and some of them communicate to ops centers using Asynchronous Transfer Mode… and it still pisses me off when people say ATM machine
…and oops, sorry Otanx, missed your post. I am essentially referring to the same thing Otanx is.
Don’t forget BTK Killer.
Well not that I am big on grammar, but the use of ATM, SCUBA and the like can be used as a adjective, which modifies a noun. It helps to define what type of machine or gear if you are using the term as a single part of speech.
True. But it’s fair to note that usage is much more often along the lines of “Look at this COBOL program” than “Look at this COBOL language program.”