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Shortcut!
Did you know 'OK' started as a joke, and that some everyday words are secret shortcuts? Let's crack the hidden stories behind abbreviations!
Did you know?
'OK' began as a joke! In the 1830s, people in Boston enjoyed funny misspelt abbreviations. 'OK' stood for 'oll korrect', a silly spelling of 'all correct'. Its earliest known use is in a Boston newspaper from 23 March 1839.
Some short forms are said as words, like NASA. These are called acronyms. Others are said letter by letter, like BBC or FBI. These are called initialisms. Say each one aloud to tell them apart!
The 'a.m.' and 'p.m.' on clocks come from Latin. 'a.m.' is ante meridiem, meaning 'before midday', and 'p.m.' is post meridiem, meaning 'after midday'. So 12 noon is neither!
Try this: Hidden Shortcut Words
These everyday words began as acronyms. Join the capital letters to find each one. 1. Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus (diving gear). 2. RAdio Detection And Ranging (finds planes). 3. Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation (a narrow beam of light). Bonus: which of the three words reads the same backwards?
Show answer
1. scuba, 2. radar, 3. laser; bonus: radar
Go further: The Double-Word Mistake
Have you heard someone say 'PIN number' or 'ATM machine'? PIN already stands for 'personal identification number', so 'PIN number' really means 'personal identification number number'! ATM stands for 'automated teller machine', so 'ATM machine' says 'machine' twice. Language lovers jokingly call this 'RAS syndrome', short for 'redundant acronym syndrome'. And 'RAS syndrome' repeats 'syndrome' too! Listen for these double words around you.