Acronyms and Articles

RocketManJames · #1 03-09-2005, 07:34 PM

Which of these do you prefer? Are both correct, or is only one of them correct?

a) He experienced an NDE. / Ed is an NPA.
b) He experienced a NDE. / Ed is a NPA.

Do you use the appropriate article for the spelled out acronym, or do you use the appropriate article for the actual term?

-RMJ

Shilly · #2 03-09-2005, 07:35 PM

Pretty sure it's "an." Any time you start a word with a vowel sound, you should use "an."

Patrick del Poker Grande · #3 03-09-2005, 07:35 PM

a

RocketManJames · #4 03-09-2005, 07:41 PM

Right, but what I am getting at is... are acronyms simply replacements for the actual term?

If someone were to read: He experienced an NDE.

And, that person read it as: He experienced a near death experience. Would he be incorrect? And, would he be responsible for making the article correction?

-RMJ

istewart · #5 03-09-2005, 07:43 PM

Not using your example, but having just debated this recently, I would say:

I am playing in an MTT.

I am playing in a multi-table tournament.

It's all about how it sounds.

JaBlue · #6 03-09-2005, 07:57 PM

it's obviously A

Dominic · #7 03-09-2005, 09:24 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Which of these do you prefer? Are both correct, or is only one of them correct?

a) He experienced an NDE. / Ed is an NPA.
b) He experienced a NDE. / Ed is a NPA.

Do you use the appropriate article for the spelled article to use when speaking acronym, or do you use the appropriate article for the actual term?

-RMJ

[/ QUOTE ]

this a rule that stems from what it SOUNDS like, not what's correct in composition....if you're writing those terms, you can use either "a" or "an."

If you're speaking, however, what sounds better? We use "an" in front of vowel sounds to make it easier to speak quickly...because the "N" sound when spoken sounds like "EN," hence, a vowel sound, the appropriate article to use when speaking, is "an."

Brainwalter · #8 03-09-2005, 09:55 PM

This brings up a point many ignore. These aren't acronyms. Acronyms are initals that you pronounce as a word. For example, NASA.

I would say "he is a NASA engineer" but I would say "Ed is an NPA" because the first sound following the article is "En". So for non-acronym initials like these, I would use the same article I would use to tell someone "the word starts with an N"

The Dude · #9 03-10-2005, 12:04 AM

Brainwalter's got it right here.

maryfield48 · #10 03-10-2005, 12:48 AM

[ QUOTE ]
This brings up a point many ignore. These aren't acronyms. Acronyms are initals that you pronounce as a word. For example, NASA.

[/ QUOTE ]

So TLA isn't an acronym?