Rob Ricciricci
Oct 2, 2026, 4:05 AMWhat's the most deeply nested acronym that isn't recursive?
Replies
- Rob RicciricciOct 2, 2026, 4:08 AM
The deepest one I know is
EUTRA
Which is
Evolved UTRA
UTRA is
UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access
UMTS is
Universal Mobile Telecommunications System
Tim Jtimtfj@mastodon.socialOct 2, 2026, 8:40 AM@ricci Damn I thought EEPROM went one deeper, but it's just 3 levels.
ROM = read-only memory
PROM = programmable ROM
EEPROM = electrically erasable PROM(EPROM isn't really a separate level, since sticking an adverb on the front doesn't add a level.)
Daniel Lakelanddlakelan@mastodon.sdf.orgOct 2, 2026, 4:09 AM
Oct 2, 2026, 4:10 AM@ricci GTK? (Or better, there's maybe even stuff based on it)
((GNU's Not Unix) Image Manipulation Program) Toolkit
or I guess in recent times:
((GNU's Not Unix) Network Object Model Environment) Toolkit
*Monty Python spam sketch voice* But it has GNU in it! I don't like recursions!
Oct 2, 2026, 4:26 AM
Suzanne Aldrich (she/her)suzannealdrich@hachyderm.ioOct 2, 2026, 5:07 AM@ricci Pine Is Not Elm
ELectronic Mail
- Tim Jtimtfj@mastodon.socialOct 2, 2026, 8:31 AM
@ricci For clarity, for I bear the scars of one who has engaged in bouts of Wikipedia editing: are we required to distinguish between acronyms and initialisms, or can we be sensible about it and just use the word the usual way everyone does?
(The distinction is to do with whether the letters make a pronounceable word or not. It's claimed to be an initialism if you have to say the names of the letters.)
- Rob RicciricciOct 2, 2026, 1:42 PM
@timtfj you know ... I did think about typing 'initialism" in that original post :)
So, uh, in the interest of sparking controversy, EUTRA is pronounced "E" "utrah" (or "youtrah") so which type is it?
- Tim Jtimtfj@mastodon.socialOct 2, 2026, 10:21 PM
@ricci Very disappointingly, there seems to be a sensible answer! As far as I can make out from the OED and M-W definitions, "Acronym" is OK whether it's a pronounceable word or not, and "initialism" is only really OK if the letters are named.
So it's got to be a acronym, I suppose. I wanted to call it an acronysm or acronism and see how people get on with the spelling ;-) (Choose the one that best matches its acronym–initialism ratio.)
- Rob RicciricciOct 2, 2026, 11:28 PM
@timtfj ah, well, sometimes you try to stir up some shit but it doesn't work. can't win 'em all
Andrew Dalkedalke@toots.nuOct 2, 2026, 10:59 AMHARGLO = a series of wind measurement intercomparisons between HARLIE and GLOW (https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20020085170/downloads/20020085170.pdf)
HARLIE = "Holographic Airborne Rotating Lidar Instrument Experiment" (https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/19980236737)
Lidar = "laser imaging, detection, and ranging" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lidar)
laser = "light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser)
Marcos Dionemdione@en.osm.townOct 2, 2026, 12:11 PM- Andrew Dalkedalke@toots.nuOct 2, 2026, 12:28 PM
- Rob RicciricciOct 2, 2026, 1:40 PM
@dalke ooooh that's a good one!
- Marcos Dionemdione@en.osm.townOct 2, 2026, 12:12 PM
@ricci I guess you exclude infinitely recursive like GNU (GNU's Not UNIX)...
- Tim Jtimtfj@mastodon.socialOct 7, 2026, 5:33 AM
- Marcos Dionemdione@en.osm.townOct 7, 2026, 8:44 AM
- Tim Jtimtfj@mastodon.socialOct 7, 2026, 2:37 PM
- Marcos Dionemdione@en.osm.townOct 7, 2026, 2:39 PM