Acronyms in language

            Acronyms are words formed from the initial letters of other words and pronounced as they are spelled, not as separate letters. Examples include:

Acronym                                          Full form

Aids                                                Acquired immune deficiency syndrome

NATO                                             North Atlantic Treaty Organization

UNESCO                                        United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization

SIM (card)                                      Subscriber identification module

              Most acronyms can be written as capital letters or with only an initial capital letter.

Some acronyms are so established that they are now ‘normal’ words, generally used without conscious awareness of their original full form. These words should be written in lower-case letters. Examples include:

Laser                                               Light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation

Radar                                              Radio detection and ranging

quango                                            Quasi-autonomous non-governmental organization

Scuba                                              Self-contained underwater breathing apparatus