| 词汇 | abbreviations |
| 词源 | abbreviations. Unlike acronyms, abbreviations aren’t usually pronounced as words, but they do serve the same purpose as time- and space-savers. They have been popular since the earli- est times, a good example being SPQR, the abbreviation for Senatus Populusque Romanus, the famous insignia of Rome. Most abbreviations merely suggest the whole word they repre- sent to the reader (as Dr.), but many have become almost words themselves: the letters spoken, as in I.Q. for intelligence quo- tient. A few are even spoken as words, such as vet for veterinar- ian or armed service veteran, ad for advertisement, and ad lib. There are entire dictionaries devoted to the tens of thousands of abbreviations we use, and a complete list of abbreviations of government agencies can be found in the United States Govern- ment Organization Manual. Below are a handful of interesting and humorous abbreviations from slang and standard English that illustrate the diverse and complex ways such coinages are formed. Included are eusystolisms, “initials used in the interest of delicacy,” such as S.O.B: A.A. Alcoholics Anonymous ad lib from the Latin ad libitum, at one’s pleasure; was first a musical term. C-Note century note, $100. C.O.D. collect on delivery; has been traced back to 1859. DTs delirium tremens. et al. from the Latin et alia, “and others.” F.Y.I. For Your Information; ubiquitous on office memos. G.P. general practitioner. Ibid. from the Latin ibidem, “in the same place.” IHS the abbreviation is simply the first two letters and last letter of the Greek word for Jesus, capitalized and Romanized. It does not stand for in hoc signo (“in this sign”) or any other phrase. I.O.U. for “I owe you”; an unusual abbreviation that is based on sound, not sight. MIG standing for a Russian jet fighter, from the initials of the designers of a series of Russian fighters. Mrs., Mr. Mrs. originally stood for “mistress,” when “mistress” meant a married woman, but since a mis- tress today is something entirely different, Mrs. cannot be considered a true abbreviation anymore— there is no full form for the word, unlike for Mr. (mister). P.D.Q. stands for “pretty damn quick,” e.g., “You’d better get started P.D.Q.” Its origin hasn’t been established beyond doubt, although it has been attributed to Dan Maguinnis, a Boston comedian appearing about 1867–1889. Q.T. an abbreviation for “quiet”; “on the q.t.” means stealthily, secretly, e.g., “to meet someone on the q.t.” Origin unknown. Q.V. from the Latin quod vide, “which see.” R.S.V.P. stands for the French répondez s’il vous plait, “please reply,” “the favor of a reply is requested.” UFO Unidentified flying object, the term coined in re- cent times, although the first sightings of such objects were reported as far back as 1896. |
| 随便看 |
|
英语词源词典收录了13259条英语词源词条，基本涵盖了全部常用英语词汇的起源、历史，是研究英语词汇或通过词源学英语的必备工具。