alphabetism

Definition

An initialism: an abbreviation which is read letter by letter, such as UN.

Etymology

From alphabet + -ism.

Example Sentences

• "Some alphabetisms are written as if they weren't alphabetisms at all, like deejay for DJ, disc jockey, or emcee for MC, master of ceremonies."
• "Some of the activities involved in ... corvée and military needs stimulated the spread of a certain type of minimal alphabetism for inventorying and most likely encouraged the development of a professional scribalism for record-keeping and book-keeping."
• "The answer, I suggest, is that phonemism is rooted in alphabetism. Indeed, many linguists have suggested that there really is a /g/ phoneme at the end of 'fang' and other [ŋ]-final words in English, except that they are not pronounced!"

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