CAMBRIDGE
ENGLISH VOCABULARY IN USE ADVANCED
UNIT 85
Abbreviations and acronyms
A
|
Abbreviations pronounced as
individual letters
e.g.
|
for example, from exempli gratia (Latin)
|
i.e.
|
that is, from id est (Latin)
|
AD
|
the year of our Lord, from Anno Domini (Latin),
used in the Christian calendar to count years since the birth of Christ;
many people prefer CE as an alternative [Common Era]
|
BC
|
before Christ, used to count the years before the birth
of Christ; many people prefer BCE [before the Common Era]
|
EU
|
European Union
|
ID
|
identity document
|
NB
|
note well, from nota bene (Latin), used as a
warning or to point out something important
|
IQ
|
intelligence quotient: a way of measuring people’s
intelligence using a system of numbers
|
PTO
|
please turn over
|
USB
|
Universal Serial Bus: a type of connection between a
computer and an electronic device
|
FAQ
|
frequently asked questions
|
ASAP
|
as soon as possible
|
VIP
|
very important person
|
RSVP
|
please reply (used on invitations, from French, répondez
s’il vous plaît)
|
UFO
|
/juːefˈəʊ/ unidentified flying object; often used to talk about
an alien spaceship
|
|
B
|
Shortened and blended words
bedsit
|
a flat with only one room
which is a bedroom and a sitting room
|
sitcom
|
short for situational comedy: a kind of
humorous TV programme
|
sci-fi
|
/ˈsaɪfaɪ/ science fiction
|
info
|
information
|
biodata
|
/ˈbaɪəʊ deɪtə/ biographical data: details about
someone’s life, job and achievements
|
biopic
|
/ˈbaɪəʊpɪk/ biographical picture: a film about the
life of a real person
|
wi-fi
|
/ˈwaɪfaɪ/ wireless fidelity: wireless connection
for computers and electronic communications
|
|
C
|
Acronyms
Some
abbreviations are acronyms, i.e. they are formed from the first
letters (or occasionally syllables) of a word or series of words and are
pronounced as a word.
AIDS
|
/eɪdz/ acquired
immune deficiency syndrome
|
NATO
|
/ˈneɪtəʊ/ North Atlantic Treaty Organisation
|
PIN
|
personal identification
number (used on credit cards, bank cards, etc.)
|
VAT
|
value-added
tax (a kind of tax on goods), pronounced /væt/ or /ˌviːeɪˈtiː/
|
|
D
|
Abbreviations used in academic
writing and bibliographies
fig.
|
figure (a picture or drawing,
often with a number, in a book or other document). Example: See fig. 2.
|
ed. (plural eds)
|
editor/editors (often used in bibliographical
references)
|
p. (plural pp.)
|
page/pages. Examples: see p. 26, see pp.
58–61 (from page 58 to page 61).
|
cf.
|
compare. Example: Carter (1997) investigated core
vocabulary (cf. Lee 1987).
|
et al.
|
and others (used in bibliographical references to refer
to a book or article with several authors, usually three or more). Example:
O’Keeffe et al. (2010) discuss this problem.
|
|
EXERCISES
85.1
|
Insert
the correct Latin abbreviations from A opposite into the gaps.
1
This helmet dates from 500 _____________. It’s over 1,500 years old.
2
The file extension, _____________the letters that follow its name, such as
.docx, .jpg, .mp3, tells you what type of file it is.
3
Type your message here. _____________, press ‘save’ before pressing ‘send’,
or you may lose your message.
4
Fruits, _____________lemons, pears or grapes, are sometimes added when
cooking poultry.
|
|
85.2
|
How
are the abbreviations and shortened expressions in these sentences pronounced?
What do they stand for?
1
NATO is an alliance of North American and European countries.
2
Their FAQ page is completely useless. You can never find what you’re
looking for.
3
She’s very fond of sci-fi films. I prefer biopics.
4
I forgot my PIN and couldn’t get into my bank account online.
5
Do you believe in UFOs?
6
Write back asap.
7
Most of the cafés in town have free wi-fi.
8
The VAT rate is different in different countries of the EU.
9
A lot of people now prefer to use BCE instead of BC.
10
AIDS spread rapidly in the 1980s.
11
He manages to get into the VIP lounge at most airports. I don’t know how he
does it.
12
Where’s the USB connection on this laptop? I can’t find it.
|
|
85.3
|
Answer
the questions.
1
If someone asks you to send them your biodata, what will you send them?
2
Which is likely to be cheaper to rent in the same street in a city, a
two-bedroom flat or a bedsit?
3
If someone asks you for ID, what do they want?
4
If you’re watching a sitcom on TV, are you more likely to want to cry or to
laugh?
5
If a party invitation says RSVP, what should you do?
6
If someone asks you to take an IQ test, what do they want to find out?
7
If you see PTO on a document, what should you do next?
8
What would you expect to find if you clicked on ‘live traffic info’ on a
website?
|
|
85.4
|
Correct
these false statements about academic abbreviations.
1
Smedley and Jones (eds.) means Smedley and Jones wrote the
book or article referred to.
2
See fig. 7 means look at number 7 in a list.
3
Markov et al. means Markov wrote a book or article with another
person.
4
See pp. 33–37 means see the information on page 33 and on
page 37.
5
Cf. Oswald (1987) means ‘read Oswald (1987)’.
|
|
ANSWER KEY
85.1
1
AD / CE 3 NB
2 i.e. 4 e.g.
85.2
1
/ˈneɪtəʊ/ North Atlantic Treaty Organisation
2 F – A – Q frequently asked questions
3 /ˈsaɪfaɪ/ science fiction, /ˈbaɪəʊpɪk/ biographical picture (a film about the life of a real
person)
4 /pɪn/ personal identification number
5 U – F – Os unidentified flying objects
6 A – S – A – P as soon as possible
7 /ˈwaɪfaɪ/ wireless connection for computers or smartphones
(wireless fidelity)
8 V – A – T / /væt/ value added tax
9 B – C – E before the Common Era, B – C before Christ
10 aids acquired immune deficiency syndrome
11 V – I – P very important person
12 U – S – B universal serial bus
85.3
1
a short account of your life and achievements
2 a bedsit
3 proof of identity, e.g. a passport or driving licence
4 laugh
5 you should reply
6 your level of intelligence according to the Intelligence Quotient system
7 turn the page
8 information on the state of the traffic in a particular area that is
continuously updated as the
situation changes
85.4
1
Smedley and Jones edited the book or article (they oversaw the
contents and structure of the
book but did not write it).
2 This means see the figure (picture or illustration) which is marked as
number 7.
3 Et al. normally refers to three or more co-authors. If there are just two,
both names are normally given.
4 This means all the information from page 33 to (and including) page 37.
5 This means compare a work already being discussed or referred to
with Oswald’s 1987 work.
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