Department of Redundancy Department, Acronym Edition

 Posted by on 29 November 2009  Modern Life
Nov 292009
 

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I’ve long been annoyed when people use phrases like “PIN number” or “ATM machine.” Of course, PIN stands for “personal identification number” and ATM stands for “automated teller machine” so “PIN number” is the same as saying “personal identification number number” and “ATM machine” works out to be “automated teller machine machine.” It’s grating.

But I just realized that no one should be saying “scuba gear” either. Scuba, in case you didn’t know, is an acronym that means “self-contained underwater breathing apparatus” so “scuba gear” is redundant. It’d be like saying “… breathing apparatus gear.”

Now I want to compile a bigger list of acronym redundancies. What else is out there that can really grind my gears?

Grant Hamilton

  • Colin

    “Working journalist”… 8^)

    • http://www.absurdintellectual.com/ Grant Hamilton

      … he typed, commenting on a blog from the computer in the newsroom.

  • Colin

    STILL more work than you’re doing…

    (note the tone of admiration…)