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Jeff Be Nymble


Green, blue, and pink laser beams in triangular shapes in front of a black background with white specks. Blog title reads, "Jeff Be Nymble."

Acronyms are a type of initialism in which the letters are pronounced as a word, rather than a collection of letters. Think N.A.S.A., O.P.E.C., P.E.T.A.; do not think F.B.I., C.I.A., T.C.P.C.


Now that we have that established, I’m excited* to discuss two different types of acronyms: Anacronyms and Backronyms.


Anacronyms, not to be confused with anachronyms**, are acronyms that are almost never used as an acronym. Some good examples of anacronyms are: Scuba (Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus), Radar (Radio Detection and Ranging), or Taser (Thomas A. Swift’s Electric Rifle). I suppose it can be hard to find the tipping point where an acronym becomes an anacronym. For example, Nasa is rarely expanded but is pretty well known as an acronym. Same thing for Asap or Awol.


While we may not deal in initialisms, churches can be the worst offenders when it comes to figurative anacronyms. Have you ever been at a church service and the pastor says something like, “We hope you’ll join us for a reception in the potted plant room.” One church I was at had a room that they called (name is changed), “The Fred Smith Bored Room,” because that’s where Fred Smith would go to read the paper when he became bored in worship. Eventually it was just, “The Bored Room.” The first time I was asked to have a meeting in The Bored Room, I had no idea where to go.


Gif of a gray cat underwater wearing a divers outfit and helmet, watching a goldfish swim in front of him.

I get that things have names and it’s fine to use those names, but we need to remember that not everyone grew up speaking that language. As a member, I’m sure I could draw a map to the potted plant room with my eyes closed. But if I were visiting, I would probably just leave because at least I know where the door is.


When we speak our anacronyms, we need to make sure that there is a common understanding. If I’d never heard of a laser before and you were talking about it, I would probably benefit from knowing that it is light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. We should never take for granted the things that we already know, especially if we are interested in welcoming people into our community. The things that are particular to us are precious and help us understand who we are, but we need to remember that the things that define us can also define who is not part of “us.”


Hopefully those things that are anacronymic in our community are closer to “asap” than to “flak.” We all have a pretty solid understanding of ASAP, and if we don’t, it is easy to learn. Flak is an antiaircraft gun that comes from a German acronym, FLiegerAbwehrKanonen***.


If we want to be our best selves, which includes inviting and welcoming our neighbors, we need to make sure that we spell everything out very clearly.



Peace,

Jeff


 

*In case you’re wondering, yes. I am genuinely excited to write about this. I’d ask you not to judge me, but I think that ship has pretty much sailed.


**Bonus! Anachronyms are a type of misnomer that has become popularly accepted – think tin foil, despite it not being tin. Chalk for chalkboards are not made of actual chalk.


***Flieger flyer + Abwehr defense + Kanonen cannons, but I’m sure you knew that already.

 

 

If you're looking for a vibrant church and congregation (as you can see, we like to have fun!) in the Brighton, NY area, we welcome you to visit us! Twelve Corners Presbyterian Church is located at 1200 S. Winton Road in Rochester, NY. You can also take a look at our livestream on YouTube and visit our Facebook page. If you have any questions, contact our office by calling 585-244-8585 or emailing us using our secure contact form. We look forward to connecting with you!

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At Twelve Corners Presbyterian Church, we are filled with the love of Jesus Christ and strive to show love and compassion to each other, and to our neighbors, community, and beyond.

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