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Friday, 12 March, 2010

RAS Syndrome?
(with comments)

What is the RAS Syndrome?

RAS syndrome stands for redundant acronym syndrome syndrome and refers to the redundant use of one or more of the words that make up an acronym or initialism with the abbreviation itself, thus in effect repeating one or more words. Usage commentators consider such redundant acronyms poor style and an error to be avoided in writing, though they are common in speech.

Examples include ATM machine, CSS style sheets, and PIN number.


Permalink | Posted in General |
  1. By Uncle. Comment posted 12-Mar-2010 @09:07am:
    The company I work or is RAS happy. excuse me while I get back to reporting on COG that supports DMG, CFDT, & OCG.
  2. By Redcrosse. Comment posted 12-Mar-2010 @09:19am:
    A variant of this occurs when people refer to "the" Magna Carta.

    Definite articles are not used in Latin. You'd think some people hadn't learned the language.
  3. By Bisbonian. Comment posted 12-Mar-2010 @09:22am:
    A variant of this occurs when people refer to "the" Magna Carta.

    Oops. Guilty.
  4. By dylanfan. Comment posted 12-Mar-2010 @09:41am:
    TLA is a TLA for a TLA.
  5. By Uncle. Comment posted 12-Mar-2010 @09:47am:
    Working here on IB, AKA BPP, AKA BSPP.
  6. By Paul. Comment posted 12-Mar-2010 @10:27am:
    I have seen dot.com written quite often.
  7. By LaurenceB. Comment posted 12-Mar-2010 @10:27am:
    My favorite TLA is DNA, which, of course, stands for National Dyslexics Association.

    To make it a RAS, I guess you would say "the National DNA Association". Or maybe "the Association of DNA". Or something. I don't know.
  8. By Gal Heathen. Comment posted 12-Mar-2010 @10:57am:
    My hospital has a CAT Team. Or rather, a Critical Assessment Team Team.

    They even call a pre-code that way. "CAT Team to 3 West".
  9. By decibelcat. Comment posted 12-Mar-2010 @11:02am:
    This should be reported to the Department of Redundancy Department.
  10. By Mr. Pointer Outer. Comment posted 12-Mar-2010 @11:17am:
    People who say "ATM Machine" probably got low scores on their SAT tests.
  11. By Don Coyote. Comment posted 12-Mar-2010 @11:30am:
    NRFL. Not redundant--in fact, singular in purpose--but I just like the sound of it as pronounced nurf'l. A NRFL is a non-renewable forest license. When a rookie forest technician comes out of the woods after a day of painting boundary with blue paint and has his or her hands and face and clothes a light blue tint--because they don't have the common sense to stand upwind while painting--this is known as being Smurfl'd. Too many smurfls and one is suspected of being a tree-tard.

    RAS syndrome has been directly linked to an even more troubling diagnosis: AFA syndrome. AFA meaning Another <expletive deleted> Acronym.
  12. By Don Coyote. Comment posted 12-Mar-2010 @11:37am:
    Spray-paint, if you're wondering. One guy used to think it showed that he had had a big day and high production the bluer he was when he showed up back at camp. "12-can day!" This led to the rest of the crew inserting his name into one of our work mottos: "we Troy harder."
  13. By Daniel FR, Germany. Comment posted 12-Mar-2010 @03:32pm:
    The RAS Syndrome always makes me LOL out loud!
  14. By Rosseye. Comment posted 12-Mar-2010 @06:12pm:
    I couldn't follow this - I have an ADD disorder.
  15. By DonL. Comment posted 12-Mar-2010 @07:49pm:
    In car parts, we usually ask the customer for the VIN number, or Vehicle Identification Number number.
  16. By Chakolate. Comment posted 12-Mar-2010 @08:36pm:
    On a related note: "la brea" is Spanish for "the tar" so

    "The La Brea Tar Pits" means "The The Tar Tar Pits". :-)
  17. By boswell. Comment posted 12-Mar-2010 @11:49pm:
    And a Canadian contribution . . . the RCMP police.
  18. By MadScott. Comment posted 13-Mar-2010 @07:37am:
    the GNU OS was explicitly designed to be a recursive acronym: "GNU Not Unix"
  19. By Taco Jocko. Comment posted 13-Mar-2010 @09:46am:
    GIS system = geographic information system system
  20. By VP. Comment posted 13-Mar-2010 @09:55am:
    "Please RSVP" always annoys me.
  21. By Dave (TDC). Comment posted 13-Mar-2010 @04:44pm:
    All acronyms are abbreviations, but all abbreviations are not acronyms.
    It should be "Redundant Abbreviation Syndrome"
  22. By Don Coyote. Comment posted 13-Mar-2010 @07:48pm:
    Merriam Webster's Word of the Day: acronym.

    http://www.drhinternet.net/mw/display.php?M=643270&C=1d0374b606576146f1d0cae445cdbefc&L=6&N=1902
  23. By silver. Comment posted 14-Mar-2010 @03:12am:
    In pre-internet days, we did social networking on the CB band.
  24. By silver. Comment posted 14-Mar-2010 @08:16pm:
    Someone mentioned today having signed an NDA agreement, and I smiled, thinking of this post.
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