I learned a new word just now: ‘backronym.’ This refers to a situation where you take an existing acronym and create a new description based upon it. The excellent web comic PhD could be considered an example.
Somehow, this all arose from re-watching Oh Brother, Where Art Thou: definitely one of the better films of the last decade.
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
I remember now how it happened. The bank robber mentioned the Walther PPK. That made me curious enough to check the Wikipedia entry. That entry mentions the term ‘backronym.’
The Coen brothers are very talented.
I want to see all of their films.
A very fine film.
I have seen a fair few. I think ‘Miller’s Crossing’ is currently my favourite next to ‘O Brother…’; the order shifts depending on my mood.
Then ‘Barton Fink’
There are hundreds of backronyms related to computers:
http://www.ahajokes.com/com088.html
PCMCIA: People Can’t Memorize Computer Industry Acronyms
So does the army:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._Army_acronyms _and_expressions#Slang_initialisms_and_acronyms
No Country for Old Men:
http://www.metafilter.com/61617/Return-to-Form