Fun with Acronyms/Literature: Difference between revisions

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* In Larry Niven's "[[Known Space]]", '''A'''malgamation of '''R'''egional '''M'''ilitia is ARM, producing the [[bionic]]-limbed Gilbert G. Hamilton, known as "Gil the ARM".
* In Larry Niven's "[[Known Space]]", '''A'''malgamation of '''R'''egional '''M'''ilitia is ARM, producing the [[bionic]]-limbed Gilbert G. Hamilton, known as "Gil the ARM".
* In Zadie Smith's comedic novel [[White Teeth]], a group of young radical second-generation British Muslims is named K.E.V.I.N.: '''K'''eepers of the '''E'''ternal and '''V'''igilant '''I'''slamic '''N'''ation. "We are aware we have an acronym problem."
* In Zadie Smith's comedic novel [[White Teeth]], a group of young radical second-generation British Muslims is named K.E.V.I.N.: '''K'''eepers of the '''E'''ternal and '''V'''igilant '''I'''slamic '''N'''ation. "We are aware we have an acronym problem."
* In the ''[[Harry Potter (Literature)|Harry Potter]]'' novels, Hermione starts up the '''S'''ociety for the '''P'''romotion of '''E'''lfish '''W'''elfare. She insists the acronym be pronounced in letters rather than as a word, understandably enough.
* In the ''[[Harry Potter (novel)|Harry Potter]]'' novels, Hermione starts up the '''S'''ociety for the '''P'''romotion of '''E'''lfish '''W'''elfare. She insists the acronym be pronounced in letters rather than as a word, understandably enough.
** Lampshaded when Ron and Harry object to S.P.E.W and Hermione retorts that she was originally going to have "Stop the Outrageous Abuse of Our Fellow Magical Creatures and Campaign for a Change in Their Legal Status" but it wouldn't fit on a badge.
** Lampshaded when Ron and Harry object to S.P.E.W and Hermione retorts that she was originally going to have "Stop the Outrageous Abuse of Our Fellow Magical Creatures and Campaign for a Change in Their Legal Status" but it wouldn't fit on a badge.
** And let's not forget Ron asking if Hermione had changed the name to "the House Elf Liberation Front", or, very conveniently the House E.L.F for short.
** And let's not forget Ron asking if Hermione had changed the name to "the House Elf Liberation Front", or, very conveniently the House E.L.F for short.
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* In [[Robert A. Heinlein]]'s 1959 short story ''[[All You Zombies]]'', the same "elite military service corps" is referred to at various points in history as the '''W'''omen's '''E'''mergency '''N'''ational '''C'''orps, '''H'''ospitality & '''E'''ntertainment '''S'''ection, the "Space Angels" or '''A'''uxiliary '''N'''ursing '''G'''roup, '''E'''xtraterrestrial '''L'''egions, and the '''W'''omen's '''H'''ospitality '''O'''rder '''R'''efortifying & '''E'''ncouraging '''S'''pacemen.
* In [[Robert A. Heinlein]]'s 1959 short story ''[[All You Zombies]]'', the same "elite military service corps" is referred to at various points in history as the '''W'''omen's '''E'''mergency '''N'''ational '''C'''orps, '''H'''ospitality & '''E'''ntertainment '''S'''ection, the "Space Angels" or '''A'''uxiliary '''N'''ursing '''G'''roup, '''E'''xtraterrestrial '''L'''egions, and the '''W'''omen's '''H'''ospitality '''O'''rder '''R'''efortifying & '''E'''ncouraging '''S'''pacemen.
** No doubt inspired by the [[Real Life]] Women Airforce Service Pilots and their naval counterparts, Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service.
** No doubt inspired by the [[Real Life]] Women Airforce Service Pilots and their naval counterparts, Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service.
* In ''[[Artemis Fowl (Literature)|Artemis Fowl]]'', most of the fairy characters work for the '''L'''ower '''E'''lements '''P'''olice, ofen in the Reconnaissance unit, making them LEPRecons
* In ''[[Artemis Fowl]]'', most of the fairy characters work for the '''L'''ower '''E'''lements '''P'''olice, ofen in the Reconnaissance unit, making them LEPRecons
** Lampshaded when this is revealed as the true origin of the word 'leprechaun'.
** Lampshaded when this is revealed as the true origin of the word 'leprechaun'.
** And somewhat confusing, considering all instances of the nominal modifier 'LEP' is prefixed with an: AN LEP shuttle, AN LEP officer. So it's supposed to be pronounced 'Ell Eee Pee' apparently.
** And somewhat confusing, considering all instances of the nominal modifier 'LEP' is prefixed with an: AN LEP shuttle, AN LEP officer. So it's supposed to be pronounced 'Ell Eee Pee' apparently.
* In ''[[A Series of Unfortunate Events]]'', Jerome Squalor compiles the evidence against Count Olaf into a book entitled '''O'''dious '''L'''usting '''A'''fter '''F'''inance. Not to mention the many, ''many'' times phrases are shoehorned into the [[Arc Words|Arc Acronym]] V.F.D.
* In ''[[A Series of Unfortunate Events]]'', Jerome Squalor compiles the evidence against Count Olaf into a book entitled '''O'''dious '''L'''usting '''A'''fter '''F'''inance. Not to mention the many, ''many'' times phrases are shoehorned into the [[Arc Words|Arc Acronym]] V.F.D.
** This is ''strongly'' implied to stand for {{spoiler|'''V'''olunteer '''F'''ire '''D'''epartment}}.
** This is ''strongly'' implied to stand for {{spoiler|'''V'''olunteer '''F'''ire '''D'''epartment}}.
* Douglas Hofstadter's ''[[Godel Escher Bach|Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid]]'' is full of recurring acronyms. There's the G, E, and B (rearranged sometimes) of the title, RICERCAR (actually an example of Bach having [[Fun With Acronyms]]), spelling the initial letters of many utterances in a dialogue at the end of the book, which also abbreviates the name of Charles Babbage as '''Ba.Ch.'''. In another dialogue, we encounter GOD (standing for [[Recursive Acronym|GOD Over Djinn]]), and in one dialogue, "Contracrostipunctus", the initial characters of each line spell {{spoiler|Hofstadter's Contracrostipunctus Acrostically Backwards Spells 'J.S.Bach'. Guess what acronym you get if you reverse word order in the acronym and then form an acronym out of ''that''}}.
* Douglas Hofstadter's ''[[Godel Escher Bach|Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid]]'' is full of recurring acronyms. There's the G, E, and B (rearranged sometimes) of the title, RICERCAR (actually an example of Bach having [[Fun with Acronyms]]), spelling the initial letters of many utterances in a dialogue at the end of the book, which also abbreviates the name of Charles Babbage as '''Ba.Ch.'''. In another dialogue, we encounter GOD (standing for [[Recursive Acronym|GOD Over Djinn]]), and in one dialogue, "Contracrostipunctus", the initial characters of each line spell {{spoiler|Hofstadter's Contracrostipunctus Acrostically Backwards Spells 'J.S.Bach'. Guess what acronym you get if you reverse word order in the acronym and then form an acronym out of ''that''}}.
* Lampshaded in ''The Brentford Chainstore Massacre'', where the [[The Dragon|Villain's]] {Mook}s are recruited from the "''Black Umbrella Militant Fascist Underground Communist Killers'' and that's an acronym you don't want to think about for too long."
* Lampshaded in ''The Brentford Chainstore Massacre'', where the [[The Dragon|Villain's]] {Mook}s are recruited from the "''Black Umbrella Militant Fascist Underground Communist Killers'' and that's an acronym you don't want to think about for too long."
* In Pamela F. Service's ''Weirdos of the Universe Unite!'', the protagonists have a two-member club called WEIRD. They eventually decide that it stands for Weird Entities In Rightful Domination.
* In Pamela F. Service's ''Weirdos of the Universe Unite!'', the protagonists have a two-member club called WEIRD. They eventually decide that it stands for Weird Entities In Rightful Domination.
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* The science fiction author and journalist John Brosnan wrote some of his work under a variety of aliases. For the absolute trashiest, he was either Harry Adam Knight, or Simon Ian Childer, thereby indicating his opinion of the books (SIC) and himself for writing them (HAK).
* The science fiction author and journalist John Brosnan wrote some of his work under a variety of aliases. For the absolute trashiest, he was either Harry Adam Knight, or Simon Ian Childer, thereby indicating his opinion of the books (SIC) and himself for writing them (HAK).
* The spacecraft in the second book of the [[Into the Looking Glass]] series was tagged with '''A'''lliance '''S'''pace '''S'''hip ''Vorpal Blade''. Humans argued strongly against that prefix, but were overridden by the aliens providing a lot of the technical support required to get the original Blade built.
* The spacecraft in the second book of the [[Into the Looking Glass]] series was tagged with '''A'''lliance '''S'''pace '''S'''hip ''Vorpal Blade''. Humans argued strongly against that prefix, but were overridden by the aliens providing a lot of the technical support required to get the original Blade built.
* An ''[[The Avengers (TV)|Avengers]] [[Expanded Universe]] novel, ''Too Many Targets'', plays with the show's love for funny acronyms by introducing VOICE; '''V'''enerable '''O'''rder of '''I'''nter-'''C'''ommunicative '''E'''ndeavors, an organization devoted to helping hearing-impared and mute people communicate.
* An ''[[The Avengers (TV series)|Avengers]] [[Expanded Universe]] novel, ''Too Many Targets'', plays with the show's love for funny acronyms by introducing VOICE; '''V'''enerable '''O'''rder of '''I'''nter-'''C'''ommunicative '''E'''ndeavors, an organization devoted to helping hearing-impared and mute people communicate.
* There's an Irish series of books and newspaper strips based around '''R'''oss '''O''' '''C'''arroll '''K'''elly, the acronym from which is the nickname of Blackrock, a well-known and very posh South Dublin private school (Ross attends the fictional-but-remarkably-similar Castlerock, and most of the first books are designed around mocking the South Dublin upper classes and the obsession with school-level rugby). It gets better with his mother, '''F'''ionnuala '''O''' '''C'''arroll '''K'''elly ('Fock' being the South Dublin phonetic pronunciation of a word [[Getting Crap Past the Radar|less printable in family newspapers]]) and father '''C'''harles '''O''' '''C'''arroll '''K'''elly (which...[[Don't Explain the Joke|yeah]].)
* There's an Irish series of books and newspaper strips based around '''R'''oss '''O''' '''C'''arroll '''K'''elly, the acronym from which is the nickname of Blackrock, a well-known and very posh South Dublin private school (Ross attends the fictional-but-remarkably-similar Castlerock, and most of the first books are designed around mocking the South Dublin upper classes and the obsession with school-level rugby). It gets better with his mother, '''F'''ionnuala '''O''' '''C'''arroll '''K'''elly ('Fock' being the South Dublin phonetic pronunciation of a word [[Getting Crap Past the Radar|less printable in family newspapers]]) and father '''C'''harles '''O''' '''C'''arroll '''K'''elly (which...[[Don't Explain the Joke|yeah]].)
* ''[[The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Literature)|The Wonderful Wizard of Oz]]'': Why do you think the Wizard was made the wizard of a land name Oz? His full name is '''O'''scar '''Z'''oroaster '''P'''hadrig '''I'''saac '''N'''orman '''H'''enkel '''E'''mmannuel '''A'''mbroise '''D'''iggs. He [[Embarrassing Middle Name|didn't like]] [[Overly Long Name|the other part]], though.
* ''[[The Wonderful Wizard of Oz]]'': Why do you think the Wizard was made the wizard of a land name Oz? His full name is '''O'''scar '''Z'''oroaster '''P'''hadrig '''I'''saac '''N'''orman '''H'''enkel '''E'''mmannuel '''A'''mbroise '''D'''iggs. He [[Embarrassing Middle Name|didn't like]] [[Overly Long Name|the other part]], though.
* The [[HIVE Series]] has the titular school, the '''H'''igher '''I'''nstitute of '''V'''illainous '''E'''ducation, as well as the '''G'''lobal '''L'''eague '''O'''f '''V'''illainous '''E'''nterprises.
* The [[HIVE Series]] has the titular school, the '''H'''igher '''I'''nstitute of '''V'''illainous '''E'''ducation, as well as the '''G'''lobal '''L'''eague '''O'''f '''V'''illainous '''E'''nterprises.
* In the book ''Magic for Marigold'' by [[LM Montgomery]], the Lesley clan gathers to come up with a name for the new child in the family. At one point, the name '''H'''arriet '''E'''llen '''L'''ouise '''L'''esley, after three women in the clan that were missionaries, is suggested. It is immediately dropped after the great-grandmother asks if they've considered what the initials spell.
* In the book ''Magic for Marigold'' by [[L. M. Montgomery]], the Lesley clan gathers to come up with a name for the new child in the family. At one point, the name '''H'''arriet '''E'''llen '''L'''ouise '''L'''esley, after three women in the clan that were missionaries, is suggested. It is immediately dropped after the great-grandmother asks if they've considered what the initials spell.
* In the ''[[Gone]]'' series, everywhere under the impenetrable wall is called the FAYZ: '''F'''allout '''A'''lley '''Y'''outh '''Z'''one.
* In the ''[[Gone]]'' series, everywhere under the impenetrable wall is called the FAYZ: '''F'''allout '''A'''lley '''Y'''outh '''Z'''one.
* The ''[[Dune]]'' series had a company called CHOAM (Combine Honnete Ober Advancer Mercantiles). Ellis Weiner's National Lampoon spoof novel ''Doon'' changed this to N.O.A.M.C.H.O.M.S.K.Y. In the German translation, it is called MAFEA ('''M'''erkantile '''A'''llianz für '''F'''ortschritt und '''E'''ntwicklung im '''A'''ll, literally "Mercantile Alliance for Progress and Development in Space").
* The ''[[Dune]]'' series had a company called CHOAM (Combine Honnete Ober Advancer Mercantiles). Ellis Weiner's National Lampoon spoof novel ''Doon'' changed this to N.O.A.M.C.H.O.M.S.K.Y. In the German translation, it is called MAFEA ('''M'''erkantile '''A'''llianz für '''F'''ortschritt und '''E'''ntwicklung im '''A'''ll, literally "Mercantile Alliance for Progress and Development in Space").
* In a possible nod to [[James Bond|Spectra]], the terrorist organisation 'Scorpia' in the ''[[Alex Rider (Literature)|Alex Rider]]'' series is named for the activities it specialises in: '''S'''abotage, '''Cor'''ru'''P'''tion, '''I'''ntelligence and '''A'''ssassination.
* In a possible nod to [[James Bond|Spectra]], the terrorist organisation 'Scorpia' in the ''[[Alex Rider]]'' series is named for the activities it specialises in: '''S'''abotage, '''Cor'''ru'''P'''tion, '''I'''ntelligence and '''A'''ssassination.
* In Trevanian's ''Shibumi'', one of the Mother Company's more senior officers is the '''D'''eputy '''I'''nternational '''L'''iaison '''D'''uty '''O'''fficer, "typically referred to by his acronym" - though the book itself goes out of its way to never actually refer to him as such.
* In Trevanian's ''Shibumi'', one of the Mother Company's more senior officers is the '''D'''eputy '''I'''nternational '''L'''iaison '''D'''uty '''O'''fficer, "typically referred to by his acronym" - though the book itself goes out of its way to never actually refer to him as such.
* The '''U'''navoidable '''F'''amily '''O'''uting books has a character named BRAD, who insists on always spelling it with capital letters. The two younger siblings [[Running Gag|spend much of the book]] coming up with immature ideas as to what it stands for.
* The '''U'''navoidable '''F'''amily '''O'''uting books has a character named BRAD, who insists on always spelling it with capital letters. The two younger siblings [[Running Gag|spend much of the book]] coming up with immature ideas as to what it stands for.
* The ''Travelers Through Time'' series of children's novels, wherein the heroes' time machine is called the '''T'''ime '''A'''nd '''S'''pace '''C'''onnector.
* The ''Travelers Through Time'' series of children's novels, wherein the heroes' time machine is called the '''T'''ime '''A'''nd '''S'''pace '''C'''onnector.
* The ''[[Retief (Literature)|Retief]]'' series by [[Keith Laumer]] features multiple CDT organizations. Retief himself is generally the only one to show awareness of the oddness of some name choices.
* The ''[[Retief]]'' series by [[Keith Laumer]] features multiple CDT organizations. Retief himself is generally the only one to show awareness of the oddness of some name choices.
* The animal testing facility in ''[[The Plague Dogs (Literature)|The Plague Dogs]]'' is called "'''A'''nimal '''R'''esearch: '''S'''cience and '''E'''xperimental."
* The animal testing facility in ''[[The Plague Dogs]]'' is called "'''A'''nimal '''R'''esearch: '''S'''cience and '''E'''xperimental."
* The ''[[Gaunts Ghosts]]'' novel ''The Armour of Contempt'' has '''R'''etraining, '''I'''ndoctrination and '''Punishment'''.
* The ''[[Gaunt's Ghosts]]'' novel ''The Armour of Contempt'' has '''R'''etraining, '''I'''ndoctrination and '''Punishment'''.
* In the ''[[Wild Cards]]'' universe, the [[Red Scare|House Un-American Activities Committee]] was supplemented by the '''S'''enate '''C'''ommittee on '''A'''ce '''RE'''sources.
* In the ''[[Wild Cards]]'' universe, the [[Red Scare|House Un-American Activities Committee]] was supplemented by the '''S'''enate '''C'''ommittee on '''A'''ce '''RE'''sources.
* Sherman Alexie lampshades this in ''Flight'', with IRON, short for Indigenous Rights Now. (Someone buy those guys a vowel.) The bad guys are called HAMMER, which doesn't stand for anything.
* Sherman Alexie lampshades this in ''Flight'', with IRON, short for Indigenous Rights Now. (Someone buy those guys a vowel.) The bad guys are called HAMMER, which doesn't stand for anything.
* The ''[[Honor Harrington (Literature)|Honor Harrington]]'' novel ''Echoes of Honor'' mentions that though '''C'''ommanding '''O'''fficer, '''L'''ight '''A'''ttack '''C'''raft sounds too much like "colic", the other suggestion of '''C'''ommanding '''O'''fficer, '''W'''ing was slapped down.
* The ''[[Honor Harrington]]'' novel ''Echoes of Honor'' mentions that though '''C'''ommanding '''O'''fficer, '''L'''ight '''A'''ttack '''C'''raft sounds too much like "colic", the other suggestion of '''C'''ommanding '''O'''fficer, '''W'''ing was slapped down.
* ''[[The Demon Headmaster]]'' - The main characters' group call themselves the '''S'''ociety for the '''P'''rotection of our '''L'''ives '''A'''gainst '''T'''hem ("them" being the Headmaster and his hypnotized minions.)
* ''[[The Demon Headmaster]]'' - The main characters' group call themselves the '''S'''ociety for the '''P'''rotection of our '''L'''ives '''A'''gainst '''T'''hem ("them" being the Headmaster and his hypnotized minions.)
* In the novelization of the ''[[Iron Man]]'' [[The Movie|film]], JARVIS (an AI in the movieverse) is revealed to stand for Just A Rather Very Intelligent System.
* In the novelization of the ''[[Iron Man]]'' [[The Movie|film]], JARVIS (an AI in the movieverse) is revealed to stand for Just A Rather Very Intelligent System.
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