Fun with Acronyms/Literature: Difference between revisions

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** Hungarian readers get to know the "'''M'''anók '''A'''lkotmányos '''J'''ogaiért" '''O'''rszágos '''M'''ozgalom, or "National Movement For the Constitutional Rights of Elves" - by the way, majom means monkey.
** Hungarian readers get to know the "'''M'''anók '''A'''lkotmányos '''J'''ogaiért" '''O'''rszágos '''M'''ozgalom, or "National Movement For the Constitutional Rights of Elves" - by the way, majom means monkey.
** The French translation is '''S'''ociété d''''A'''ide à la '''L'''ibération des '''E'''lfes -- "sale" means "dirty".
** The French translation is '''S'''ociété d''''A'''ide à la '''L'''ibération des '''E'''lfes -- "sale" means "dirty".
***
***
** The Swedish version has '''F'''öreningen för '''I'''deelt '''S'''töd till '''A'''lferna (The organization for non-profit support to the elves). ''Fisa'' = (to) fart.
** The Swedish version has '''F'''öreningen för '''I'''deelt '''S'''töd till '''A'''lferna (The organization for non-profit support to the elves). ''Fisa'' = (to) fart.
** The Finnish version has '''S'''amat '''Y'''hteiset '''L'''ait '''K'''otitontuillekin - '''Y'''hdistys (The same common laws for the house-elves too - the organization). ''Sylk'''''i''' = Saliva.
** The Finnish version has '''S'''amat '''Y'''hteiset '''L'''ait '''K'''otitontuillekin - '''Y'''hdistys (The same common laws for the house-elves too - the organization). ''Sylk'''''i''' = Saliva.
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* One possibly-unintentional [[Harry Potter]] example is from the epilogue, in which we meet Harry's son, '''A'''lbus '''S'''everus '''P'''otter. If the ''name'' weren't unfortunate enough, look at what the initials spell. No wonder he's worried about being sorted into Slytherin.
* One possibly-unintentional [[Harry Potter]] example is from the epilogue, in which we meet Harry's son, '''A'''lbus '''S'''everus '''P'''otter. If the ''name'' weren't unfortunate enough, look at what the initials spell. No wonder he's worried about being sorted into Slytherin.
* Christopher Stasheff's "Warlock" novels include many organizations with unlikely acronyms for names: The '''P'''roletarian '''E'''clectic '''S'''tate of '''T'''erra (PEST), the '''D'''ecentralized '''D'''emocratic '''T'''ribunal (DDT) which wiped out PEST, the '''S'''ociety for the '''C'''onversion of '''E'''xtra-terrestial '''N'''ascent '''T'''otalitarianisms (SCENT), and no less than three groups of [[Time Travel|time-travelers]]: the '''S'''ociety for the '''P'''revention of '''I'''ntegration of '''T'''elepathic '''E'''ntities (SPITE), the '''V'''igilant '''E'''xtenders of '''T'''otalitarian '''O'''rganizations (VETO), and the '''G'''uarantors of the '''R'''ights of '''I'''ndividuals, '''P'''atentholders '''E'''specially (GRIPE) (founded by the man who ''invented'' the time machine and was annoyed at the other two groups, who weren't paying him any royalties).
* Christopher Stasheff's "Warlock" novels include many organizations with unlikely acronyms for names: The '''P'''roletarian '''E'''clectic '''S'''tate of '''T'''erra (PEST), the '''D'''ecentralized '''D'''emocratic '''T'''ribunal (DDT) which wiped out PEST, the '''S'''ociety for the '''C'''onversion of '''E'''xtra-terrestial '''N'''ascent '''T'''otalitarianisms (SCENT), and no less than three groups of [[Time Travel|time-travelers]]: the '''S'''ociety for the '''P'''revention of '''I'''ntegration of '''T'''elepathic '''E'''ntities (SPITE), the '''V'''igilant '''E'''xtenders of '''T'''otalitarian '''O'''rganizations (VETO), and the '''G'''uarantors of the '''R'''ights of '''I'''ndividuals, '''P'''atentholders '''E'''specially (GRIPE) (founded by the man who ''invented'' the time machine and was annoyed at the other two groups, who weren't paying him any royalties).
* The very nasty villains in C.S. Lewis' ''[[That Hideous Strength]]'' are called the '''N'''ational '''I'''nstitute for '''C'''o-ordinated '''E'''xperiments (NICE). This did not go unremarked when the [[wikipedia:NICE|National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence]] chose to abbreviate itself to NICE instead of NIHCE.
* The very nasty villains in C.S. Lewis' ''[[That Hideous Strength]]'' are called the '''N'''ational '''I'''nstitute for '''C'''o-ordinated '''E'''xperiments (NICE). This did not go unremarked when the [[wikipedia:NICE|National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence]] chose to abbreviate itself to NICE instead of NIHCE.
* An organization in [[Dale Brown]]'s ''Dreamland'' (and related) books is called HAWC. It stands for "'''H'''igh Technology '''A'''erospace '''W'''eapon '''C'''enter", but the acronym sticks because it just sounds cool. It may also have received a [[Shout-Out]] from fellow techno-thriller writer [[Tom Clancy]] with the ''H.A.W.X.'' unit from the eponymous flight-action title.
* An organization in [[Dale Brown]]'s ''Dreamland'' (and related) books is called HAWC. It stands for "'''H'''igh Technology '''A'''erospace '''W'''eapon '''C'''enter", but the acronym sticks because it just sounds cool. It may also have received a [[Shout-Out]] from fellow techno-thriller writer [[Tom Clancy]] with the ''H.A.W.X.'' unit from the eponymous flight-action title.
* The dreadful Betty Bowers of ''America's Best Christian'' is the leader of '''B'''ringing '''I'''ntegrity '''T'''o '''C'''hristian '''H'''omemakers, '''B'''aptists '''A'''re '''S'''aving '''H'''omosexuals (changed when it became clear that there was money in the 'gay eye for the straight guy' thing to '''C'''hristians '''A'''re '''S'''aving '''H'''omosexuals), and an abstinence club for girls called '''S'''aving '''L'''ove '''U'''ntil '''T'''he '''S'''acraments. (Which is [[Did Not Do the Research|amusing in itself]], as the Baptist church does not consider marriage a sacrament.)
* The dreadful Betty Bowers of ''America's Best Christian'' is the leader of '''B'''ringing '''I'''ntegrity '''T'''o '''C'''hristian '''H'''omemakers, '''B'''aptists '''A'''re '''S'''aving '''H'''omosexuals (changed when it became clear that there was money in the 'gay eye for the straight guy' thing to '''C'''hristians '''A'''re '''S'''aving '''H'''omosexuals), and an abstinence club for girls called '''S'''aving '''L'''ove '''U'''ntil '''T'''he '''S'''acraments. (Which is [[Did Not Do the Research|amusing in itself]], as the Baptist church does not consider marriage a sacrament.)
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* 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 [[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 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 (novel)]]'' 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]]'' 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.