RAS syndrome
Encyclopedia
RAS syndrome also known as PNS syndrome ("PIN number syndrome syndrome") or RAP phrases ("redundant acronym phrase phrases"), refers to the use of one or more of the words that make up an acronym or initialism
in conjunction with the abbreviated form, thus in effect repeating one or more words. Examples include "PIN number", which may be expanded as "personal identification number number".
A person is humorously said to suffer from RAS syndrome when he or she redundantly uses one or more of the words that make up an acronym or initialism with the abbreviation itself. Usage commentators consider such redundant acronyms poor style and an error to be avoided in writing, though they are common in speech. The degree to which there is a need to avoid pleonasm
s such as redundant acronyms depends on one's balance point of prescriptivism
(ideas about how language should be used) versus descriptivism (the realities of how natural language
is used). For writing intended to persuade, impress, or avoid criticism, usage guides advise writers to avoid pleonasm as much as possible, even if not because such usage is always "wrong", but rather because most of one's audience may believe that it is always wrong.
The term RAS syndrome is itself intentionally redundant, and thus is an example of self-referential humor
.
.
The similar term PNS syndrome (which expands to "PIN number syndrome syndrome," and further to "personal identification number number syndrome syndrome") was coined by Usenet
users before the coining of RAS Syndrome.
coinages continue to arise. The terms themselves are occasionally referred to as "RAP phrases" ("redundant acronym phrase phrases").
Select examples of RAP phrases include:
(redundant array of inexpensive/independent disks)" may in fact be a backup RAID in the system being described, "laser
(light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation) light" is light produced by a light amplification process, "CSS
(cascading style sheets) sheet" is used to express a sheet written in the language.
Acronym and initialism
Acronyms and initialisms are abbreviations formed from the initial components in a phrase or a word. These components may be individual letters or parts of words . There is no universal agreement on the precise definition of the various terms , nor on written usage...
in conjunction with the abbreviated form, thus in effect repeating one or more words. Examples include "PIN number", which may be expanded as "personal identification number number".
A person is humorously said to suffer from RAS syndrome when he or she redundantly uses one or more of the words that make up an acronym or initialism with the abbreviation itself. Usage commentators consider such redundant acronyms poor style and an error to be avoided in writing, though they are common in speech. The degree to which there is a need to avoid pleonasm
Pleonasm
Pleonasm is the use of more words or word-parts than is necessary for clear expression: examples are black darkness, or burning fire...
s such as redundant acronyms depends on one's balance point of prescriptivism
Linguistic prescription
In linguistics, prescription denotes normative practices on such aspects of language use as spelling, grammar, pronunciation, and syntax. It includes judgments on what usages are socially proper and politically correct...
(ideas about how language should be used) versus descriptivism (the realities of how natural language
Natural language
In the philosophy of language, a natural language is any language which arises in an unpremeditated fashion as the result of the innate facility for language possessed by the human intellect. A natural language is typically used for communication, and may be spoken, signed, or written...
is used). For writing intended to persuade, impress, or avoid criticism, usage guides advise writers to avoid pleonasm as much as possible, even if not because such usage is always "wrong", but rather because most of one's audience may believe that it is always wrong.
The term RAS syndrome is itself intentionally redundant, and thus is an example of self-referential humor
Self-referential humor
Self-referential humor or self-reflexive humor is a type of comedic expression that—either directed toward some other subject, or openly directed toward itself—intentionally alludes to the very person who is expressing the humor in a comedic fashion, or to some specific aspect of that...
.
Origin
The term RAS syndrome was coined in 2001 by New ScientistNew Scientist
New Scientist is a weekly non-peer-reviewed English-language international science magazine, which since 1996 has also run a website, covering recent developments in science and technology for a general audience. Founded in 1956, it is published by Reed Business Information Ltd, a subsidiary of...
.
The similar term PNS syndrome (which expands to "PIN number syndrome syndrome," and further to "personal identification number number syndrome syndrome") was coined by Usenet
Usenet
Usenet is a worldwide distributed Internet discussion system. It developed from the general purpose UUCP architecture of the same name.Duke University graduate students Tom Truscott and Jim Ellis conceived the idea in 1979 and it was established in 1980...
users before the coining of RAS Syndrome.
Examples
Other nonceNonce word
A nonce word is a word used only "for the nonce"—to meet a need that is not expected to recur. Quark, for example, was formerly a nonce word in English, appearing only in James Joyce's Finnegans Wake. Murray Gell-Mann then adopted it to name a new class of subatomic particle...
coinages continue to arise. The terms themselves are occasionally referred to as "RAP phrases" ("redundant acronym phrase phrases").
Select examples of RAP phrases include:
- ATMAutomated teller machineAn automated teller machine or automatic teller machine, also known as a Cashpoint , cash machine or sometimes a hole in the wall in British English, is a computerised telecommunications device that provides the clients of a financial institution with access to financial transactions in a public...
machine (automated teller machine machine) - CSSCascading Style SheetsCascading Style Sheets is a style sheet language used to describe the presentation semantics of a document written in a markup language...
style sheets (cascading style sheets style sheets) - PINPersonal identification numberA personal identification number is a secret numeric password shared between a user and a system that can be used to authenticate the user to the system. Typically, the user is required to provide a non-confidential user identifier or token and a confidential PIN to gain access to the system...
number (personal identification number number)
Reasons for use
There are several linguistic explanations for the prevalence of RAS syndrome:- A limited amount of redundancy can improve (or seem to the speaker to improve) the effectiveness of communication. The pure-logic ideal of zero redundancy is seldom maintained in natural languageNatural languageIn the philosophy of language, a natural language is any language which arises in an unpremeditated fashion as the result of the innate facility for language possessed by the human intellect. A natural language is typically used for communication, and may be spoken, signed, or written...
s, because they have evolvedSociocultural evolutionSociocultural evolution is an umbrella term for theories of cultural evolution and social evolution, describing how cultures and societies have changed over time...
some kinds of redundancy checks. A phonetic example of that principle is the need for spelling alphabetSpelling alphabetA spelling alphabet, radio alphabet, or telephone alphabet is a set of words which are used to stand for the letters of an alphabet. Each word in the spelling alphabet typically replaces the name of the letter with which it starts...
s in radiotelephony. Some instances of RAS syndrome can be viewed as syntactic examples of the principle. The speaker wishes to gently reinforce the meaning of an acronym or initialism, especially in pedagogicalPedagogyPedagogy is the study of being a teacher or the process of teaching. The term generally refers to strategies of instruction, or a style of instruction....
contexts (whether formal or informal). In such cases, the redundancy may help the listener by providing context and decreasing the 'alphabet-soup' quality of the communication.
- Acronyms and initialisms from foreign languages are often treated as unanalyzed morphemes when they are not translated. For example, in French, "le protocole IP" (the Internet protocol protocol) is often used, while in English "please RSVP" (roughly "please respond please") provides an example of a redundant French initialism.
- The principle of not analyzing also applies within one language. For example, people who work regularly with the term AC (alternating currentAlternating currentIn alternating current the movement of electric charge periodically reverses direction. In direct current , the flow of electric charge is only in one direction....
) experience some degree of treating the word both in sound (ˌeɪˈsiː) and in appearance as an unanalyzed lexeme. They do not forget what its expanded form is, but neither do their brains shift to the expanded form without a cue. Thus the redundancy in phrases such as "ATM machine" can be likened to that in the phrase "red in color". It is a degree of redundancy born of treating objects (in the abstract philosophicalObject (philosophy)An object in philosophy is a technical term often used in contrast to the term subject. Consciousness is a state of cognition that includes the subject, which can never be doubted as only it can be the one who doubts, and some object or objects that may or may not have real existence without...
or computingObject (computer science)In computer science, an object is any entity that can be manipulated by the commands of a programming language, such as a value, variable, function, or data structure...
senses of that word) as black boxBlack boxA black box is a device, object, or system whose inner workings are unknown; only the input, transfer, and output are known characteristics.The term black box can also refer to:-In science and technology:*Black box theory, a philosophical theory...
es to be strung together, which is a natural aspect of human cognition.
Less applicable examples
Sometimes the presence of repeated words does not create a redundant phrase. For example, a "redundant RAIDRAID
RAID is a storage technology that combines multiple disk drive components into a logical unit...
(redundant array of inexpensive/independent disks)" may in fact be a backup RAID in the system being described, "laser
Laser
A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of photons. The term "laser" originated as an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation...
(light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation) light" is light produced by a light amplification process, "CSS
CSS
-Computing:*Cascading Style Sheets, a language used to describe the style of document presentations in web development*Central Structure Store in the PHIGS 3D API*Closed source software, software that is not distributed with source code...
(cascading style sheets) sheet" is used to express a sheet written in the language.