The Financial Times writes about the bewildering number of acronyms plaguing French life. I’d never encountered the acro-stocracy before.
The Financial Times writes about the bewildering number of acronyms plaguing French life. I’d never encountered the acro-stocracy before.
Labeling is only bewildering to the outsider. French has a tendency to be long-winded. Perfect for diplomacy and love but detrimental to speedy communication. Hence the acronyms. It is much easier on the tongue to talk about HEC Paris instead of Hautes Ecoles Commerciales de Paris. And it is nifty to write K7 for cassette (already obsolete).
As far as trademark initials are concerned, I think it started with a certain FDR …
… or maybe with TR, who requested a TLA ASAP but didn’t get one, even after he left the WH.