RAS syndrome

RAS syndrome (Redundant Acronym Syndrome syndrome) is a humourous term referring to the common mistake of using one of the words which make up an acronym or initialism as well as the abbreviation itself, thus essentially repeating that word. This is a form of pleonasm.

The term is of course an example in itself, but perhaps the most common example is "PIN number", and the phenomenon has also been labelled PNS syndrome for "PIN Number Syndrome syndrome". Other examples include "GUI interface", "ISBN number", "ATM machine", "LCD display", "HIV virus", and the phrase "A CNN Network". A more subtle example is the phrase "please RSVP", which can be seen to be redundant once it is realised that RSVP comes from the French phrase répondez s'il vous plaît, meaning "please respond".

Doubly redundant examples are also sometimes heard, such as "personal PIN number" and "CSS style sheets".

Trustee Savings Bank branded itself as "TSB Bank" for a while; the company since merged with Lloyds Bank, forming Lloyds TSB Bank plc.

Some examples have become so common that to say otherwise can lead to confusion. The sentence "I can't remember my PIN" when spoken does not distinguish between a pin and the acronym PIN. People are simply more used to hearing "pin number" and, though while technically incorrect, is widely accepted in the spoken form. When written it is more important to get the usage correct. Examples have been known of bank correspondence using the phrase "Personal Identification Number (PIN) number", a clear example of bad copy editing.

It should also be noted that certain occurrences are in the interest of clarity: for example, when discussing a mainframe computer's requirements, AC might refer to air conditioning or alternating current depending on the context; the redundant phrase "AC current" can be used to distinguish them. In addition, in many technical contexts, it is highly desirable to be specific as possible, even at the cost of some off-putting redundancy.

See also

• TLA ("three letter abbreviation or acronym")
• List of acronyms and initialisms

External links

• Redundant Acronym Phrases - a collection of common examples of such phrases.