Indefinite articles before combination acronyms/initialisms

[ESquared]

When there is a construction that is used by people both as an acronym and an initialism—for example, SQL (acronym pronounced SEE-kwel) or SQL (initialism pronounced ess-cue-ELL)—what indefinite article should one choose?

An SQL server. {my preference}
A SQL server.

Sometimes I stumble on these in reading. It's a clue to me that I am pronouncing the word differently from the author. Normally that's not a problem because I adjust my pronunciation. But in the example I've given, I am not going to change because I don't like the other way.

In my own writing, when I notice the problem, I usually try to reform the sentence to avoid it. Even something as simple as adding a word can fix it:

A fast SQL server.

What say you?

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It is better to have honor than a good reputation.
(Reputation is what other people think about you. Honor is what you know about yourself.)

 

[sleipnir214]

I don't use one form universally.

SQL Server, referring to the Mi[¢]ro$oft database server product, is canonically pronounced (by Mi[¢]ro$oft), as you have said, sequel. For that, I use a, as in "This is a SQL Server machine."

SQL server, referring to any generic database server that supports the Stuctured Query Language, is canonically pronounced, as you have also said, ess queue ell. With that, I use an, as in "This is an SQL database server."


I suppose, though, that the utterance, "Yes, we have an SQL server. It's a SQL Server machine." will probably muddy the waters like crazy.


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[ESquared]

Microsoft calls it sequel? Show me?

-------------------------------------
It is better to have honor than a good reputation.
(Reputation is what other people think about you. Honor is what you know about yourself.)

 

[Thadeus]

Explains why Sequel pronounciation:

"A Relational Model of Data for Large Shared Data Banks," by Dr. E. F. Codd, was published in June 1970 in the Association of Computer Machinery (ACM) journal, Communications of the ACM. Codd's model is now accepted as the definitive model for relational database management systems (RDBMS). The language, Structured English Query Language ("SEQUEL") was developed by IBM Corporation, Inc., to use Codd's model. SEQUEL later became SQL (still pronounced "sequel"). In 1979, Relational Software, Inc. (now Oracle Corporation) introduced the first commercially available implementation of SQL. Today, SQL is accepted as the standard RDBMS language. .

 

[ESquared]

I sure hate giving up my favorite pet peeves. I see that I will have to start saying sequel.

 

[RodKnowlton]

From the introduction of The SQL Handbook (3rd Edition):

Its name is officially pronounced "ess-cue-ell" (according to the American National Standards Institute), but many people say "sequel." In this book, we use the term SQL as if it were pronounced "sequel."

So you can keep your pet peeve, E[sup]2[/sup].

When I need an indefinite article for SQL in written communication, I always use "an." My reasoning being that if the reader pronounces it "sequel", they will understand that I'm pronouncing it "ess-cue-ell", but if the reader pronounces it "ess-cue-ell", they may not be aware of the "sequel" pronunciation and would see an "a" as a grammatical mistake.


That being said, I tend to use both pronunciations equally when speaking.

Rod Knowlton
IBM Certified Advanced Technical Expert pSeries and AIX 5L
CompTIA Linux+
CompTIA Security+

 

[mscallisto]

A SQL (SEE-kwel) server is what I normally say.

An SQL (ess-cue-ELL) server is probably what I should be saying.

I've also heard it called "squirrel"

 

[CajunCenturion]

In some cases, I would describe the behavior of the server as squirrely.


Good Luck
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[RCorrigan]

I've heard it called lots of things ..... and most are un-repeatable here

<Do I need A Signature or will an X do?>

 

[strongm]

>An SQL (ess-cue-ELL) server is probably what I should be saying.

Why?

 

[RodKnowlton]

strongm

Because mscallisto's company's ISO 9000 policies call for ANSI approved pronunciation?

 

[sleipnir214]

Esquared:
Sorry, I don't have a link. My statement "is canonically pronounced (by Mi¢ro$oft), as you have said, sequel" is from personal experience having sat through several Mi[&cent;]ro$oft seminars. They are very consistent in that pronunciation.


CajunCenturion:
I have when talking to Microsoft technical support had great fun calling Microsoft's database server product "Squirrel Server".


Want the best answers? Ask the best questions!

TANSTAAFL!!

 

[ESquared]

I'm just afflicted with a dislike of initialisms that aren't pronounced at least close to the way the word is spelled.

Scuba, radar, laser. They are appropriately spelled, complete with vowels.

SQL. No vowels. Looks like it should be pronounced as "skull" with as short a vowel sound as possible. SQL is not sequel. SEQUEL is sequel! Even CEEKWOL is sequel!

Put it this way... any initialism that can't be used in lower case I probably object to.

-------------------------------------
It is better to have honor than a good reputation.
(Reputation is what other people think about you. Honor is what you know about yourself.)

 

[CajunCenturion]

I'm just afflicted with a dislike of initialisms that aren't pronounced at least close to the way the word is spelled.

Initialisms are not pronounced. They are spelled out.
Acronyms are pronounced.

Good Luck
--------------
To get the most from your Tek-Tips experience, please read FAQ181-2886
As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein

 

[ESquared]

Thanks... I had it backward in that post. I said it right in my initial post, though!

-------------------------------------
It is better to have honor than a good reputation.
(Reputation is what other people think about you. Honor is what you know about yourself.)