Clearing redundant acronym phrases from your writing will help with translations of your writing and will improve accessibility when screen readers read the full spelled out meaning of an acronym for visually disabled users who would be puzzled hearing "machine machine".
A Redundant Acronym Phrase (RAP) ¹ is a phrase containing an acronym plus a descriptive word that, when the acronym is expanded, the phrase contains a redundancy. For example; ATM machine. ATM is an acronym for automated teller machine. When the phrase is expanded, ATM machine becomes "automated teller machine machine". Similarly, RAP phrase becomes "Redundant Acronym Phrase phrase".
The term RAP phrase was coined in 1985 and first appeared on the Internet in 1995 as a category in the Internet Relay Chat (IRC) game Chaos. This phenomenon was later described using other terms such as RAS syndrome (Redundant Acronym Syndrome syndrome), coined in 2001. A PNS syndrome (PIN Number Syndrome syndrome) becomes a "personal identification number number syndrome syndrome".
The following is a list of Redundant Acronym Phrases often used in technical communication.
| RAP phrase | Expanded phrase as read by a screen reader |
|---|---|
| RAP phrase | Redundant Acronym Phrase phrase |
| RAS syndrome | Redundant Acronym Syndrome syndrome |
| AC current | Alternating Current current |
| ADD disorder | Attention Deficit Disorder disorder |
| AFC conference | American Football Conference conference |
| AIDS syndrome | Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome syndrome |
| AM modulation | Amplitude Modulation modulation |
| ARM mortgage | Adjustable Rate Mortgage mortgage |
| ATC control | Air Traffic Control control |
| ATM machine | Automated Teller Machine machine |
| BBS system | Bulletin Board System system |
| CD disc | Compact Disc disc |
| CGA adapter | Color Graphics Adapter adapter |
| COBOL language | Common Business-Oriented Language language |
| CPI index | Consumer Price Index index |
| CPU unit | Central Processing Unit unit |
| CS/DS/ES/SS segment | Code/Data/Extra/Stack Segment segment |
| DAT tape | Digital Audio Tape tape |
| DC Comics | Detective Comics Comics |
| DC current | Direct Current current |
| DOS system | Disk Operating System system |
| EBCDIC code | Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code code |
| EGA adapter | Enhanced Graphics Adapter adapter |
| FM modulation | Frequency Modulation modulation |
| GIF format | Graphic Interchange Format format |
| GOB Bluth | George Oscar Bluth Bluth (a character from the TV show Arrested Development) |
| HIV virus | Human Immunodeficiency Virus virus |
| HTML language | Hyper Text Markup Language language |
| IBM machines | International Business Machines machines |
| IP pointer | Instruction Pointer pointer |
| IP protocol | Internet Protocol protocol |
| IRA account | Individual Retirement Account account |
| IRC chat | Internet Relay Chat chat |
| ISBN number | International Standard Book Number number |
| KFC chicken | Kentucky Fried Chicken chicken |
| LAN network | Local Area Network network |
| LCD display | Liquid Crystal Display display |
| LEM module | Lunar Excursion Module module |
| LPG gas | Liquid Propane Gas gas |
| MASH hospital | Mobile Army Surgical Hospital hospital |
| MIDI interface | Musical Instrument Digital Interface interface |
| NFC conference | National Football Conference conference |
| NPR radio | National Public Radio radio |
| OPEC countries | Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries countries |
| PC circuit | Printed Circuit circuit |
| PDF format | Portable Document Format format |
| PERL language | Practical Extraction and Reporting Language language |
| PIF file | Program Information File file |
| PIN number | Personal Identification Number number |
| PNS syndrome | PIN Number Syndrome syndrome (Personal Identification Number Number Syndrome syndrome) |
| POST test | Power On Self Test test |
| RAM memory | Random Access Memory memory |
| RF frequency | Radio Frequency frequency |
| RISC computer | Reduced Instruction Set Computer computer |
| ROM memory | Read Only Memory memory |
| RPN notation | Reverse Polish Notation notation |
| SALT talks | Strategic Arms Limitation Talks talks |
| SAM missile | Surface-to-Air Missile missile |
| SAT test | Scholastic Assessment (Aptitude) Test test |
| START talks | Strategic Arms Reduction Talks talks |
| START treaty | Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty treaty |
| TWA airline | Trans World Airline airline |
| UHF frequency | Ultra-High Frequency frequency |
| UL laboratories | Underwriters Laboratories laboratories |
| UN nations | United Nations nations |
| UNIVAC computer | Universal Automatic Computer computer |
| UPC code | Universal Product Code code |
| UPI international | United Press International international |
| USGS survey | United States Geological Survey survey |
| VAT tax | Value Added Tax tax |
| VGA adapter | Variable Graphics Adapter adapter |
| VHF frequency | Very High Frequency frequency |
| VIN number | Vehicle Identification Number number |
¹ The original material for this was part of The Nandy Conure Page website, which stopped being maintained in 2011. The website was about the Nandy Conure parrot but it also provided some resources for technical writers and editors. Much of the site is deleted since 2011. The RAP information is presented here to preserve the information for accessible technical communication.