Rövidít

Rövidítés is a linguistic process that yields a shortened form of a word or phrase, used to save space or time in writing and speech. The corresponding verb rövidít means to shorten or abbreviate; the noun rövidítés denotes the shortened form itself. It can refer to any shortened version of a term, a title, or a multi-word expression.

Rövidítés can be formed in several ways. One common method is truncation, where parts of a word are dropped. Another is betűszó (initialism), formed from the initial letters of words and typically pronounced letter by letter or as a word, depending on usage. A third category is akroním (acronym), where the result is spoken as a single word. Each type serves different communicative needs, from compact notes to rapid oral or written communication.

In orthography, many rövidítések are written with a period when standing for a full word or phrase; however, modern texts, especially in technical or digital contexts, often omit the period. It is common practice to introduce the abbreviation on first use by presenting the full form followed by the abbreviation in parentheses, then to use the shortened form thereafter. Consistency in formatting, capitalization, and punctuation is typically recommended by style guides.

Rövidítés is a cross-linguistic phenomenon. In Hungarian usage, the terminology distinguishes rövidítés as the general concept, betűszó for letter-based abbreviations, and akroním for pronounceable acronyms. In contemporary communication, new rövidítések emerge in technology, science, and online discourse, requiring ongoing attention to clarity and standardization.