RP

RP is an acronym with several meanings across different contexts. The most common usage refers to role-playing, a form of collaborative storytelling in which participants assume the identities of fictional characters. This practice appears in gaming, writing communities, and theatre. In text-based RP, players describe actions and dialogue in forums, chat rooms, or social media, often following shared settings and character rules. In tabletop or computer RPGs, RP is one aspect of gameplay alongside mechanics such as combat or skill checks. Live-action role-playing (LARP) is a related modality where participants physically enact scenes in real time. RP communities vary in formality, with styles ranging from casual, scene-driven plays to canon-based or alternate-universe settings, and with guidelines governing consent and safety.

Another well-known use of RP is Received Pronunciation, a traditional standard accent of English associated with educated speech in parts of southern England. It has historically been used as a reference in teaching pronunciation and in broadcasting. While RP served as a prestige standard for much of the 20th century, contemporary speech shows greater regional variety, and RP itself has evolved over time. The term remains encountered in phonetics and discussions of accent and dialect, though it is no longer tied to a single geographic region or fixed phonetic trait.

In computer networking, Rendezvous Point is a term used to denote a router that acts as a common meeting point for multicast traffic within a group. In protocols such as Protocol-Independent Multicast Sparse Mode (PIM-SM), the RP coordinates distribution by registering sources and receivers, enabling efficient delivery of data streams to multiple recipients. The RP may be statically configured or elected dynamically, and its selection influences scaling and failover for multicast groups.