Irene Lo Faro
Otto-Friedrich-Universität Bamberg
In daily life, the use of abbreviations (in German Stummelwörter, “severed-words”) is increasingly common. Traditional studies hold that the purpose of abbreviations is simply speed and secrecy. In Nazi propaganda, however, Klemperer (1947) noticed abbreviations were used for an ulterior purpose: to convey meaning beyond the original words. Within the framework provided by studies of speech acts, this paper extends Klemperer’s analysis of language in the Third Reich to contemporary everyday language, questioning whether similar uses of abbreviations can be identified in modern communication.
The paper highlights the shortcomings of previous approaches that failed to differentiate abbreviations from full words, leaving their fundamental semantic and pragmatic function unchanged. EPHRATT’s (2022) theory of verbal silence is a more appropriate framework for Klemperer’s proposal of an augmentation of meaning, for it understands abbreviations as a conscious choice to omit certain phonemes with the intention of conveying a certain, unuttered message.
The paper then analyses two cases of abbreviations: without and with additional meaning. The former, I argue, conceal the full meaning of a word and detaches the speaker from what they say, easing discomfort before sensitive topics. For the latter case, I present contemporary examples where illocutionary force and perlocutionary effects of abbreviation differ from those of the original words they stand for.
In conclusion, this paper undertakes a richer investigation of the use of abbreviations in everyday life, for, while they can serve merely to expedite communication, abbreviations can also serve as an alternative and subtler tool to activate certain speech practices that would otherwise be unattainable by uttering the complete form. Their use cannot therefore solely be attributed to the meaning of the words they represent; to do so would preclude consideration of phenomena that warrant scholarly attention.
Chair: Tobias Lipinski
Time: 04 September, 11:20 – 11:50
Location: SR 1.006
SOPhiA 2026 