Acronyms as a second language
A reader pointed us to an amusing misuse of acronyms in a story from The Record of Ontario. As he explained:
Here in Waterloo Region, there is a proposal to designate an area just north of the City of Waterloo as an "Enviroronmentally Sensitive Landscape". During the debate, the acronym ESL has been used by both opponents and proponents of the move. Of course, to many people ESL stands for "English as a Second Language". Apparently "many people" includes the copy editors at the Kitchener-Waterloo Record, who replaced the term ESL in the following story with that phrase.
Here’s the relevant excerpt (emphasis ours).
City seeks fewer curbs on land use
Waterloo says golf courses shouldn’t be banned outright on sensitive land
PHILIP JALSEVAC
WATERLOO (Apr 12, 2006) — Waterloo council still wants fewer restrictions on land uses in an area the region plans to designate as an environmentally sensitive landscape.
Council adopted a report by city planner Scott Nevin this week with recommendations on the Laurel Creek headwaters.
The area comprises about 2,075 hectares (5,127 acres) in northwest Waterloo, along with sections of Wilmot, Woolwich and Wellesley townships.
The region is planning to prohibit most development in the area to protect such environmental features as a high concentration of natural habitat, wetlands, woodlots and lakes.
"Staff continue to be supportive of the English as a second language concept goals," Nevin said in his report… (Link — sub req’d)
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