Acronyms??

This one came from July 2008 Issue of YES! Magazine, as written by Jose F. Lacaba

I.T.A.L.Y. atbp.

Coming soon to your nearest mall theater is the controversial GMA Films production that stars Jolina Magdangal and was to have been the comeback movie of Gabby Concepcion: I.T.A.L.Y. That title is a jocular acronym that stands for I Trust And Love You, which also happens to be the movie's subtitle.Strictly speaking, an acronym is an abbreviation that can be pronounced as a word. Thus, the name of this magazine you are reading, YES! (Your Entertainment Source), is an acronym. So is the name of its online affiliate, PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal).

On the other hand, an abbreviation that is pronounced by its individual letters is called an initialism, according to The Oxford Companion to the English Language (Oxford University Press, 1992). Thus, GMA is an initialism, because it's pronounced as jee-em-ey. The same goes for ABS-CBN, pronounced as ey-bee-es/see-bee-en.The periods used in the title of I.T.A.L.Y. would seem to suggest that it's an initialism. On radio and television, however, you hear it pronounced, not as aie-tee-ey-el-why, but in the same way that you would pronounce the English name of the land of pizza and amore.

The movie title clearly comes from a list entitled "Romantic Acronyms," which has been circulating on the Internet for years now. Though it carries no byline, the list is apparently of Philippine origin, since it includes Philippine place names. The Internet list, by the by, also uses periods with the acronyms.

Aside from ITALY (let me now dispense with the superfluous periods), the list includes the following fanciful acronyms, which I here present in alphabetical order:

BURMA: Between Us, Remember Me Always.
CANADA: Cute And Naughty Action that Developed into Attraction.
CHINA: Come Here I Need Affection.
EGYPT: Everything's Great, You Pretty Thing!
FRANCE: Friendships Remain And Never Can End.
HOLLAND: Hope Our Love Lasts And Never Dies.
INDIA: I Nearly Died In Adoration.
IRAN: Ikaw Rin Ang Nawalan.
JAPAN: Just Always Pray At Night.
KENYA: Keep Everything Nice, Yet Arousing.
KOREA: Keep Optimistic Regardless of Every Adversity.
LIBYA: Love Is Beautiful; You Also.
NEPAL: Never Ever Part As Lovers.
PERU: Porget Everyone Remember Us.
RUSSIA: Romance Under the Sky & Stars is Intimate Always.
THAILAND: Totally Happy Always In Love And Never Dull.
YEMEN: Yugyugan Every Morning, Every Night.

And these are the Philippine place names on the list:

BALIWAG: Beauty And Love I Will Always Give.
CEBU: Change Everything But Us.
IMUS: I Miss U, Sweetheart.
MALABON: May A Lasting Affair Be Ours Now.
MANILA: May All Nights Inspire Love Always.
PARAÑAQUE: Please Always Remain Adorable, Nice And Quiet Under Ecstasy.
PASAY: Pretty And Sexy Are You.
PASIG: Please Always Say I'm Gorgeous.
TONDO: Tonight's Our Night, Dearest One.

Two of the acronyms are names of products, not place names:

MARLBORO: Men Always Remember Love Because Of Romance Only
YAMAHA: You Are My Angel! Happy Anniversary!