The English Oracle

"PIN Number" — why do we say it?

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Chapters
00:00 &Quot;Pin Number&Quot; — Why Do We Say It?
00:22 Answer 1 Score 13
00:43 Accepted Answer Score 27
01:23 Thank you

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Full question
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Tags
#acronyms #redundancy

#avk47



ACCEPTED ANSWER

Score 27


This is a special case of the etymological fallacy. "PIN", like almost all words in every language, has its own meaning which is divorced from its etymology (in this case, its origin as an acronym).

In fact it has two related meanings, because it is still used as a stand-alone noun, closer to its origin ("I've forgotten my PIN"), as well as in its derived sense as a modifier ("PIN number").

One of the reasons for the prevalence of the derived sense is possibly the homophony of the ordinary word "pin". It's not that it's likely to be confused with the other meaning; it's that without context it may be unclear what you are talking about, so "PIN number" serves to narrow it down and give context.




ANSWER 2

Score 13


The so-called RAS syndrome is quite common. Other examples are "LCD displays" and "ATM machines." Technically, it is a form of tautology. It happens because people are not aware of what the acronym stands for, so they just use it like any other word.