militaryese..grin. its a form of Cant.

From what I've been able to gather, whether you use the initial syllables or just the letters, it is still referred to as an "acronym". So I guess maybe there isn't a word (yet) for that specific type of acronym...?

Dictionary.com says NORAD is a noun...

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/norad

Don't think that helps with the question directly.

Oh wait... "syllabic abbreviation", maybe?

My thoughts lean towards initialism. Though, Canlit could also be considered a blended word...

NORAD and SCUBA are initialisms, yes. Not sure about "Canlit".

NORAD and SCUBA are acronyms, even in the strictest sense of the word, because they are strings of initials pronounced as a word. FBI and UN are initialisms, because they are strings of initials pronounced as a series of initials.

Dr. Whom, Consulting Linguist, Grammarian, Orthoëpist, and Philological Busybody

According to M-W, they're all acronyms. You seem to be using a too-strict definition.

Edited at 2008-12-29 06:13 pm (UTC)

I thought they were called porkronyms.
(Sorry! and yes, I added a "k" to be even sillier :)

Anagrams?

Anagrams? I meant acronyms

The NORAD-type word would be an acronym in the technical sense; anything that's formed out of the first letters of a phrase or whatnot that doesn't pronounce each of those letters (initialism) is.

The Canlit-type example is yes, a blending (known colloquially as a portmanteau). Think of it by analogy to, say, Medicare or brunch.

(Quick reference I used to verify my own instincts on this was Stockwell & Minkova, English Words: History and Structure. A textbook kept is a joy forever.)

Edited at 2008-12-29 07:36 pm (UTC)

How lovely to see portmanteau again.

It's a very elegant way of expressing the concept. :)

Lame?

its also refered to as "Military Jargon"

They are all words with a glowing "acronymbus" surrounding them.