# a11y and a brief numeronyms primer

DevFeed: [a11y and a brief numeronyms primer](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/a11y-and-a-brief-numeronyms-primer-9363.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://a11yproject.com/posts/a11y-and-other-numeronyms/>)

Author: Scott O'Hara

Published: 2017-08-26T00:00:00Z

Content type: article

Language: en

Sources: [The A11Y Project](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/the-a11y-project.md>)

Topics: [Accessibility](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/accessibility.md>), [Internationalization (i18n)](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/i18n.md>), [Localization (l10n)](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/localization.md>), [virtualization](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/virtualization.md>)

Tags: [accessibility](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/accessibility.md>), [article](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/article.md>), [writing](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/writing.md>)

## AI overview

This article explains that a11y is a numeronym for accessibility and introduces how numeronyms combine letters and numbers. It gives examples such as i18n, l10n, v12n, W3, and W3C, and advises using the full word "accessibility" when possible so the meaning remains clear.

## Source excerpt

If you're unfamiliar with the term "numeronym", you may not have realized that a11y isn't just a hash tag, nor is it a hip way to spell ally. Rather a11y is a shorthand for accessibility. You may have seen "a11y" used as a hash tag on Twitter, or used in a comment, article, used in a comment thread, or written in an article. Since you're reading this right now, you've likely seen it in the name of a certain website about accessibility. Ahem... How numeronyms work Unlike abbreviations like FYI (for your information), and PC (personal computer), or acronyms like HTML (hypertext markup language), and JAWS (Job Access With Speech), numeronyms are number-based words. And while you may not be familiar with the term "numeronym" itself, you've likely used them throughout your life. For instance, "9-1-1" is synonymous with "help", "24/7" means "24 hours a day, 7 days a week", and Y2K is for "year 2000" or "the year 2000 problem." These are all examples of numeronyms. As illustrated by the previous numeronyms, sometimes they're used to replace entire words with numbers, or they use a combination of letters and numbers to combine words. In the case of a11y, Adrian Roselli explains: Skip embedded Tweet. Tip: "a11y" is a numeronym for accessibility. Keep first & last letter, between them put the count of letters removed -- in this case eleven. -- aardrian (@aardrian) November 22, 2016 Other numeronyms The following is a short list of numeronyms you may have seen, or even used, but didn't know what they were called. i11l international i18n internationalization l10n localization n7m Numeronym v12n Virtualization W3 World Wide Web W12t Web Development W3C World Wide Web Consortium Back to a11y While numeronyms have been around for quite some time, they're not always immediately understandable. As a defining trait of accessibility is about being inclusive, one should keep the following in mind when using a11y: If you can say or write "accessibility", do so! A11y (often pronounced "A-o