Abbreviation of "(a)synchronous"

Question

How should one go about abbreviating (a)synchronous? Is the most correct form (a)sync. or (a)synch.?

Hello User. In my opinion this is easily answerable looking at the dictionary. I couldn't find "async", but "sync" is in every dictionary; Same goes for "synch" more or less, so I suppose it's up to you about which one to use. — Alenanno, Aug 28 '11 at 12:12
See related past tense of synchronize and which is correct synced or synched. — Kit Z. Fox, Aug 28 '11 at 15:06
Both abbreviated forms are used. It kinda depends on which computer or computer language you worked with first. — Hot Licks, Sep 21 '16 at 00:19

score 3 · Answer 1 · edited Aug 28 '11 at 13:20

3

The common and my preferred way of abbreviating synchronous is sync, rather than synch, partly because it makes more sense to pronounce it as sink than sinch and the shorter abbreviation is simpler and clearer. Also to avoid any confusion with the slang word cinch (pronounced like sinch).

For similar reasons and consistency, I'd recommend async over asynch.

edited Aug 28 '11 at 13:20

Community

1

answered Aug 28 '11 at 12:34

Hugo

67,535

As a bonus, it's also one letter shorter! – Stuart Cook Aug 28 '11 at 13:12
Yes! Save time, ink and disk space! – Hugo Aug 28 '11 at 14:36
Why do you say "cinch" is slang? – Azor Ahai -him- Sep 15 '16 at 00:23
@Azor-Ahai It's an informal term for something that's easy to do. – Hugo Sep 15 '16 at 07:34
@Hugo Oh, I see. It also has non-slang use, a "cinch" sack, which is what I was thinking of. – Azor Ahai -him- Sep 15 '16 at 17:25
@Azor-Ahai Is cinch as in sack pronounced "kinch" rather than "sinch"? – Hugo Sep 16 '16 at 09:04
@Hugo No, that's why I didn't get why you thought it was slang. Is "cinch sack." Is it not common where you're from? – Azor Ahai -him- Sep 16 '16 at 17:11
@Azor-Ahai No. I know that verb cinch, but I'd probably call those drawstring bags. – Hugo Sep 19 '16 at 05:29
@Hugo Interesting. No idea it was regional – Azor Ahai -him- Sep 19 '16 at 15:20

Stuart Cook · Answer 2 · 2016-09-20T23:29:57.600

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Ngram for "sync" versus "synch", 1920-2000

The graph for async versus asynch is similar. From this I would say that sync and async are preferred.

edited Sep 20 '16 at 23:29

answered Aug 28 '11 at 13:10

Stuart Cook

932

The image is broken, please could you fix it? – Hugo Sep 20 '16 at 07:41

Abbreviation of "(a)synchronous"

2 Answers2