How to pronounce abbreviations by prefix part?
For example, how to pronounce the following:
dir (directory), deer or /də:/?
char (character), /kær/ or /tʃa:r/?
def (define), deff or diff?
mic (microphone), mik or mike?
var (variable), vaar or /vɛə/ or /və/?
bin (binary), binn or bine?
lic (license), lick, like, liss, lice?
dat (data), datt or date?
loc (location), lokk or /lək/?
etc. and the general form?
dir = would say "directory"
char = /tʃa:r/
def = deff
mic = always MIKE
var = vaar
bin = binn
lic = would say "license"
dat = datt
loc = would
say "location"
since lokk would mean lock
Outside of programming:
You generally don't pronounce these abbreviations, you would say the word they're abbreviating (that'd be like saying "Lol" in real life -- yes, people do this and I find it silly and awkward-sounding). Do people really say things like "dir" and "deff"?
Microphone is the exception here. The word is often abbreviated as "mic" on mixing boards, for space reasons, and it stuck. The mic/mike thing can be argued endlessly (and sometimes is).
("Open mike tonight" sounds to me like there'll be a guy named Mike whose body has velcro closures keeping his abdomen closed.)