[wolfgke]

> but I don't understand the benefit of shortening it to a single word versus shortening it to a shorter phrase or acronym.

To give a comparison: One can in old versions of Java simulate higher-order functions by writing an abstract interface and a class implementing it. An instance of such an object is passed as the function to a Java implementation, say, of foldl.

This is possible - but it can be done in a much more convenient way like Haskell does.

Now imagine how much more "expressive" the English language would become if such very abstract concepts could be used as a single-noun subject or object in an English sentence. The advantage is similar to the difference between the Java vs. Haskell implementation of foldl.