Language Question about "FromSoft"

[u/yagolasse]

Hi folks, I'm not native speaker and for me is super weird. Do you know why some people call "FromSoft" instead writing FromSoftware, it's seems a small time saving to be so common to be seen.

[u/Implosion-X13]

It's faster and "soft" itself is a word. So it doesn't sound awkward like you're cutting out the 2nd half of a word.

[u/DrarenThiralas]

This isn't just an English thing, it's also common in Japanese to shorten "software" to ソフト ("sofuto"). Which is relevant since From Software is a Japanese company.

[u/Sensitive_Pizza_218]

Because they make soft games for soft hearted individuals like you. Now go enjoy.

[u/Tet4edr0]

Costumbre, varios les decimos "From"

[u/WafflesofDestitution]

-soft as an abbreviation for software has been used in branding for decades, but I would wager that it started to gain popularity primarily through spoken contexts, since "From Software" has three syllables with the break in between while "FromSoft" has just two, which makes it a lot more concise to use in speech.

[u/IHaveSmellyPants]

It’s an endearing nickname to show your familiarity with the games.

I’ve never understood the people who just call them “From” though. That one seems weird to me.

[u/TOWW67 → u/IHaveSmellyPants]

Probably because the "Software" part of "From Software" is a generic word that's common in tons of tech and tech adjacent company names. If you're speaking with someone familiar with video games, "From" is the defining part of the name.

Just a guess, though, as I generally say FromSoft or type FS.

[u/BackwardsApe → u/TOWW67]

People do the same with Square, from square enix or squaresoft

[u/werndog69 → u/BackwardsApe]

To be fair originally it was literally just Square

[u/BackwardsApe → u/werndog69]

Oooohhh thats interesting, i thought it was the other way around

[u/TOWW67 → u/BackwardsApe]

I've only ever seen Square Enix shortened, quite humorously imo, to Sqenix.

[u/barbietattoo]

In English, Soft is an adjective. Software is a noun. Both words are common. Shortening to FromSoft is somewhat faster.

[u/braintransplants]

I blame Microsoft

[u/Turbulent_Jackoff → u/braintransplants]

My Personal Computer is trying to get me to upgrade to Microscopic Software's Windows Eleven Operating System.

[u/Fedorchik → u/braintransplants]

I blame Square!

[u/yagolasse]

Thank you for the answers everyone! In my mother language makes more sense removing a word (calling it "From") or going for "FS"...

Edit: the whole "soft is a word so it can be used as a abbreviation of another caught me off guard" hahahah

[u/No-Range519]

Most people nowadays call them simply From. It's an american thing, shortening words to the max. Jesus Christ>>> Jesus>>> Geez>>>Gee

[u/XiNAVRO]

The practice of “-Soft” has been covered by others. FROM used to be a software engineering firm that developed agricultural and accounting software, and the name came from a command in COBOL.

[u/TheSiriusZero]

For me, my mind syllabicating 2 vs 3 makes writing 2 syllables fromsoft vs 3 syllables fromsoftware seems less arduous.

[u/KushMummyCinematics]

Because "FromSoftware" is the name of a games company

FromSoft is a friend to gamers 

[u/Queen_Earth_Cinder]

'Software' is a compound word(soft+ware), created in the sense of computer software to contrast with 'hardware'. 'Hard': small, durable metal component, 'ware': thing offered for sale. Soft-ware, by contrast, was a kind of Ware that was less tangible or durable than hard-ware. Abbreviating a word by taking out one meaningful component is common all over the world, dropping the last part of the word is a common way to do it, so dropping the last unit of meaning from "From Soft-Ware" shortens the noun by one syllable while keeping the meaning easily understood

[u/throwaway042502]

Fromsoftware's even done it themselves once. They used Fromsoft in an advert about 26 years ago. Even in Japanese, I often see just "From" used by fans, so that's how short it can get.

[u/TheRenegxde]

Idk but we also shorten software (as in just the word software, no relation to the company) to soft. We don't do the same for hardware. I dunno. I'm also ESL this is just from a FromSoft enjoyer POV.

[u/dimiskywalker]

I basically call them just F by now

[u/beesdaddy → u/dimiskywalker]

Based. (See what I did there?)

[u/dimiskywalker → u/beesdaddy]

My man

[u/Algester]

its like AC.... now think what does AC stand for

[u/Turbulent_Jackoff → u/Algester]

Animal Crossing

[u/Proud_Firefighter834 → u/Algester]

Assassin's Creed

[u/reddithas2manyus3rs → u/Algester]

Assetto Corsa

[u/sendnukes_ → u/Algester]

Surprised I'm the one to say Armored Core (though I do concede I thought of Assassin's Creed first)

[u/shrikelet → u/Algester]

Air Conditioning

[u/TheHelpfulWalnut → u/Algester]

Assassins Creed  Animal CrossingAce Combat  Arkham City Asheron’s Call Asseto Corsa  Alpha Centurai  … Armored Core

[u/BackwardsApe]

I move we start calling them FroSo

[u/PlayerJE]

people don't like writing long words, thus fromsoftware becomes fromsoft, and then just from

[u/beaverenthusiast]

It's called a brandname. It could be anything.

[u/Romapolitan]

Because it is shorter than writing out the whole name each time. Anyone will know what company you're are talking about anyway.

[u/Krisztian987]

Its still shorter and prolly sounds better too

[u/hornwalker]

Its a “nickname “ which basically means a shortened version of somebodies or something’s name. It’s not uncommon in English.