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...with the warning that
Category:Redirects from abbreviations "should only contain subcategories". So in this theory, every abbreviation is either an initialism, symbol, systematic abbreviation or acronym. (Though of course acronyms are also a subcategory of
initialisms; I don't see the benefit of putting it on the tree twice.
Note also that {{R from abbreviation}} redirects to {{R from initialism}}. I presume this is a response to the "only contain subcategories" warning. It assumes that nobody will add the template to redirects from symbols, systematic abbreviations, or acronyms.
In any case, I believe some abbreviations are not initialisms, symbols, systematic abbreviations or acronyms.
Special:WhatLinksHere/Template:R from abbreviation shows that there are many editors who share my definition. A majority are indeed redirects from initialisms, but there are many that are not.
My recommendations:
Either Category:Redirects from abbreviations should include
abbreviations,
clippings,
contractions, and
blends or it should be deleted and merged up to Category:Redirects from short names.
To editor
Jnestorius: In answer to your question, this is a container category because it seems nobody can agree on precisely what redirects should be entered here. So some time back, the rcat was redirected and everything was dumped into the initialisms category. This category was almost redirected as well, but instead was used as a container to await editors who are willing to clean up the mess, which when one looks at the other categories, extends a bit beyond just the messy tree. I am not myself expert enough to answer your other issues, but this all definitely needs quite a bit of work by those who know more about it. Rules of enpagementPaine 02:26, 20 August 2016 (UTC)reply
Perhaps we could simply undo the rcat redirect(s) and allow diffusion, maybe with a suitable not in the abbreviation rcat. All the best: RichFarmbrough, 11:45, 1 May 2017 (UTC).reply
Not sure,
Rich, but yes I think diffusion and more specific categories are needed, and maybe a higher level, more general category to contain them all? Nobody seems to want to organize all this so that it is more relevant and meaningful. Paine Ellsworthput'r there 11:31, 24 May 2017 (UTC)reply
It is effortful, but I think it's worth it. There is valuable metadata in the redirect classes. That is why I have been so careful with the R-cats I use. Perhaps we could scope this project out over the next few days. All the best: RichFarmbrough, 12:21, 24 May 2017 (UTC).reply