Acronyms

[Kevinsworth]

I’ve enjoyed browsing posts for 10 years now. But I am bewildered by some members’ excessive use of acronyms. Is it really too much trouble to type the words? Or should I not be reading these threads, if I don’t understand the acronyms? :facepalm

 

[REWahoo]

FWIW, I don't see a problem with acronyms. This might be of assistance:
Standard Acronyms and Abbreviations You May Find on the Forum

 

[skyking1]

It's not just you, Kevin. I remember that proper form is to define the acronym at the beginning, and then you are good to go using it. Been There Done That (BTDT) at college technical writing class.

 

[Gumby]

One of my very favorite acronyms of all time was a professor's written grade/remark on one of my college roommate's term papers. >> WRATGAS = "Who really and truly gives a ship?" It was not a warm and fuzzy college atmosphere.

 

[DrRoy]

Robert Heinlein had a long one in a couple of his books: TANSTAAFL.
There ain't no such thing as a free lunch.

 

[JoeWras]

When I first started here, I was flummoxed and used the thread REWahoo mentioned above a lot. I had no idea what a DW is. Deutsche Welle? Nope.

However, supporting OP's thesis, I have noticed quite a few new ones that are more general in nature and not on this list. These are recent ones I had to look up.

SMH: shaking my head
DQOTD: Midpack likes to use this in titles. "Dumb Question Of The Day"

 

[Alan]

However, supporting OP's thesis, I have noticed quite a few new ones that are more general in nature and not on this list. These are recent ones I had to look up.

SMH: shaking my head
DQOTD: Midpack likes to use this in titles. "Dumb Question Of The Day"

They are there now. - Thanks.

 

[target2019]

TBH, I never met an acronym I didn't like.

 

[ERD50]

TBH, I never met an acronym I didn't like.

We need to have a ban on all TLA's (Three Letter Acronyms). edit - hah, I just noticed TLA is on the list!

The ones that bug me are "SIL" and "DF". Is that Son-in-Law or Sister-in-Law? "Dear Father", or "Dear Friend"? Too much work or sometimes impossible to determine from context, but it could matter.

The list includes only "SIL - Sister In-Law"?

-ERD50

 

[ERD50]

.. However, supporting OP's thesis, I have noticed quite a few new ones that are more general in nature and not on this list. These are recent ones I had to look up.

SMH: shaking my head
DQOTD: Midpack likes to use this in titles. "Dumb Question Of The Day"

A couple more general ones that might be added:

PSA: Public Service Announcement (General helpful FYI content)
ISO: In Search Of (Generally, someone looking for advice for a specific 'thing'/service)

-ERD50

 

[HawkeyeNFO]

I don't mind acronyms, but perhaps a military carreer makes them seem overly normal. What do I find amusing are when people "double up," saying things like ATM Machine, and PIN Number.

 

[TrvlBug]

I don't mind acronyms, but perhaps a military carreer makes them seem overly normal. What do I find amusing are when people "double up," saying things like ATM Machine, and PIN Number.

My favorite: SSN number.

 

[latexman]

IIRC - If I recollect correctly

 

[COcheesehead]

SORR - sequence of return risk

 

[calmloki]

RE
IMHO, that's real estate. That's been common usage for me for decades.

 

[Major Tom]

Occasionally it's a bit inconvenient, seeing acronyms that I don't recognize. It only takes a few seconds to Google "BLANK acronym" where BLANK is the the acronym you are questioning, and then it gets added to the memory bank. I agree with ERD50 about the uncertainty surrounding SIL.

Some folk take it to extremes and construct sentences dominated by multiple acronyms. I tend to err in favor of writing everything out in full. I'm a fan of words and language, and not so much a fan of abbreviations.

 

[Montecfo]

Occasionally it's a bit inconvenient, seeing acronyms that I don't recognize. It only takes a few seconds to Google "BLANK acronym" where BLANK is the the acronym you are questioning, and then it gets added to the memory bank. I agree with ERD50 about the uncertainty surrounding SIL.



Some folk take it to extremes and construct sentences dominated by multiple acronyms. I tend to err in favor of writing everything out in full. I'm a fan of words and language, and not so much a fan of abbreviations.

Even more than this, some folks will just make up their own personal abbreviation for words (not recognized acronyms) mid-post. The reader must channel the poster's brain to guess these. Seems better to write them out.

 

[Gumby]

Even more than this, some folks will just make up their own personal abbreviation for words (not recognized acronyms) mid-post. The reader must channel the poster's brain to guess these. Seems better to write them out.

I think we reach the apotheosis of written communication when we combine obscure acronyms, leetspeak and multitudinous emojis.



Actually, I try very hard to avoid all of these, although I am certain I've slipped a time or two over the years.

 

[JoeWras]

Even more than this, some folks will just make up their own personal abbreviation for words (not recognized acronyms) mid-post. The reader must channel the poster's brain to guess these. Seems better to write them out.

Back in college, I lived in a coop that used YFN for notes. Your Friendly Neighborhood.

Example: "Please flush the toilet - YFNMC"

Here MC stands for maintenance committee.

As drunkenness occurred, they became random. It was always fun trying to decipher them. One time I awoke to a pile of garbage with a topping of 4 or 5 pizza boxes. There was a note which said, "Hey MC, screw it - YFNPBS"

I guess it was Pizza Box Stacker?

 

[FREE866]

I’ve enjoyed browsing posts for 10 years now. But I am bewildered by some members’ excessive use of acronyms. Is it really too much trouble to type the words? Or should I not be reading these threads, if I don’t understand the acronyms? :facepalm

hahaha


I hear you. I find it maddening at times, but yes Google search usually is the fix!
There has got to be a good SNL ( Saturday Night Live) skit somewhere about this.

 

[Time2]

I think we reach the apotheosis of written communication when we combine obscure acronyms, leetspeak and multitudinous emojis.

Clearly we have a 1337 group here!

 

[RunningBum]

hahaha


I hear you. I find it maddening at times, but yes Google search usually is the fix!

I'm with the OP. Which is better, a poster taking a few extra seconds to type out an acronym, or making dozens of readers do google searches to figure out what they are talking about?

Somewhere recently, maybe over at Bogleheads but maybe another thread here, someone said they thought DW might mean "Damned Wife". I choose to read it that way from now on.

 

[harley]

I'm with the OP. Which is better, a poster taking a few extra seconds to type out an acronym, or making dozens of readers do google searches to figure out what they are talking about?

Uh, B? At least more fun.

 

[JoeWras]

Somewhere recently, maybe over at Bogleheads but maybe another thread here, someone said they thought DW might mean "Damned Wife". I choose to read it that way from now on.

Uh, uh, the linked summary page allows for this possibility:

DW - Darling Wife is the nice version or D*** Wife

I believe the whole beauty of the acronym allows you to decide which, based on context.

 

[NameTaken2]

LOL!