Gransnet forums

AIBU

Down With Acronyms

(111 Posts)
Gwoof Sat 17-Sep-16 11:50:46

Am I being unreasonable in disliking acronyms? Surely it doesn't take much effort or time to type in the full words. Without them the flow for the reader is so much easier. Frequent use of acronyms is like being in a special club where you have to keep up with stupid rules. Let's start a new fashion in Gransnet: stop overusing acronyms and make reading a pleasure again.

Wobblybits Sat 17-Sep-16 11:51:37

CBA

Ana Sat 17-Sep-16 11:57:11

You'll get used to them if you stay around, Gwoof.

tanith Sat 17-Sep-16 12:00:20

Most are reasonably obvious, surely it doesn't take much effort to read them. If you CBA then don't bother with posts that include them.

kittylester Sat 17-Sep-16 12:05:13

Not again!!!! When did you join gwoof? Did you not spot that we use acronyms?confused

Gwoof Sat 17-Sep-16 12:09:40

Wobblybits, I had to look up 'CBA' and I can't be arsed looking up acronyms all the time.
Ana, I might get used to them if I stay around, but I suppose I could get used to lying on a bed of nails too...
Tanith, it is difficult to avoid posts with acronyms and it might mean that I miss out on some real gems!
Is there no one out there who agrees with me?

Riverwalk Sat 17-Sep-16 12:21:15

Acronyms are part of GN 'house-style' - GNHQ even provide a handy list of suggested ones, but they're not compulsory. It's usually obvious what they mean and you get used to them, and if you don't know ask - it's what we all did on joining.

Do you really expect the 95% of posters who use them to type out daughter-in-law, Gransnet Headquarters, dear husband, dear daughter-in-law, great grandson, great grandmother, etc., because you CBA to make an effort.

So you're not unreasonable in disliking acronyms but yes being very unreasonable to expect everyone to change!

aggie Sat 17-Sep-16 12:22:13

the box at the top of the page translates them ,

Elegran Sat 17-Sep-16 12:22:49

There was a thread on this very recently. The point was made that everyone talks about TV, BBC, FIFA, EU, and dozens of others without turning a hair. When they first met these things they probably thought "What in heavens name is a TV? Why can't they just say television, it doesn't take much longer?" but they soon got used to it.

There are not many acronyms in frequent use on Gransnet - it is mostly the ones for words that are used all the time - H husband, S son, D daughter, GS grandson, BiL brother-in-law, often with a D in front of them to stand for dear (or dratted, depending on how the poster is feeling) and DD2 for "My darling second daughter" and so on.

They are not obligatory, you don't have to use them, you don't have read them. You do just as you want to, no-one will criticise you for it if you type out the whole lot every time, they will accept it. but after a couple of weeks of reading other posts, you will probably find that you have absorbed the ones you need and can ignore the others, or look them up in the glossary in the link up the page if you want to know what they mean.

tanith Sat 17-Sep-16 12:25:10

Gwoof you've really answered your own questions 'its difficult to avoid posts with acronyms' because most people use them to one degree or another. So maybe just avoid them and if you miss something its your loss really for CBA.
Sorry if no agrees with you but you do get used to them and I hope it won't put you off Gransnet because its a brilliant site.

Aurelia Sat 17-Sep-16 12:28:01

YABU!

DaphneBroon Sat 17-Sep-16 12:31:33

FGS, YABU, CBA, TTFN

Elegran Sat 17-Sep-16 12:36:24

I've just noticed that this is under the AIBU banner - so you are already using an acronym. grin Not that painful, was it?

thatbags Sat 17-Sep-16 12:40:13

Haha! Love the "Oh, stop moaning!" approach. Go GNers!

Gwoof looks like an acronym to me, a hybrid one for Granny Woof or something.

Gwoof Sat 17-Sep-16 12:42:50

Thanks all!
I love your posts and I hate over use of acronyms especially obscure ones.
Here is a little song for you:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=66JnQls1e4k

kittylester Sat 17-Sep-16 12:46:44

Are the people who start all these acronym threads just attention seeking?

aggie Sat 17-Sep-16 12:50:55

yes lol

Wobblybits Sat 17-Sep-16 13:13:41

lmao

jinglbellsfrocks Sat 17-Sep-16 13:18:39

dbm

Nandalot Sat 17-Sep-16 13:47:41

A few on here I don't know. But that's ok.

SueDonim Sat 17-Sep-16 13:58:54

Tl;dr. YABU.

grin

Elegran Sat 17-Sep-16 14:01:03

I couldn't make out any of the words of your song, Gwoof A bit like trying to work out what obscure acronyms mean!

I agree with you about overuse and obscure ones. The ones are here are mostly common-or-garden ones though. Stick with it and soon you won't even notice them, you'll be so busy wondering what the ones without acronyms are going on about!

Gwoof Sat 17-Sep-16 14:22:58

Thanks Elegran. I now realise that my complaint is a very common one and I apologise for bringing it up again.
I mean: take a look a Tl;dr from SueDonim. I am not going TBA to look that up.

Elegran Sat 17-Sep-16 14:56:52

grin Ttfn, Gwoof (That's a very old one. My father used it, and my grandfather before him. Means "Ta-ta for now")

jinglbellsfrocks Sat 17-Sep-16 19:01:41

I made mine up.