Initials

Its when folk start talking about their step in-laws twice removed that it gets confusing.

I agree notnecessarily when I see a post full of these abbreviations I just lose the will to carry on reading. Wtfcyjwtw - why the f***can't you just write the word !!
Perhaps it's a sign of being in the GN 'club' when you use the code.

Exactly, notanan2 - I was attempting to read a thread yesterday where the OP was referencing her son in law and someone's sister in law using the same acronym - try as I might I couldn't make head or tail of it. Perhaps that's what prompted yggdrasil to create this thread?

The tricky one is SIL because it can be son or sister in law

A few more:

RTFT - Read the full thread
HTH - Hope that helps
CBA - Can't be a**ed
OP - Original post/er

Forum abbreviations and acronyms
This is a list of the most commonly used acronyms used on Gransnet forums. Don't feel like you have to use them if you don't want to, but they may help you understand some of the forums better.
AIBU - Am I being unreasonable
BiL - brother-in-law
BTW - by the way
DBH - dear beloved husband
DC - darling/dear child/ren
DD - darling/dear daughter
DGS/D - darling/dear grandson/daughter
DH - darling/dear husband
DiL - daughter in law
DS - darling/dear son
Other things you might like...
Getting started on Gransnet.
Frequently asked questions.
Find out more about Gransnet.
Terms of use.
DSS/D - darling/dear stepson/daughter
DW - darling/dear wife
FiL - father-in-law
FWIW - for what it's worth
FYI - for your information
GD - granddaughter
GN - Gransnet!
GNHQ - Gransnet headquarters AKA cake-eating central.
GS - grandson
GSH - good sense of humour (not to be confused with GCH - gas central heating)
IYCWIM - If you see what I mean
LOL - laugh out loud
MiL - mother-in-law
OG - old git
OH - other half
OTT - over the top
PiL - parents-in-law
PM - private message
SiL - sister-in-law
SO - significant other
TBH - to be honest

Even if you just about understand the abbreviations, it can still be confusing. Assuming SiL is actually sister-in-law and not son-in-law, it could be husband’s sister or brother’s wife.
In real life, I would never refer to my “dear” (or darling) husband, daughter, son, etc, so why the need in these abbreviations. If posters do want to use them, why not simplify to H, D, S etc. but spell out other relationships in full.

There's a list of acronyms somewhere, isn't there?

Many years ago, when I joined a writers' forum, I was very bemused at first by all the references to 'dh'. Who was this dh of whom they spoke? Dopey Herbert?
But eventually I worked it out.

But yes, SiL in particular can definitely be confusing. And maybe we should somehow make it clear whether it's 'dear' or 'dratted' husband, not to mention 'dopey'!
May I suggest Deh, Drh, and Doh?

I sometimes get confused too. Is SIL son in law or sister in law, is DD dear daughter or dad? Why does there have to be a D in front of it anyway, they sometimes aren’t particularly dear!

That's her, merlot

SDIL?

Sodding daughter-in-law?

Absolutely mcem

I'm ok with immediate family, but when it comes to SDIL and so on, then I'm lost.

I say again - they are not acronyms!
Where the initials form a "new" word you have an acronym as in NATO or UNESCO.
I do wish GNHQ would change that heading to *abbreviations "!!

I've never had a problem with the acronyms; to me they're so obvious as to what they refer to. And there aren't that many of them to get your head around really.

I did Pitmans shorthand and still remember some of the alphabet. Easy when you know how

You are not alone Ygg I ve said many times I hate them I have never got used to them in all the years I ve been on here I know what most of them mean but each time I read a post I have to mentally decipher it taking twice as long and don’t get me started on the ridiculous darling dears dratted or whatever it might stand for just because Mumsnet dies it
I think I m acronym dyslexic

Is it really that difficult to work them out? I typed H&M on another thread this afternoon instead of Harry and Meghan because it was appropriate to the thread. Nothing wrong with a bit of shorthand.

I can't see why people get confused.

yggdrasil, you will get used to them I am sure .On my laptop there is a list under 'Acronyms' above each thread. Not sure where to find them on the mobile site.