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AIBU

Acronyms. Help!

(24 Posts)
jackypat Wed 16-Feb-22 11:41:53

AIBU and a million acronyms.
Every forum you join has its own set of acronyms. Which is fine if you know them. Would it be difficult to use the full term the first time the phrase is used in a post and then the initials used if it is repeated in the same post. I have recently had to join a fairly technical forum and feel ridiculous having to ask multiple times what the acronyms stand for.

tanith Wed 16-Feb-22 12:09:37

There is a list up above on the left jackypat just aboveAIBU.

Ali08 Tue 22-Feb-22 02:52:10

There isn't. At least as far as I can see. Maybe it's because I'm on an Android phone rather than a laptop, but above the AIBU is a line then the GRANSNET logo in the same colour as that line!

tanith Tue 22-Feb-22 07:45:54

You are right Ali08 so here you go

BlueBelle Tue 22-Feb-22 07:49:32

I can’t say about technical terms but on here I imply DO NOT use them I don’t enjoy playing alphabet soup
I think it’s lazy, lazy, lazy and always impresses me that the same people who love their DD s and DS s would call young folk uneducated for using text speak or should I say ‘txt spk’
Don’t use the darned things it’s lazy speech

MerylStreep Tue 22-Feb-22 08:09:41

BlueBelle
Couldn’t agree more. We have one or two poster who use some text speak. I don’t bother reading their posts.

TerriBull Tue 22-Feb-22 08:21:44

I agree. I'm damned if I'm going to start prefixing members of my family with a d (presumably for darling or dear), even seen a dd being referred to (darling dog) in that case. I don't refer to my family like this in real life sounds twee to my ears.

I spent ages once trying to work out what a LO was, when I finally tumbled, little one, personally I'd rather type out baby or child instead hmm

Luckygirl3 Tue 22-Feb-22 08:31:46

You want to try being a school governor! - incomprehensible acronyms coming out of your ears!

Elegran Tue 22-Feb-22 08:55:25

It isn't obligatory to use them. Uou don't have to call your dratted husband a DH if you don't want to, nor do you have to read every post if it annoys you. I use them sometimes but not always.

I wonder whether those who hate acronyms always say British Broadcasting Corporation, or European Union? Like any new thing, familiarity comes with use, and on GN (there is another!) you learn something new every day.

nadateturbe Tue 22-Feb-22 09:07:03

Thanks tanith

Grammaretto Tue 22-Feb-22 09:44:49

I thought we were expected to use the abbreviations on here!
I see on University Challenge and other quizzes that contestants are often asked what the abbreviations and acronyms stand for!
U.S.B, P.A.T,

BTW, grin it is only strictly abbreviations which can be read as words which are true acronyms.
QANGO
SAGE
COBRA
NASA

TerriBull Tue 22-Feb-22 10:06:29

Umpteen acronyms for corporations have passed into everyday language for example BBC, who refers to it as British Broadcasting Corporation, smacks of a bygone era. Others such as FBI, CBI, CIA, EU appear to be the most common way of referring to corporations and institutions, so much so, there will be those who won't be aware of what the full title is. I take your point Elegran though. I think it is not uncommon for new subscribers to remain baffled by some of the acronyms used on this site if they don't stumble upon the glossary, but then again they only have to ask and many will jump in to explain what they stand for.

I do use acronyms such as MN, GN, M&S, who doesn't? just not the personal ones, but as you say each to their own.

On a personal note, I once loved Patricia Cornwall's crime books until the acronyms took over confused

My personal dislike is LOL, if used to denote what precedes it, is supposed to be funny, I can't really explain why I don't like that one, I just do, I'd rather use the smile emoji smile

Grammaretto Tue 22-Feb-22 10:13:42

I beg your pardon, it should be
QUANGO
Quasi-autonomous national government organization

Yammy Tue 22-Feb-22 10:17:09

Each to their own, use what you want to and people will read if they want to, couldn't be easier. If you are saying people should not use acronyms then you are imposing your ideas on others just like you suggest they are imposing theirs on you.confused

Bodach Tue 22-Feb-22 10:19:07

I’m always intrigued as to why NATO, the acronym for ‘North Atlantic Treaty Organisation’ often appears printed in mainstream media (and on Gransnet) as ‘Nato’. One never sees the ‘Cia’ or ‘Fbi’ treated like this.

TerriBull Tue 22-Feb-22 10:22:49

I really loved a programme called "fonejacker" the creator Kayvan Novak had a field day with acronyms particularly DVDs and DFS, don't know where he's gone but I wish he'd come back.

GrandmaKT Tue 22-Feb-22 10:28:59

I read a letter in a magazine years ago from a lady who had just started working as an assistant to a chief police officer. She had to take minutes at meetings and was really struggling with the acronyms, CPOs, DOA, etc etc. At one meeting an incident was being discussed and her boss said he would keep his BDI on the matter. The lady exploded and shouted "I'm really struggling with all this police talk - can someone please tell me what on earth a BDI is??!" He boss turned to her and quietly said "Beady Eye?"

MissAdventure Tue 22-Feb-22 10:36:23

grin

sodapop Tue 22-Feb-22 13:27:26

I'm with BlueBelle on this one, if I see a post littered with abbreviations it does deter me from reading it.
The same goes for very long posts without paragraphs, they are difficult to read and absorb. I do understand though sometimes the poster writing is stressed or emotional and wants to get everything down.

Grammaretto Tue 22-Feb-22 21:57:04

GrandmaKT grin

Granmarderby10 Tue 22-Feb-22 22:30:50

sodapop blush re long posts

Don’t get the the “dear daughter/son/husband etc” and it could be perceived as a bit clique -ish but hey-ho

When I am genuinely interested in a post though, no matter how dense the text, I will plough through and enlarge it to make it easier.

Shinamae Tue 22-Feb-22 22:40:00

BlueBelle

I can’t say about technical terms but on here I imply DO NOT use them I don’t enjoy playing alphabet soup
I think it’s lazy, lazy, lazy and always impresses me that the same people who love their DD s and DS s would call young folk uneducated for using text speak or should I say ‘txt spk’
Don’t use the darned things it’s lazy speech

I absolutely agree, I think it’s totally unnecessary

Elegran Tue 22-Feb-22 23:11:40

Granmarderby10

sodapop blush re long posts

Don’t get the the “dear daughter/son/husband etc” and it could be perceived as a bit clique -ish but hey-ho

When I am genuinely interested in a post though, no matter how dense the text, I will plough through and enlarge it to make it easier.

D is the first letter of a lot of other words besides dear or darling. There are darned, dratted and damned, and if is wasn't five past eleven I could probably think of some more.

I don't read long posts without paragraphs. Sometimes a post doesn't have sentences either, it is a string of words that goes on and on for thirty lines or more without a full stop, a comma or a capital letter. I suspect the poster isn't really looking for anyone to read it or reply, they are just getting it all off their chest.

nanna8 Tue 22-Feb-22 23:20:37

I don’t go for the Ds,either. People don’t really use the word ‘dear’ round here, it isn’t part of the vernacular.
. I thought it was a bit sarcastic and condescending. I have used it but only because everyone else here seems to but it doesn’t feel right.