Gransnet forums

Pedants' corner

Grumpy old woman

(47 Posts)
KaEllen Tue 18-Aug-20 17:58:16

Half serious, half tongue in cheek...
... am I the only one who gets irritated by unnecessary acronyms?
I've been on Gransnet (or GN!) for a few weeks, and can't quite get used to all the DILs. MILs, SILs, AIBUs, OPs, DGDs etc etc. Surely it's not hard to write out daughter-in-law and all the rest! In my humble opinion (IMHO), this only serves to create an insider language...

I've put the acronyms in the above so everyone can understand me! wink

Maybe I am just turning into a GOW (grumpy old woman)?!

MissAdventure Tue 18-Aug-20 18:21:49

They GOMTs, frankly.

Lots of people seem to enjoy them, so I just pass a thread by if there are too many family members.

Marydoll Tue 18-Aug-20 18:25:25

A warm welcome KaEllen, looking forward to seeing more of your posts.

There is no rule to say you must use them, you can write them in whatever format pleases you.
You are certainly not the first new poster to mention it. grin

If one really wants to be pedantic, the heading at the top of the page is incorrect. They are abbreviations not acronyms

Charleygirl5 Tue 18-Aug-20 18:35:11

I understand GOW to be glass of wine so they can be misleading.

phoenix Tue 18-Aug-20 18:41:08

Nice one, Charleygirl grin

Chewbacca Tue 18-Aug-20 18:44:00

GOMTs

Hmmm? Now, I wonder? What could that possibly stand for? ? grin

sodapop Tue 18-Aug-20 20:37:05

Something to do with birds I think Chewbacca grin

kittylester Tue 18-Aug-20 20:47:01

MissA shock

BlueBelle Tue 18-Aug-20 20:49:18

I hate them and everyone knows that
alphabet soup Lazy... people are so keen to call kids out fir using text speak then use bloody initials Pot and kettle

Janetashbolt Tue 18-Aug-20 20:55:12

GP gets me, on here it's generally grandparents but I work in a doctor's surgery so it is General Practitioner to me

Chewbacca Tue 18-Aug-20 21:18:08

Blue ones sodapop?

MissAdventure Tue 18-Aug-20 21:19:27

Or great ones!

Marydoll Tue 18-Aug-20 21:22:46

Oh, I've been trying to work out what it meant.?
I'm really not that bright!?

Grammaretto Tue 18-Aug-20 21:23:58

DS can be son or sister depending on context.

Chewbacca Tue 18-Aug-20 21:26:54

Sent you a pm to explain Marydoll!

Marydoll Tue 18-Aug-20 21:28:44

I had just worked it out. I'm not thick, just very refined!! ??

Froglady Tue 18-Aug-20 21:34:11

I also hate the various acronyms - I want to be able to read a post straight through without having to stop and work out who someone is talking about.

CanadianGran Tue 18-Aug-20 21:36:21

I'm totally lost....

Welcome KaEllen!

Doodledog Tue 18-Aug-20 21:50:16

I don't use them. I don't mind reading them too much, but it does make me laugh when I see DH or DD after a long rant about said Dear One's shortcomings grin. I know we can love them in spite of everything, but still.

While I'm here - much as I sympathise with the young people getting their A level grades just now, if I hear 'Yoonee' one more time, I will combust. It's not just the students - it's passed to presenters now, and it makes my teeth itch.

Lucca Tue 18-Aug-20 22:01:56

I thought they were acronyms. Ah well. I’d prefer DH any day Rather than “hubby”.......

Helennonotion Tue 18-Aug-20 22:05:03

If its a longish post full of them, I just give up! If I'm writing one myself, I don't even think of using them! It would take too much working out. hmm

annep1 Tue 18-Aug-20 22:38:53

SiL can be son in law or sister in law.

I've just worked it out ?

Eloethan Tue 18-Aug-20 23:01:34

I almost never use acronyms on Gransnet. It doesn't take that much longer to type things out in full and doing so doesn't interrupt the flow of the post.

SueDonim Tue 18-Aug-20 23:51:37

I’ve been using these acronyms for many years and I don’t notice them any more than I notice acronyms such as NHS, GCSE or SNP. They’re a word in themselves. Unless a poster writes a family saga type message, it seems easy enough, to me.

Lucca Wed 19-Aug-20 07:09:24

Doodledog. With respect a bit of an over reaction to the abbreviation “uni”. Surely ? You would not expect them to say they were off to a science lesson in the “laboratory” every time ? Or wheel the baby in the “perambulator”?,