Acronyms are a useful way to convey information in a kind of shorthand manner. Their meaning, while familiar to you & some others, may not always be clear to the rest of us.

Obviously, we all probably know many of them: FBI, DEA, DOJ, et cetera. However, even common ones have multiple uses such as BLM.

I make this suggestion when using an acronym. In the instance of its first appearance in a post, type out the acronym and the actual words it represents (in parentheses) so we can all enjoy your post without looking it up.

Extra points if you post it written out with caps and bold in the description.

Example: WDTSS (When Does The Shooting Start?)

If this suggestion is all wet or oversteps in some way, please disregard and/or delete.

Para has clearly asked this many times.

WWJD?

Yes, YES, YES!

I started a thread about this, a while ago. Can't remember whether it was here in The Lounge, or over in the rant section.

In all of the technical writing that I have done, it was always mandated that we either used your suggestion, or had the expanded definition of the acronym appear in a footnote on the same page where the acronym first appeared.

Bell Labs had manuals with their standards for technical writing; acronyms were used extensively in their documents, and the manuals had quite a bit to say about proper use of acronyms.

I agree. In the Air Force we were taught to spell out upon first use in any document, and use the acronym for subsequent uses. Except we would spell out the term with the acronym in parentheses: Base Communications Center (BCC), or Consolidated Base Personnel Office (CBPO).

There are several "Manuals of Style," of which the Chicago Manual of Style (subscription required) is perhaps best known. When studying for my Masters, I was required to use the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. That's a pretty long mouthful, so the way to use its acronym is to place the acronym in parentheses following the full term. For example,

National Rifle Association (NRA)

Once so cited, the abbreviation can then be used without further explanation.

Old habits die hard, so I still tend to write this way. There are, however, some commonly used acronyms that need no reference. For example, LOL, STFU, mm, and so on.

Then, there's one I like to use, but doing so requires a bit of "insider knowledge:" LIMEDILLIGAFF (Look In My Eyes, Does It Look Like I Give A Flying Fuck?).

AZMVD WTF?

Someone should develop a list of commonly used Acronyms that don't need to be explain and have it inserted in the SigForum Waiver - recommend that it go in section E, page 18, subsection V-5. Or V-8, either way.

YMMV, JMO, TTYL.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I nominate RHINOwSO!!!

TL, DR LOL

FAGH (Fuxking ain't gonna happen)

However, it has honed my Google skills.

quote:

Originally posted by vinnybass:
I make this suggestion when using an acronym. In the instance of its first appearance in a post, type out the acronym and the actual words it represents (in parentheses) so we can all enjoy your post without looking it up.
...
If this suggestion is all wet ...

It's not all wet. It's not even slightly damp It's actually fairly common practice--for those who know how to write.

I do either that, spell it out and put the acronym in parenthesis directly afterward, or even "(hereinafter referred-to as <acronym> )," most times.

The only time I skip these is when, TTBOMK (*), the acronym will likely be commonly known.

(*) To The Best Of My Knowledge (**)
(**) And, more rarely, I do as illustrated here.

quote:

Originally posted by bigwagon:
TL, DR LOL

More correctly, in Internet lingo, "TL;DR" (note semicolon, no spaces).

Someone use to have an acronym I made up in sig, don’t remember who.

Sitting here in my BVD's wondering why the BFD?

quote:

Originally posted by RHINOWSO:
Someone should develop a list of commonly used Acronyms that don't need to be explain and have it inserted in the SigForum Waiver - recommend that it go in section E, page 18, subsection V-5. Or V-8, either way.

YMMV, JMO, TTYL.

I tried that earlier titled Reference Tab?
Looked all over the forum and I think there needs to be an area for (an example) acronyms. I know what MM stands for and EDC but where (other than Google search) could I find this information?

Tinyman

Mine didn't get very far.

quote:

Originally posted by OKCGene:
Sitting here in my BVD's wondering why the BFD?

OMG.


Seriously, though, I'm totally with the OP (original poster) on the request for people to explain their acronyms.

Not all SF (SIG forum) members have military or law enforcement backgrounds, and as vinnybass said, many of the acronyms and fun euphemisms aren't always clear to the Regular Joes (RJs?). I seem to remember V-Tail's thread about this topic.

I've said it before: I'd love for there to be a sticky, managed (as in, routinely alphabetized and maintained) thread for this. Every wise guy and his brother will counter with "just Google it, man" or some such retort, though.

quote:

Originally posted by .38supersig:
AZMVD

Arizona Motor Vehicle Department

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:
WWJD?

Mow my lawn and pick the oranges off my tree?

^^^^

ISWYDT --> I see what you did there.

quote:

Originally posted by Tinyman:
I think there needs to be an area for (an example) acronyms.

No, what is needed is for members to type out what they wish to say in plain English.