Acronyms are everywhere and have us scratching our heads and running to google.
A brief history of acronyms courtesy of Wikipedia:
'In the English language, the widespread use of acronyms and initialisms is a relatively new linguistic phenomenon, becoming increasingly evident since the mid-20th century. As literacy rates rose, and as advances in science and technology brought with them more complicated terms and concepts, the practice of abbreviating terms became increasingly convenient. The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) records the first printed use of the word initialism as occurring in 1899, but it did not come into general use until 1965, well after acronym had become common'.
There is no escape from them - newspapers, blogs, businesses - and most of them have several meanings.
Let me give you a sample list (these all have more than 4 meanings but I had to stop somewhere) and you will see what I mean.
RAK could mean:
Random Act of Kindness.
Right Above Knee (amputation)
Raising Arizona Kids (magazine)
Remote Access Key
DNF could mean:
Data Not Found
Did Not Finish (racing)
Do Not Forget
Do Not Forward
BTW could mean:
By The Way
Between The Words
Born To Win
Before The War
SWAK could mean:
Sealed With A Kiss
Sewer Workers Are King (Honeymooners TV Show)
Spinners & Weavers Association of Korea
Shallow Water Active Kit
BMV could mean:
Be My Valentine
Below Market Value
Bedside Medication Verification
Bele Minden Vackot (Hungarian punk band)
SMS could mean:
Stupid Man Syndrome
Slow Moving Software
Simple Message Service
Special Mint Set (numismatics/coin collecting)
LOL could mean:
Laugh(ing) Out Loud
Lord Oh Lord
Log On Later
Lots Of Love
PTO could mean:
Please Turn Over
Ping Time Out
Poetry Today Online
Prison Talk Online
FBI could mean:
Federal Bureau of Investigation (US government)
Full Blooded Indian
Firm Believer in Islam
Famous But Incompetent (common slang used by militia groups)
SOS could mean:
Some One Special (chat)
Shoot on Site
Save Our Souls
Strawberry on Shortcake
OMG could mean:
Overly Managed Garden
Oh My God (chat)
Online Music Group
One Man Gang
PMS could mean:
Pardon My Stupidity
Practically My Sister
Pack My Suitcase
Power Money Sex
FFT could mean:
Food For Thought
Full Functional Test
For Further Transfer
File Format Table
Finally AVT could mean:
Adult Vocational Training
Automatic Video Tracker
Applied Vehicle Technology
Architecture Verification Test
The list is endless......so now you see why I haven't a clue sometimes what people are taking about!
I have put the acronym finder in favourites so I can keep up with the conversation, although with so many different meanings who knows whether I will be any wiser!
PS - (PostScript, Porn Star, Please Sir, Please Stay)
This post came about when Annemarie wrote RAK in one of her posts and I didn't have a clue what she was talking about.
Also I realised I did not know the meaning of AVT Coach who I follow every day, so I had to go and look that up as well.
9 hours ago
7 comments:
Hi Peg, you're on target here! This helps explain why I'm often confused. I recently received this symbol I didn't know - still haven't figure it out:
: p
Anyway, I thought of you because Hubby has gone to pick up The Little Blond One. Today is our day to sit. Your idea of making a scrapblog around his hair (once he gets more) is a fun idea. Maybe I'll do that.
We're deep into kitchen planning, tile choosing etc. I must update the blog soon.
Hope you're having a good week! Jan
Jan I think it means tongue sticking out... think of the colon : as the eyes and the P as the mouth with the tongue sticking out... also done like :-P here there is a nose.
(I found this explanation on google).
Peggy
AVT - Audio Verbal Therapy(ist)
I am so glad I could be a source of inspiration. I am usually very careful about the acronyms I use, especially since my circle of friends has become international. But I occasionally find myself having to back up and change acronyms to their full meaning or explaining parenthetically. I noticed that the onset of regular use of acronyms in our language began around the time of the Viet Nam war. Living near and working on a military base, I hear no end of acronyms. Not to mention that the education system is full of them:
SAT - Scholastic Aptitude Test, Stanford Achievement Test, Student Assistance Team
CRT - Campus Referral Team or Cathode Ray Tube (old computer monitors)
RTI - Response to Intervention
BIP - Behavior Intervention Plan
SAC - Suspension alternative on Campus
ISS - In School Suspension
SPED - Special Education
The list is endless.
:P
First of all I love Cat Steven so the song change is awesome. I have been listening to him all of my life.
Second..I wondered what the research was. Very clever! I was wondering..
is "Stupid Man Syndrome" and "Slow moving software" the same thing..a synonym??? :) :) LOL LOL
I was also wondering..when it is lets say 7 pm in US what time is it there? Just curious. and too lazy to figure it out for myself. :)
That was great! The acronyms for PMS were the best.
From 1990-1995 I worked for the Air Force. I strung entire sentences together with acronyms. Like this: "It's Wednesday, so you're wearing your BDUs. Are you PCS-ing this week or just TDY? I got a complaint about AWACS today. Probably going to be a problem when it comes to AICUZ." I miss the Air Force, but don't miss that.
The worst acronym ever: the F word: Fornicate Upon Command of King.
You have been busy! I am behind in my reading and posting.... and am enjoying catching up with yours.
I saw that you came by to see if there was anything new. My mind is perfectly blogless. Can't think of a thing other than the 90 or so essays I must read this weekend! Hopefully, the muse will strike soon.
Not only am I behind with blogging, but my dog Scout can't understand why he wasn't the feature of a scrapblog for the favorite pet/animal challenge. :-)
Have a good weekend!
Roban
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