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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

In thinking it's got a bit out of hand?

40 replies

MiniMonty · 06/12/2013 02:31

Perhaps you can translate this:

Seeing as how the VP is such a VIP, shouldn't we keep the PC on the QT? 'Cause if it leaks to the VC he could end up MIA, and then we'd all be put on KP. This from a XL who doesn't have ED with 3 DCs (one FER) and DF who has AD which might see him BB within months.

Can't anyone just spell and say what they mean without attempting to make everything into an acronym?

If you want to "share", gain opinions and support then I'll suggest a cliquey and oblique secret language is perhaps not the best way to go about it.

Comments?

OP posts:
YourMaNoBraBackOfMyCar · 06/12/2013 02:34

Yabu

TotallyBursar · 06/12/2013 02:47

It's not an oblique or secret language, I mean there's a bloody list that explains them if you can be bothered to look.

It's part of the culture here and on most of the internet. YABU.

SparkleSoiree · 06/12/2013 02:52

I can't stand it either because I struggle to translate ancronyms quickly. It strikes me as laziness in writing and unless you are someone who can easily translate acronyms it can make for very difficult reading.

YANBU.

Morloth · 06/12/2013 02:57

Of course it is laziness in writing, that is the whole point. Instead of 12 keystrokes for 'Dear Husband' there are 2 for DH.

DropYourSword · 06/12/2013 02:58

It's not really laziness though, it's just efficiency. Would you ever write et cetera instead of etc, or id est instead of i.e? Or would you go self contained underwater breathing apparatus diving?

Morloth · 06/12/2013 03:01

Lazy/efficient, who cares, it results in less work so it is a good thing as far as I am concerned.

holidaysarenice · 06/12/2013 03:04

What the heck does half of that mean?? Would someone translate?

FastWindow · 06/12/2013 03:13

Ironically, OP won't know if they are BU or not. Given the acronymical (made up word) replies.

JS. IYSWIM.

CrispyHedgehogFucker · 06/12/2013 03:37

Ok. Since this is a thread about acronyms... wtf is ODFOD? that's one I can't work out.

Tia

EBearhug · 06/12/2013 03:44

ODFOD = Oh, do fuck off, dear!

MrsTerrysChocolateOrange · 06/12/2013 05:47

I noticed. FO with your LOL.

GhettoPrincess001 · 06/12/2013 07:20

The original paragraph is so nonsensical I wonder if it's been put there as a joke.

kelper · 06/12/2013 07:25

Can I use odfod in rl? I know it's an acronym but it sounds nice

FastWindow · 06/12/2013 11:10

My dh used to send me entire text messages that were acronyms.

Eg. Igttdyna?

I'd have to try and work it out from context alone.

In this case, it's 'I'm going to tescos, do you need anything?'

I wish I had known about odfod then.

farrowandbawlbauls · 06/12/2013 11:25

I love that film.

farrowandbawlbauls · 06/12/2013 11:28

Seeing as how the VP is such a VIP, shouldn't we keep the PC on the QT? 'Cause if it leaks to the VC he could end up MIA, and then we'd all be put on KP.

This is from Good Morning Vietnam.

DeWe · 06/12/2013 11:37

Sparkle
"I can't stand it either because I struggle to translate ancronyms quickly. It strikes me as laziness in writing and unless you are someone who can easily translate acronyms it can make for very difficult reading.

YANBU"

Do you see the irony? Next time you need you write YANBU all out... Grin

Whocansay · 06/12/2013 13:49

You didn't understand the joke, OP.

WorraLiberty · 06/12/2013 13:53

OK OP

Tinklewinkle · 06/12/2013 14:02

DH and I are foster carers, I spend half my life scratching my head over acronyms

We all sit around at meetings talking about TPMs/JCSPs/PEPs/EWOs/CPs/CAFs/IROs/PPs/SCP, it's like a foreign language sometimes Grin. The minutes of these meetings read like a long list of random letters sometimes.

I need a handbook

SparkleSoiree · 06/12/2013 23:33

DeWe Fri 06-Dec-13 11:37:19
Sparkle
"I can't stand it either because I struggle to translate ancronyms quickly. It strikes me as laziness in writing and unless you are someone who can easily translate acronyms it can make for very difficult reading.

YANBU"

Do you see the irony? Next time you need you write YANBU all out… Grin

You Are Not Being Unreasonable! Wink

Original poster
MiniMonty · 07/12/2013 00:43

Well, I'm really glad that farrowandbawlbauls spotted the original quote but I do think it's out of hand on this site - yes there is a "jargon buster" which covers maybe 30% of the commonly used BHJHJKY junk but I think I'm part of a majority who simply don't "geddit" with many of the acronyms and who are therefore left out (cut out) of the conversation for the sake of what has become a MN "style essential".

"BF" can mean best friend in one thread and breast feeding in another. Of course context is everything but not every poster is as clear as the next. Surely we shouldn't have to read and learn the codebook to fully join in, especially when the codebook only covers 30% of the code !

NO ONE says "my husband" or "my daughter" and it's because the (very short lived) tradition of acronyms has taken hold a little too tightly.

Note to management...

This use of acronyms is fundamentally changing the nature of what MumsNet is all about - it's making it into a clique where only some can read, post to and understand the rest. I don't think that's what you were after. Maybe you should look into it...

OP posts:
usualsuspect · 07/12/2013 00:45

DILLIGAF

Topaz25 · 07/12/2013 08:47

Acronyms can be useful and I use them myself but I try not to use more than a couple in a post or it does read a bit like code!

DorrisM · 07/12/2013 08:51

This isn't just a MN thing, DH, Dw are used across the net as are lots of others.