Abbreviations

[LadyKalila]

I really dislike the use of abbreviations on Mumsnet. It's lazy and I feel if you are writing something, spell it out! And I don't know what most of them mean.

PIN, RSVP, Nato, phone, TV - all abbreviations used in speech in my circle. And when I'm down with the kids, even "lol" and "fam"

But...we're not speaking, we're writing? It's similar to writing etc but saying et cetera. If you want to use spoken word, you'd phone someone rather than type the words on an internet forum, surely?

ASAP and PDQ are used in speech.
Just saying.

Mr, Mrs, Dr

St (street) and St (Saint)

Do you shop at ASDA? Thats an abbreviation, loosely so is Aldi.

do you ever promise to do something ASAP? Order a BLT? Added FYI to a SMS? Showed ID in a bar? Used a PIN at an ATM? Suffered from PMT? and what if no one could send an SOS? check the SPF on their sunscreen?

Abbreviations are everywhere! OP... YABVU!

All forums have acronyms for commonly used phrases particular to their given areas of discussion and most provide a list posters can refer to, also, most posters are willing to explain an acronym within the threaads if a new poster asks. It’s more lazy and rude of you to not familiarise yourself with the prevailing language usage of the community rather than expecting the rest of the community to accommodate you. Bit like going abroad and demanding the locals all speak English. I don’t know about the speech in the circles you keep, but this is not speech, it’s informal written communication and, as previously pointed out, it’s about speed and convenience rather than laziness.

At mumsnet there are lots of things posters don’t like; some don’t like abbreviations, some don’t like swearing, some don’t like poor grammar and spelling, some don’t like not being able to edit their posts, some don’t like name changing - too bad. It’s a case of suck it up or find a forum that doesn’t allow the things you dislike. Or start your own where you can insist on everything being spelled out in full.

Ah, but in OP's circle, if she's out pushing the perambulator or on the omnibus, if any abbreviations come across her RAdio Detection And Ranging she notices it and corrects it with a Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation -like attention to detail.

Oh this has never been done before.

I don't suppose you ever refer to GDPR, NSPCA, TSB, RAF, VAT unless it's in full?

Contracting is, but abbreviating isn't in speech - well certainly not in the circles I keep.

I can just imagine you and your circle having a conversation about the British Broadcasting Corporation and how they obtain funding through the Television Licence in an effort to studiously avoid the use of common abbreviations at any cost

I cringe a bit at ‘darling....’ whatever comes after. Just write my son, daughter, partner etc! But I’m new and getting used to it. I wonder how it started?

I always read it as "dear" not "darling" and I believe it's not a specifically MN invention.

It's funny when posters write "DNiece" to distinguish from "DNephew" when it would have been quicker to just type "niece".

Quite a few of them pre-date MN

DH, DD,DS etc. were used on forums when parenting chat rooms on the internet first appeared 20 years ago

Nobody actually means darling or dear when they write DS, DH etc. it's just an abbreviation 🤷‍♀️

I have absolutely no idea what half of them mean

@LadyKalila of course I'm stating the obvious, because you're complaining about abbreviations on a website known for its abbreviations, on a board which is an abbreviation in itself ... Nobody forced you to sign up.

Aghhhhh @LadyKalila of course I'm stating the obvious, because you're complaining about abbreviations on a website known for its abbreviations, on a board which is an abbreviation in itself ... Nobody forced you to sign up.*
*
What an unpleasant post.

How on Earth in AGHHHH's post unpleasant? They're just stating the obvious.

I fear AIBU may not be the right place for you...

LMFAO

The answer to your problem is the X in the top right hand corner of the screen.

HTH (Hope that helps)

Contracting is, but abbreviating isn't in speech - we'll certainly not in the circles I keep.

I would love to hang out in your circles to hear about your self-contained underwater breathing apparatus trips and discuss the latest news from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. I would use my satellite navigation system to get there.

I love a good abbreve.

"Nobody actually means darling or dear when they write DS, DH etc, it's just an abbreviation"

I couldn't agree more, GreatDuck, although I always interpret it that it means you actually like/love those people

I must admit, I do find Ddog, Dcat, DHamster a bit OTT though!

I would love to hang out in your circles to hear about your self-contained underwater breathing apparatus trips and discuss the latest news from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. I would use my satellite navigation system to get there.

I also had scuba down on my list of ones to mention (went for radar and laser in my earlier post). I wonder if OP has to teach her children not to abbreviate or is it just in their DeoxyriboNucleic Acid?

@DadDadDad To be honest, if I hadn't spent so long looking in the refrigerator for something to eat for luncheon, I probably would have had the time to come up with more. As it is, I will have to postpone a discussion on the British Exit of the European Union with some very important persons so that I can oversee my son's pianoforte practice while rehearsing for a violoncello recital.

I only hope that I'm not coming down with influenza as I would hate to have to get the omnibus to the office of my National Health Service general practitioner - the internal combustion engine of my motorcar seems to be somewhat buggered and I can't remember my personal identification number for my debit card.

I use abbreviations to save electrons.

@LadyKalila Oh, I say! It was not my intention to invoke negative emotion within you. I do hope I can rectify the situation in some way. My heartfelt apologies.

Best, Aubergine.