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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think mumsnet abbreviations...

284 replies

Nearlythere1 · 10/02/2019 00:56

Am i being unreasonable to think mumsnet abbreviations are utterly moronic at best, bordering on.. i don't even know at worst. Does it not take most posters more time to look up which idiotic abbreviation they need than it would to just write it? And the sheer saccharine "D" prefix. Come on. It's laughable, and sickening. It sounds like school children talking in code, but without half the moral and emotional discrimination. Everybody is a "dear" something no matter what.

OP posts:
pigsDOfly · 10/02/2019 17:01

The AF thing I actually read somewhere, think it was on mn, as auntie flow/floe, can't remember how it was spelled and I still didn't understand what the poster was talking about until I had a 'light bulb' moment and realised she was talking about her period.

So sometimes even having things written out in full mean nothing to some of us.

Limensoda · 10/02/2019 17:18

I didn't like the abbreviations when I first joined. After a while I started using them too. There are still some that come up that I don't know.
I think I will try to break the habit and stop using them because I do still think it's yukky Grin

LuckyLou7 · 10/02/2019 17:32

I initially thought AF referred to the poster Any Fucker and I was baffled as to why so many posters referenced her. Then I realised it was a coy way of referring to menstruation. I was also confused by the term baby dancing (not often used on here thankfully, DTD is much more civilised) and imagined some kind of ballet classes for newborns.

Oysterbabe · 10/02/2019 17:40

I am amused by the idea of MNers being upset because Anyfucker turned up at their house to tell them they aren't pregnant.

Thought this was my month but bloody AF showed up Sad

HeartsTrumpDiamonds · 10/02/2019 17:44

Sparkling Grin

QuintadiMalago · 10/02/2019 17:47

Oysterbabe
AnyFucker turning up at someone's house to tell them they're not pregnant 🤣

Bryjam · 10/02/2019 18:30

Creased at the idea of AnyFucker showing up at peoples houses

icedgem85 · 10/02/2019 18:40

YANBU ;) they’re completely pathetic and make me cringe. Dear husband? Please!! I can’t bring myself to type them. I’d never say it in real life so why on here.

NotMeNoNo · 10/02/2019 18:42

The thing is many of us are posting from iPads/phones, not full qwerty keyboards. Battling the autocorrect and predictive text. Every little abbreviation helps, it’s just shorthand. Not intentionally cliquey. IMHO.

SparkiePolastri · 10/02/2019 18:43

As has been explained countless times - they're used on here as shorthand. It's quicker when typing. People don't mean 'darling' or 'dear'.

If you don't like them, don't use them. It's not compulsory.

Sparklingbrook · 10/02/2019 18:45

I never give them a second thought any more. Don't even notice the 'D' bit.

Agree with Sparkie.

3out · 10/02/2019 19:01

Oysterbabe 😂😂😂 Giggling My Behind Off!

(Hmmm, will GMBO just get mixed up with Bake Off?)

I was on babycentre for years before MN. All the same initialises used there too (except CF, as far as I can remember).

I’m guessing it all harks back to the early days of internet when there was a maximum character allowance on forums etc.

You’re super-angry, OP! Hope you’re feeling a bit more chilled tonight.

LittleBearPad · 10/02/2019 19:14

Same Sparkling. I don’t even notice them and have to stop myself using them away from MN

WatcherOfTheNight · 10/02/2019 20:07

This thread has been very entertaining Grin
It's prompted me to think up an abbreviations just for you Op... RP & FF Wink
All guesses welcome,answers on a postcard please !

userblablabla · 10/02/2019 20:09

I agree about a few. Such as Ddog...that’s an extra letter! Isn’t the point of abbreviations to shorten things?!

Merename · 10/02/2019 20:20

I don’t think OP is coming back, she must’ve been drunk to get so irrationally angry about this. And she said ffs! That’s an acceptable abbreviation then?

Zoflorabore · 10/02/2019 20:21

lol at AF touring the country to deliver bad news Grin

I still have to remember what it is when I see it mentioned. The conception threads are sad as hell but you need a degree to understand all of the opks etc etc. It's like another language to me!

psychedelicleggings · 10/02/2019 20:24

Absolutely agree! It's not that hard to just type the whole word.

Sparklingbrook · 10/02/2019 20:26

DS2 (17) vs 'My second son who is seventeen'. I know which one I am sticking with.

psychedelicleggings · 10/02/2019 20:31

Although it doesn't bother me quite as much as OP.. :-/

Sparklingbrook · 10/02/2019 20:36

I don't think anyone is quite as bothered as the OP. Grin

Lweji · 10/02/2019 20:36

BTW,
DS2 (17) fine
DS17, who knows if he's the 17th son or 17 years old. OK, not DS17, but DS3 or 4 could certainly be either way.

RancidOldHag · 10/02/2019 21:03

DS2 = second son
DS(2) = a 2yo son

Greensleeves · 10/02/2019 21:19

I found the DH, DS thing very odd at first, but after all these years I don't really notice it any more. I do hate DTD, AF and Ddog though.

3out · 10/02/2019 21:29

‘Code’ has been around for ages, too. TTFN, U and Non-U. BYOB, BOGOF. All long before the internet and MN