Hell is Acronyms.

[shadowkat]

Is it just me or are has language in general suffered from an over-abundance of acronyms? Miss the old days, which weren't that long ago, were I could go 12 months before I heard a new one. Between work and my personal life? I spend most of my time trying to figure out what the heck people are saying. I blame text messaging, blackberries, IM (instant messaging), facebook and twitter personally.

Here's a short list of abbreviations that I have no clue what they mean that have been thrown at me during the last week. Usually I can sort of figure out by context. And for a few I sort of have - but those are work related.

1. TMI - I give up, no idea
2. SOP - Standard Operating Practice?
3. MPT - I'm pretty sure this means Motor Permit Traffic or something in that regard.
4. RFI - request for information
5. 60 Lift - this is a man-lift

And there are so many more. Every time I think I know all of them, a new one appears.
So, if you use acronyms a lot? Please post the ones you use the most frequently with the definition attached as a comment?

Comments

[stormwreath.livejournal.com]

YCBR. IYKWIM.

I think more time is lost by other people trying to work out what the acronyms mean, than by the person typing them out in full. ;-)

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

I think the established rule is - you can use acronyms if you know for a fact that the person you are communicating with knows what they mean and can clearly tell from the context.

example - we all know i.e. means in other words. Or a.s.a.p - means as soon as possible.

But...RFP can mean one of two things. In most American Businesses it means Request for Proposal. But for writers - it means Red Frigging Print. Another example ETA - in business means estimated time of arrival, but online it means edited to add.

You also have business specific acronyms such as BAFO (best and final offer), MBE - Minority Owned Business, PW - prevailing wage, and TB&TA - The Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority.
(Sigh - my business has 1000s of acronyms, it's enough to give me a headache. We have OGS, OEM, NTP, NOA, ICE, IFB , LIRR,
MTA, FAR, FTA, GEC, DOER, and so on. Sometimes I feel as if no one uses words any longer. While clearly it does make sense to use FAR over Federal Acquistion Regulation all the time.