Untitled Document
     
Advertisement Click to advertise with us!
     

Acronym and Abbreviation Madness

pete

Brassica Oleracea
Staff member
Administrator
As requested, some of the commonly seen acronyms and abbreviations that you'll see on this forum -- and probably others.

As a rule of thumb, based on my 20 years of Internet experience, people rarely read more than your first two sentences in your posts or e-mails, unless they're REALLY interested or you're really amusing. So, if at all possible, keep that in mind.

Please also note that we are an English language forum, so please keep to that, below. Also note that using fewer abbreviations and acronyms and cleaning up your grammar makes the forum easier to translate. I understand that I'm one of the chief violators of this. I offer my poor typing speed as an excuse.

===============

Important Ones
NSFW = Not Safe For Work. This could be because of harsh language or because of graphic content. As an example, I use this when linking to pics of horns with engraved nudes on them.
GAS = Gear Acquisition Syndrome. Originally "guitar acquisition syndrome," but modified for a larger audience.
TL;DR = Too Long; Didn't Read. If someone posts this in your thread, you might want to be more concise in your next post. If you post that to start a thread, use that to start a one-sentence summary. Example: "TL;DR a thread about acronyms and such."
WF = Woodwind Forum (rarely, WOOF).
SOTW = The Sax-on-the-Web Forum. I'm pretty sure all the WF staff are members there and some of us were administrators or moderators there.
YAGE = Yet Another Grand Exit. In depth example here.
Admin = Administrator. Helen, Gandalfe, Ed Svoboda (emeritus) and me.
Mod = I generally use it here for "modification," which is a change to the WF software.
CE = Content Expert. Folks that the admin team have determined have really good subject knowledge and who have agreed to try to help people out in that subject.
PM = Private Message using the Forum's software. Linky. You can click on a member's avatar (that'd be my broccoli picture) and you'll have the option to do a PM, unless the member has turned off that feature.

Less Important, but Common
QFT
= Quoted For Truth.
YMMV = Your Mileage May Vary.
BTW = By The Way.
BTB = By the Bye. See "BTW."
DOD = Department of Defense.
OD = "Olive Drab", an expression for the US Army.
US = United States.
NB = Nota Bene (Latin for "note well").
GLOSSARY = Not an acronym, all capitals used for emphasis.
i.e. = Abbreviation for Latin words meaning "that is."
e.g. = Abbreviation for Latin words meaning "for example."
RTFM = Read The *ahem* Fine Manual. Please don't use this.
JFGI = Just F!ing Google It. Please don't use this.
STAT = An abbreviation of a Latin word that means "immediately."
etc. = Abbreviation of a couple Latin words meaning "and on."
appx. = Approximately.
ca. = Abbreviation for a Latin word that means "about."
IRL = In Real Life.
+1 = I agree with what you've posted. (You actually can't post just "+1." It's below the minimum character limit for a post. Just hit the "thanks" button for the post you liked, instead.)
Kewl = Cool, but more 1337.
$[thing] = Such as $Sax. "$" before a word is variable in some programming languages. I used to use $Thing a lot more when I was in my programming classes in college.
NP = No problem.
FTW = For The Win. Transliterate that to, "... is/are really awesome!" Example: "Home warranties, FTW!"
Trans. = Translated.
WTF = What The F!*#
BIN = Buy It Now, the eBay feature that allows sellers to set a fixed price for their auctions for which buyers can immediately purchase an item at a specific price.

Please add your favorites. I might alphabetize them later. I don't mind if you come up with an awesome acronym for "Pete."
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I was also going to mention the generally NSFW website, www.urbandictionary.com. While it does have a lot of definitions of Internet slang and memes, it's kinda brutal. You can get most of the same content without the weapons-grade snark on Wikipedia.

I also just copied and pasted a few acronyms and abbreviations from SOTSDO, too :p.
 
SOTSDO = Sounds Of The South Dance Orchestra, a Houston-area musical group specializing in danceable music for those who can't fox trot; in the process of relocation to the Florida panhandle
IOH = "I'm outta here", a phrase commonly used by people making Yet Another Grand Exit
USA = United States Army
USAF = United States Air Force
USMC = United States Marine Corps
USN = United States Navy
USCG = United States Coast Guard
**ANG = **Army National Guard, where the ** is replaced by the postal state identification; ie, TXANG
**AFNG = as for above, only for the Air Force equivalent

(Interestingly, there is no naval or Marine Corps equivalent here in the USA. There used to be "naval militias", but those have become honorary clubs as far as I can tell.)

OSHA = Occupational Safety and Health Administration; I worked there for over thirty-eight years, and it occasionally come up in my postings
CSO = Clarinet Shaped Object - it looks like a clarinet, but it costs less and doesn't play or maintain well
AM = literally, "anti meridian", morning (including some of the night)
PM = literally, "post meridian", not morning (ie, afternoon and evening and night)
AFAICT = "As far as I can tell"
AFAIK = "As far as I know"

And, just in case I ever decide to fall into the acronym trap:

OKL = either Oberkommando der Luftwaffe, a German term for the command element of their Luftwaffe of World War Two infamy, or Old King Log. Since I'm much thinner than Fat Herman (Goering), if I use it, it will be in the second sense.

The most significant thing about the above is that I remembered the proper gender for the German term. I hate gender based languages - why don't the equal rights folks spend some time to get that all removed?
 
Actually AM is Ante Meridiem - before "noon" or before the middle of the day - it is not anti-noon (or midnight.)


ante-
prefix : before or earlier
: in front of



PM
is Post Meridiem - after "noon" or after the middle of the day

There is neither 12:00 AM nor PM but noon or midnight, as AM is before 12:00 noon, and PM is after 12:00 noon.
 
Oops... You all have been more polite than me. I've been adding mine to Pete's list. :emoji_rage: And who said Canadians were polite? :tongue:
 
And who said Canadians were polite? :tongue:

I remember reading "POS" on the Bassic Sax blog and I had to take a moment to figure it out :)
 
I remember reading "POS" on the Bassic Sax blog and I had to take a moment to figure it out :)
Point Of Sale, right? :p

Which reminds me:

SSO = Saxophone Shaped Object
ISO = Instrument Shaped Object

All generally used to refer to things that are made to look like an instrument, but really aren't. I think I originally saw the term applied to these Indian-made SSOs.
 
Actually AM is Ante Meridiem - before "noon" or before the middle of the day - it is not anti-noon (or midnight.)

ante-
prefix : before or earlier
: in front of

PM
is Post Meridiem - after "noon" or after the middle of the day

There is neither 12:00 AM nor PM but noon or midnight, as AM is before 12:00 noon, and PM is after 12:00 noon.
BTW, this is more Latin. Hey, a dead language has its uses.
 
I remember reading "POS" on the Bassic Sax blog and I had to take a moment to figure it out :)

Oh I have all kinds of little "gems" hidden away on my blog. I even have a WTF smilie. ;) My website is much more polite though.

=================================

Then of course there is the closely related POC, and not the "Product of China" variety either--although it can be. :D
 
IIRC - If I Recall Correctly
IMO - In My Opinion
IMHO - In My Humble Opinion
BFH - A large pounding object, used especially when you are frustrated with something that won't move.

Perhaps quoted before. "You really only need two tools. If it won't move and you need it to, you need a hammer. If it moves and you don't want it to, you need duct tape".
 
ACRONYM -Alpha Numeric Character Not Yet Meaningful.

I was told that that is from an official U.S. government publication translating acronyms and abreviations, but I cannot confirm that.
 
Perhaps quoted before. "You really only need two tools. If it won't move and you need it to, you need a hammer. If it moves and you don't want it to, you need duct tape".
Acronym from the IT world: LART. That's "Luser Attitude Readjustment Tool." Something you whack the more idiotic lusers with when they get you down ....
 
Also from the IT world:
It's an ID 10T error (think about it)
PEBCAK - Problem Exists Between Chair And Keyboard
 
"Hey, everyone. It's 404: time not found."

I informed our PFY ("pimply-faced youth; i.e. our junior tech) that today he did a CLM by arguing with the boss. (Career Limiting Move.)
 
Nobody has yet mentioned the old standards,
WOFTAM, FUBAR and SNAFU. Locally we have a business named WOFTAM Engineering. Nearly drove off the freeway the first time I saw their van.
 
Back
Top Bottom