Acronyms thread

[J Bytheway]

Originally posted by Immortal Wombat
ACOL = hell

No, really what does ACOL mean?

[Chowlett]

Alpha Centauri OnLine, I believe. It's another forum - started out as an AC forum, but I believe has since descended into a purely OT site, and a very anarchic one at that.

[Immortal Wombat]

its anarchism is over, it is now dead. or as its remaining 4 denziens prefer it: undead.

[Skanky Burns]

Why would people use acronyms, especially since some of us are from different countries as well as linguistic backgrounds, instead of communicating clearly and accurately ?

Most of these abbreviations are used in online games, like real-time strategy or role-playing games. Regardless, in these games time is all-important, and the difference between typing "KOS U" and "I will endeavour to kill you whenever I spot your evil self." could mean the difference between you actually having a chance in combat, or you sitting there getting hit whilst you are typing.

These then become used in forums because of people's general laziness.

Basically it saves time, and for people who are there long enough it is easily understood. I've even picked up a little Finnish from hanging around in some games!

BRB - Be Right Back.

[Asher]

AFK - Away From the Keyboard
BBL - Be Back Later
TTYL - Talk To You Later

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by Sagacious Dolphin
Acronyms are a specific kind of contraction. And what is an abbreviation if not a contraction?

You'd be right if you say both are forms of contractions. The thing is acronyms and abbreviations follow different rules.

So I am a bit pedantic.

[Straybow]

An acronym is a word or name, that's what the -nym suffix means. It is especially applicable if the form is pronounceable, such as "NASA." So SMAC is an acronym, but ROFL is not, unless someone starts a software company called Roll On Floor Laughing.

IPTU (I'm pedanticer than you).

[-Jrabbit]

Originally posted by Immortal Wombat

that's 'cos americans don't do grammar.

Errors =
that's -- should be capitalized
'cos -- slang foreshortening
americans -- should be capitalized
don't do grammar -- poor verb choice

Perhaps you mean "That's because Americans have poor grammar."

Thanks for generalizing.

BTW, "TANSTAAFL" was the name of a folkie performance venue at my university (dating to the early-mid 70s). Most of us knew the name long before we knew that it was an acronym. Before this thread, I had never seen the acronym TINSTAAFL. It's a question of common usage, not proper grammar.

[Immortal Wombat]

I don't do grammar either on BBs. and in fact, I'd never seen either before this thread, and only ever heard it said as "there's no such thing..." *shrug*

[Scouse Gits]

Tanstaafl - is that not originally from Heinlein? "Moon is a Harsh Mistress" IIRC??

SG[1]

[Dauphin]

Originally posted by Urban Ranger


You'd be right if you say both are forms of contractions. The thing is acronyms and abbreviations follow different rules.

So I am a bit pedantic.

I wasn't the one that said they were the same, you were.

Besides acronyms are still abbreviations. Abbreviate - to reduce to a shorter form intended to stand for the whole.

[DaShi]

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by Sagacious Dolphin
I wasn't the one that said they were the same, you were.

Wasn't.

[Scouse Gits]

ROTFLMAO @ UR & SG

children, children - calm down now - or uncle kermie will send you to play in his Mingapulco sandpit ...

SG[1]

[Dauphin]

So who wrote this then?

Originally posted by Urban Ranger
Abbreviations are the the same as acronyms.