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RichyRich
2nd Sep 2004, 07:50
Often reading these pages, UseNet, the 'other' GA forum etc, you come across acronyms, some of which are obvious, some are not. For example LOL. I thought this meant Laughed out Loud, but I've seen it plopped onto the end of sentences where it wouldn't make sense if it were Laughed out Loud.

Another example: my partner often confuses GPS with GPRS (I wouldn't dare to admit to such a faux pas :O ).

So, IMHO, says he LOL'ing, what acronyms do you hate, and why? (I suppose that should be L'ingOL)

I hate all of them: I'm in engineering and there are far too many that get reused to even bother pretending to know what they mean.

Dark Helmet
2nd Sep 2004, 07:59
Being ex-RAF I talk in acronyms!
I still recall having a conversation with another engineer on a Tornado flight line that was all acronyms; MOD, STI, HLWSCU, FSDU blah blah blah etc!

Seriously though I hate the forum type of acronyms; IMHO, LOL, ISTR etc.

RichyRich
2nd Sep 2004, 08:38
Not to harp on about it too much, but I've just stumbled across this
http://www.acronymfinder.com/

while reading a non-aviation related newsgroup. Seems I'm not alone (well, I wasn't anyway, as Dark Helmet seems to be on my side).

BRL
2nd Sep 2004, 13:20
I hate some of them, worst being ASL, now that is/looks so tacky. Whenever I see that I just imagine a spotty 13yr old salivating over a pc in anticipation of the forthcoming reply.

Another killer is the way some pronounce 'Cool' as in Kewl, that kills me, it really does. :D

A huge majority of the readership on this forum are over the age of 25. Some will know whats going on if you introduce some of this 'Yoof-speak'/text speak into posts, to others, it just goes straight over them.

Basically, and I could be wrong here, our forum readers don't really grasp this Youth-speak and would rather not see it here. Saying this does not mean don't post things like that here, feel free to write what you like but please hold back with all the 'Yoof-speak/text type of thing in your posts. If you find you can't contain your enthusiasm for this kind of thing then go off to the Yahoo forums or something like that where it is spoken with ease. :)

Keeping on an aviation theme now, I remember seeing a web-link somewhere that lead to a page with a whole list of acronyms for flying, anybody know the link?

ACW 335
2nd Sep 2004, 13:27
Don't get me started on TLAs...IMHO theres far too many.

englishal
2nd Sep 2004, 15:36
I used to work for a company that loved TLA's.......But then again, everything in that company was SNAFU :D

My mrs has started using "k" in her emails.....as in "OK"......so whats wrong with the "O" I keep asking her........Americans......;)

Charlie Zulu
2nd Sep 2004, 21:20
My friends are always going on at me for actually writing normal english in my text messages when I send them via mobile phone (only done if I can't get hold of them via the normal speech method as I don't like answer phones!). The only one I do use now and again is "lol". However that is only when it is really required and I can't be bothered to go searching for the appropriate smiley combination of letters.

However as I work in IT and am working towards a career in Aviation, there are so many acronyms that I have to remember in both of my worlds.

It doesn't help matters at the flying club bar when a fellow aviator and myself are talking about Flying one minute and then go onto IT, talking in acronyms... everyone around thinking what are these then? Are we missing out on some new equipment in our aeroplanes? :D

Englishal, I believe you need to buy your wife a new keyboard... it seems as though the "O" doesn't work anymore. ;)

Best wishes,

Charlie Zulu.

andyb79
2nd Sep 2004, 21:27
IMHO this sums it up pretty well.
http://www.sniffpetrol.com/AdText.jpg

RichyRich
3rd Sep 2004, 08:08
Andyb79
Excellent: saved it for future reference.

Three Mile Final
3rd Sep 2004, 12:26
I work for a big American Engineering organisation where entire conversations are conducted in TLAs. Sometimes it's OK if you are in the know but other times ... especially if I cross disciplines say from Aviation where I was to Rail where I is, the same TLA means something completely different.

Fortunately I am old enough, ugly enough and senior enough to stop the meeting to say ... kindly explain and stop trying to confuse me - and often my junior staff will confide afterwards that they didn't know either but were too embarrased to ask. How safe is that ???????

The real laugh is that very few people who use them have ever heard of a TLA. A couple of years ago I kept the in-house lawyer puzzled for days on that one.

Whipping Boy's SATCO
3rd Sep 2004, 12:52
BRL, what does "BRL" stand for?

Ripline
5th Sep 2004, 10:56
BRL, what does "BRL" stand for?


LOL :D :D :D


Ripline