Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us  

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 3 of 6 1 2 3 4 5 6
#16723 01/25/01 03:31 PM
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
HMTDWHTTY???!!!


#16724 01/25/01 04:18 PM
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
HMTDWHTTY???!!!

Okay, I got that one (I think), but what's the M word, please?



#16725 01/25/01 07:04 PM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
W
wwh Offline OP
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Dear Hyla: I don't see much difference between acronym and initialization. What would you call "Fed" for Greenspan's outfit, or "FannieMae" for another federal entity? I used to see "GeeHaw" for a (?) federal insurance program, explication for which I can no longer recall.

I also am unhappy with seeing acronyms given as the way they are pronounced as above. At least nobody tried to pronounce IITYWYBMAD

#16726 01/25/01 09:11 PM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 328
enthusiast
Offline
enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 328
What's the M word please?

If I'm interpreting it right, the M word is "many."


#16727 01/25/01 09:43 PM
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 544
H
addict
Offline
addict
H
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 544
Dear Hyla: I don't see much difference between acronym and initialization.

Check out the thread on "overuse of acronyms" (let's see if I can link to another thread - never done this before...)

http://wordsmith.org/board/showflat.pl?Cat=&Board=words&Number=13315&page=3&view=collapsed&sb=5


#16728 01/25/01 09:57 PM
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
to hyla (and others); [since shona never(?) got around to imparting his secret on this] you can chop off everything after the post number to shorten these links, thus aleviating the screen width problem. thus:

http://wordsmith.org/board/showflat.pl?Cat=&Board=words&Number=13315


#16729 02/01/01 01:38 PM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 20
G
stranger
Offline
stranger
G
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 20
Just have to insert my two cents.

I always thought that true acronyms had to be pronounceable words: so NASA qualifies, but ROTFL doesn't, unless you really say 'rotfull' to yourself while reading

But those strings-of-initials-that-confer-meaning deserve a better name than initializations, don't they?


#16730 02/01/01 02:37 PM
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
>But those strings-of-initials-that-confer-meaning deserve a better name than initializations, don't they?

IMNSHO, no.



#16731 02/01/01 03:33 PM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
W
wwh Offline OP
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
IMNSHO, acronyms should be helpful, not impediments to comprehension. And they should not be weapons used by veterans to intimidate,torment,bewilder,and put down the uninitiate. Fighting off temptation to neologise one to get even. wwh


#16732 02/01/01 03:59 PM
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
wwh, as a VUD (veteran under duress), I have to say that you have been irony-deaf in responding as you did - and I even added a wink!! oh, and I agree that acronyms should be helpful, if they're used at all, and I thank you for the opportunity to expressly state that I *really dislike initializations such as IITYWYBMAD!
so there.


Page 3 of 6 1 2 3 4 5 6

Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics13,913
Posts229,580
Members9,187
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members
Karin, JeffMackwood, artguitar, Jim_W, Rdbuffalo
9,187 Registered Users
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 332 guests, and 0 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days)
Top Posters
wwh 13,858
Faldage 13,803
Jackie 11,613
wofahulicodoc 10,713
tsuwm 10,542
LukeJavan8 9,931
AnnaStrophic 6,511
Wordwind 6,296
of troy 5,400
Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.

Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5