StillSmart

Before joining this forum, I had dug and delved my own furrow, with much success and possibly more failure. Regardless though, finding this site, I looked for both information and encouragement.

I found both.


My appeal is about ABBREVIATIONS!

It quite possibly might well be my own personal limitations, but when reading postings, seeking information, the use of abbreviations and initials, by those already familiar with their subject, presents, to me, a needless obstacle in my understanding of their contributions.

The skilled talking to the skilled is one thing, talking to the less skilled is another.

It can't simply be about cutting down on the number of keystrokes surely? Needless use of initials and abbreviations appears almost Cabbalistic in intent to curtail knowledge from the less adept.

If YOU know what you mean, makes sure OTHERS do also!

Same goes for fancy words! I hsd to Google this one!

I don't no wot u mean M8!
I can't say that I was aware of this, I will keep my eyes open in future, and look at my own posts in a new light.

Robert.

the only ones that come to mind that caught me out for a bit are wash names tpw, ujssm etc. I still haven't worked out what lentil is an acronym for.

I'm sure we're all happy to clarify where required.

Toper wrote: It can't simply be about cutting down on the number of keystrokes surely? Needless use of initials and abbreviations appears almost Cabbalistic in intent to curtail knowledge from the less adept.

If YOU know what you mean, makes sure OTHERS do also!

This is a very good point to make, I do it now & then....with my GS (Golden syrup) and PC...not the personal computer but (product condenser).

I, being a sad old sod used to champion the cause of proper language and grammer.
Then I realised that language is (especially now) a constantly evolving media,(yes, I said that), and we should play catch up.
What would the bard of Stratford upon Avon say?
I suspect that he would text his mates using some clever abbreviations.

Robert.

Depending on who you believe, Shakespeare invented (or at least popularised/standardised) in excess of 10% of the words in the modern English language, so he was no stickler for tradition.

Easydrinker wrote:What would the bard of Stratford upon Avon say?

Zounds, forsooth. What sorry wit is this
That springs untimely from these untaught brutes
And litters our vast Internet with words
Their parents never hope to understand?
"Hi m8" they write, "whatever lol ok"
Perhaps we ought to have their iPhones banned.

Their form of speech is nowhere in my plays
Which once expressed our thoughts in better ways.

That was actually pretty well done.
Moving on.
I do try harder these days, I may not expect everyone to know a TPW from their elbow, but take SG/FG/OG references to be common parlance?
Part of being a grown up these days is knowing how to Goggle stuff.

Robert.

Well done spot.

"part of being grown up.... " lol