# Abbrieviations in conversation **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 5, 1999, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbrieviations-in-conversation/4608 "1999-11-05T23:58:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![counterattackii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/41988e/32.png) [@counterattackii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/counterattackii)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 1999, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbrieviations-in-conversation/4608/1 "1999-11-05T23:58:00Z")
It seems that every time you chat with someone on the internet, there are about 10,000 new abbreviations. Ex- Ok are you going to the game tomorrow? reply-W/E. _apparently meaning whatever_ Needless to say, it is mind-boggling at times that people spend their time thinking of ways to shorten typing, since it is unbelievably faster than writing. Any new ones that I probably dont know about/similar experiences? "Dont throw cats at glass houses. They go ‘T-H-U-M-P!’ "-- Counterattackii ---
**Author:** ![heretic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/46a35a/32.png) [@heretic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heretic)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 1999, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbrieviations-in-conversation/4608/2 "1999-11-06T00:02:00Z")
What’s the question? I mean, obviously there are a ton of abbreviations used in Internet correspondence. You know that. So, do you want us to list off examples, or what? If so, I’ve got a good one: MPSIMS. ben ---
**Author:** ![Welfy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e56c9b/32.png) [@Welfy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Welfy)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 1999, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbrieviations-in-conversation/4608/3 "1999-11-06T00:06:00Z")
> [@](#): > > It seems that every time you chat with someone on the internet, there are about 10,000 new abbreviations. Ex- Ok are you going to the game tomorrow? reply-W/E. _apparently meaning whatever_ Needless to say, it is mind-boggling at times that people spend their time thinking of ways to shorten typing, since it is unbelievably faster than writing. Any new ones that I probably dont know about/similar experiences? ## I really wish people wouldn’t abbreviate to begin with. It bugs me to read it. When a person says, “Hi, how r u?” it makes me think of a Neanderthal talking. Welfy I wonder what the king is doing tonight? ---
**Author:** ![Nickrz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbce88/32.png) [@Nickrz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nickrz)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 1999, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbrieviations-in-conversation/4608/4 "1999-11-06T00:08:00Z")
I think the abbreviation craze has roots in people’s desire to appear “with it” or “hip to the lingo.” You know you’re hooked when someone tells a good joke in person and you say L-O-L instead of laughing. brb… ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 1999, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbrieviations-in-conversation/4608/5 "1999-11-06T02:28:00Z")
Well, I admit I use abbreviations occasionally, but a lot of it is because I use a lot of abbreviations on the computer at work–when we attach notes to customer accounts, we have a limited amount of lines for each note, so there is a standardized list of abbreviations to use to fit the necessary info. e.g. tt = talked to, wcb = will call back, bc = because, lm = left message. Of course not all of the abbreviations are Internet compatible (cwsc = customer will send check is one I’m not going to use a lot), but sometimes I’ll find myself writing something like: “I tt X about tomorrow, but not Y bc he wasn’t home. I lm with his brother and Y wcb asap.”, especially if I’m online shortly after getting off work. * * * Your Official Cat Goddess since 10/20/99. ---
**Author:** ![JBENZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b77776/32.png) [@JBENZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JBENZ)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 1999, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbrieviations-in-conversation/4608/6 "1999-11-06T05:45:00Z")
> [@](#): > > I think the abbreviation craze has roots in people’s desire to appear “with it” or “hip to the lingo.” You know you’re hooked when someone tells a good joke in person and you say L-O-L instead of laughing. brb… True enuf, but don’t forget the PPTS (Piss Poor Typist Syndrome). When you type as badly and slowly as I do, abreviations and truncations enable you to keep up in a chat or game that you couldn’t play if you had to spell out and proof everything. I never said LOL in converstion but I have the devil’s own time not putting emoticons in business correspondence. 🙂 WTB-BRB (that’ll flush out the GEnie Trivia Vets) * * * JB Lex Non Favet Delicatorum Votis ---
**Author:** ![mr\_john](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@mr\_john](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr_john)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 1999, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbrieviations-in-conversation/4608/7 "1999-11-06T19:18:00Z")
U B rite ,JB I 2 have PPTS.N the Nformality of places like SDMB’s I am more interesred N gettin the point than N making sure ever 1 is B N formally correct. " hip to the lingo"? Well allreet, you hep cat. no i do it cause its way easier. nuff sed. * * * “Pardon me while I have a strange interlude.”-Marx ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 1999, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbrieviations-in-conversation/4608/8 "1999-11-06T21:38:00Z")
The only net abbreviation I use IRL is “IRL”. ---
**Author:** ![Oblio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/c4cdca/32.png) [@Oblio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oblio)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 1999, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbrieviations-in-conversation/4608/9 "1999-11-07T02:18:00Z")
I think some of it has to do with information theory, IOW 🙂 to transmit information from the sender to the receiver in the most efficient (and reliable) manner possible. e.g. Shorthand, jpg & zip files. As a side note (to answer the OP ?) IRL abbreiviations I use most often are FO&D - (F Off and Die) for screw you WTFO - (What The F, Over) for huh ? WFO - (Warp Factor One) for excess speed Oblio ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 1999, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbrieviations-in-conversation/4608/10 "1999-11-07T02:38:00Z")
I thought this thread was about abbreviations in actual speech, such as someone saying “e.g.” or “FYI”, or even, God forbid, “i.e.”, and I was going to respond that IMO this is extremely annoying. But since it isn’t, I won’t. ---
**Author:** ![NanoByte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecc23a/32.png) [@NanoByte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NanoByte)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 1999, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbrieviations-in-conversation/4608/11 "1999-11-07T03:43:00Z")
Didn’t there used to be a comic who pronounced all the punctuation marks QWRK ThatUHs cool KHWIWOO Might need PTK PTK PTK a glass oUH water now anUH then QOINK though PTTHT Oh QOINK well PTTHT Ray ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 1999, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbrieviations-in-conversation/4608/12 "1999-11-07T04:22:00Z")
Why is ‘Abbrieviations’ such a long word? ---
**Author:** ![Crittermaker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@Crittermaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crittermaker)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 1999, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbrieviations-in-conversation/4608/13 "1999-11-09T11:02:00Z")
Nanobyte: You’re probably thinking of Victor Borge, the comedian and pianist. I think I remember him doing his punctuation routine on an old Sesame Street or Electric Company. Funny stuff. ---
**Author:** ![NicePete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee7513/32.png) [@NicePete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NicePete)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 1999, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbrieviations-in-conversation/4608/14 "1999-11-10T06:54:00Z")
Oblio said: > [@](#): > > I think some of it has to do with information theory, IOW to transmit information from the sender to the receiver in the most efficient (and reliable) manner possible. Personally, I hate all these stupid acronyms. I think they make messages more difficult to read and I tend to tune out posts containing many of them. Hardly an efficient and reliable manner to transmit information, if you ask me. * * * Plunging like stones from a slingshot on Mars. ---
**Author:** ![Oblio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/c4cdca/32.png) [@Oblio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oblio)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 1999, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbrieviations-in-conversation/4608/15 "1999-11-09T20:00:00Z")
FO&D 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Oblio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/c4cdca/32.png) [@Oblio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oblio)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 1999, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbrieviations-in-conversation/4608/16 "1999-11-09T20:11:00Z")
Frankd6, I agree with you that Acronyms & Abbreviations and Initialisms (AAI for short 🙂 ) can be misused and actually hamper the flow of information if misused. This usually happens when a specialized AAI is used in a more general forum. After a time, some AAI become common knowledge and are quite acceptable to the general populace. e.g. RADAR, SONAR, LASER, PC, GPS, CD to name few off the top of my head. How many people do you know that say ‘my _personal computer_ just crashed’ ? ---
**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 1999, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbrieviations-in-conversation/4608/17 "1999-11-09T20:17:00Z")
I use IMO, BRB, LOL and the like when chatting on line (or when playing games) and speed of communication is an issue. I don’t use them when I have time to type actual words (as here) because I’m trying to fool people into thinking I’m articulate and/or intelligent. Don’t use 'em much in real life, because spoken English doesn’t require the same sort of speed-shorthand as communicating in type does. A person who says LOL in real life instead of just Ling OL needs to spend a little more time off-line. IMO. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![dfahs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@dfahs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dfahs)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 1999, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbrieviations-in-conversation/4608/18 "1999-11-10T00:18:00Z")
[qoute]Didn’t there used to be a comic who pronounced all the punctuation marks…[/qoute] The “sound clips” section at [http://www.geocities.com/Vienna/1864/borge.htm](http://www.geocities.com/Vienna/1864/borge.htm) includes one of Victor Borge explaining his Phonetic Punctuation system. ---
**Author:** ![dfahs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@dfahs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dfahs)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 1999, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbrieviations-in-conversation/4608/19 "1999-11-10T00:19:00Z")
Well, that was an impressively dumb typo. ---
**Author:** ![dfahs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@dfahs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dfahs)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 1999, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbrieviations-in-conversation/4608/20 "1999-11-10T00:23:00Z")
My girlfriend used to say _grin_ a lot IRL.