# License plate controversy: Just how common in 'NWTF?' **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 4, 2006, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/license-plate-controversy-just-how-common-in-nwtf/367339 "2006-08-04T16:10:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2006, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/license-plate-controversy-just-how-common-in-nwtf/367339/1 "2006-08-04T16:10:18Z")
[Story](http://www.wane.com/Global/story.asp?S=5240581&nav=0RYb) I’ve seen (and used) “WTF” any number of times, but I don’t ever recall seeing the variation “NWTF.” Is that really that common? I’d understand (but not necessarily agree) with their objection the the “WTF” irrespective of the “N” (or whatever letter might have preceded it). But is “NWTF” common Internet speak? (I’ve never spent any time in chat rooms, so if that’s its normal place of usage, I would be pretty clueless about it.) ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Lowry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Sam\_Lowry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Lowry)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2006, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/license-plate-controversy-just-how-common-in-nwtf/367339/2 "2006-08-04T16:21:26Z")
I’ve never heard it used before. Also, the [Acronym Finder](http://www.acronymfinder.com/af-query.asp?Acronym=nwtf&string=exact) website, which usually can tell me what any acronym I don’t know means, doesn’t have it listed. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2006, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/license-plate-controversy-just-how-common-in-nwtf/367339/3 "2006-08-04T16:31:54Z")
NWTF is the National Wild Turkey Federation, a grassroots preservation group. At least that’s the first thing I think of, I used to be a member. ---
**Author:** ![davenportavenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f8ce5/32.png) [@davenportavenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davenportavenger)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2006, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/license-plate-controversy-just-how-common-in-nwtf/367339/4 "2006-08-04T16:34:43Z")
I’ve never used it as an acronym but my first thought was “now what the fuck.” And I’m sure I’ve written “now WTF” a couple of times. However, I am especially obscene. ---
**Author:** ![light\_strand](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a6a055/32.png) [@light\_strand](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/light_strand)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2006, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/license-plate-controversy-just-how-common-in-nwtf/367339/5 "2006-08-04T16:41:15Z")
Hehe. Her name is Niple, and she wants a WTF licence plate. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2006, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/license-plate-controversy-just-how-common-in-nwtf/367339/6 "2006-08-04T16:41:53Z")
I hang out on teh intarweb, like, a lot. I mean, really a lot. More than is healthy, I’m sure. I’ve seen WTF. I’ve never seen NWTF. That said, when I saw the license, I instantly read it as Now What The Fuck. It’s clear the woman didn’t intend it to be obscene. What’s more, it’s not inherently obscene- it’s just that a small section of the population could possibly read it as obscene. What’s more, the ones that would read it as Now What The Fuck wouldn’t consider it to be obscene. She got ripped off. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_chao_goes_mu/32/3191_2.png) [@The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Chao_Goes_Mu)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2006, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/license-plate-controversy-just-how-common-in-nwtf/367339/7 "2006-08-04T16:52:56Z")
:rolleyes: To the State of Ohio where I call home. It’s nice to now that they see NWTF has offensive but the license plate I saw the other day somehow passed. It said “Hebe.” When I spelled it out to my friends, to see how they interpreted it, they all said the same thing. “_Hebe_ as in a derogatory term for a Jew?” The mind boggles. ---
**Author:** ![934spe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/9/90db22/32.png) [@934spe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/934spe)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2006, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/license-plate-controversy-just-how-common-in-nwtf/367339/8 "2006-08-04T18:49:25Z")
> [@light strand](#): > > Hehe. Her name is Niple, and she wants a WTF licence plate. 😃😃 My first thoughts exactly… Maybe she should tell them either they put NWTF on there or it will say Niple, their choice…