# PWUA (People Who Use Acronyms) and terms they assume people will know (spoiler: they don't)

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pwua-people-who-use-acronyms-and-terms-they-assume-people-will-know-spoiler-they-dont/839030
**Category:** The BBQ Pit
**Created:** [August 21, 2019, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pwua-people-who-use-acronyms-and-terms-they-assume-people-will-know-spoiler-they-dont/839030 "2019-08-21T23:32:47Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Showing post:** 53

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### Author: ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)
#### Post date: [August 22, 2019, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pwua-people-who-use-acronyms-and-terms-they-assume-people-will-know-spoiler-they-dont/839030/53 "2019-08-22T21:07:30Z")

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> [@BobLibDem](#):
>
> If I had heard DDD I would have thought of Dolly Parton.
> 
> It is an irritating habit. In technical writing it’s generally accepted practice that the first time an acronym is used, it is spelled out with the acronym following in parentheses.

I always thought this is the convention in general, not just for technical writing. I expect people to explain what they mean. If they don’t, I will remind them they are not being clear.

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