# Straight Dope Slang **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [February 23, 2001, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope-slang/55546 "2001-02-23T02:24:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![The\_Ryan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7feea3/32.png) [@The\_Ryan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Ryan)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2001, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope-slang/55546/21 "2001-02-26T04:04:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by barbitu8 \* > That will give you all what they call “acronyms,” but, of course, you and I know these are not acroynms. WAG, IIRC, FAQ, and IANAL could qualify as acronyms. YMMV is pushing it though. BTW, just what does “SDMB” stand for? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2001, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope-slang/55546/22 "2001-02-26T04:09:41Z")
Sheesh, how’d I miss this one? Off to ATMB with you. ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2001, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope-slang/55546/23 "2001-02-26T22:08:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by The Ryan \* > \*\*WAG, IIRC, FAQ, and IANAL could qualify as acronyms. YMMV is pushing it though. > > BTW, just what does “SDMB” stand for? 🙂 \*\* WAG is an acronym, but I never heard of the other words. In fact I cannot even pronounce the last one. You’re kidding about SDMB, aren’t you? ---
**Author:** ![keeper0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@keeper0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/keeper0)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2001, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope-slang/55546/24 "2001-02-27T00:37:49Z")
I infer from context that a “sock puppet” is an alias that a member uses to imply support for their position. Such as **Keeper0** : The sky is not blue. It is green. I saw a show on television about how independent scientists (not those corporate shill Blueists) have taken chromatic measurements to show that it is green. **Kimstu** (or any of few thousand brilliant dopers): Do you have a cite for that show? [sub]Rather than respond to a request for facts, I create a new alias[/sub] **Repeek0** : No, he’s not making it up. I saw that show too! Is this WAG correct? ---
**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2001, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope-slang/55546/25 "2001-02-27T01:58:59Z")
KEEPER – Yeah, a sock puppet is one poster kissing his own ass, or supporting his own position under a different user name. (More that one user-name = big no-no, BTW.) (BTW = “by the way,” BTW.) Your example is exactly right. It arose (I believe) from the sarcastic comment that a person who would do such a thing (register separately in order to anonymously aggrandize him- or herself) would probably use a sock-puppet for support IRL. (IRL = “in real life,” BTW.) Now some people have sort of morphed it into the occasional accusation that one poster is being a “sock-puppet” for another – i.e., an unthinking ass-kisser. That use of the term is not accurate, however, because if you’re dealing with two people, not one, then you’re not dealing with a sock-puppet. The prohibition that each person can only have one user-name has pretty much killed off the sock-puppets, thankfully. There were some doozies, back in the day. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope-slang/55546.md?page=1)