# What do "YMMV" and "OTOH" mean? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 9, 2001, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-ymmv-and-otoh-mean/75529 "2001-08-09T01:14:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![1kBR\_Kid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/dc4da7/32.png) [@1kBR\_Kid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/1kBR_Kid)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2001, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-ymmv-and-otoh-mean/75529/1 "2001-08-09T01:14:23Z")
I hope that first “M” isn’t for “mileage”. Still stumped. ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2001, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-ymmv-and-otoh-mean/75529/2 "2001-08-09T01:16:59Z")
Your hopes, alas, are dashed. YMMV = “Your Mileage May Vary” (often used in an extended sense; “your experiences may differ”) OTOH = “On The Other Hand” ---
**Author:** ![zev\_steinhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/97f17d/32.png) [@zev\_steinhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zev_steinhardt)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2001, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-ymmv-and-otoh-mean/75529/3 "2001-08-09T01:17:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Long D. \* > \*\*I hope that first “M” isn’t for “mileage”. Still stumped. \*\* On The Other Hand, Your Milage May Vary Zev Steinhardt ---
**Author:** ![zev\_steinhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/97f17d/32.png) [@zev\_steinhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zev_steinhardt)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2001, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-ymmv-and-otoh-mean/75529/4 "2001-08-09T01:22:17Z")
You beat me to it by one minute **MEBuckner**!!! Zev Steinhardt ---
**Author:** ![1kBR\_Kid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/dc4da7/32.png) [@1kBR\_Kid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/1kBR_Kid)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2001, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-ymmv-and-otoh-mean/75529/5 "2001-08-09T01:24:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MEBuckner \* > \*\*Your hopes, alas, are dashed. > > \*\* LMAO. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Zumba\_The\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/779978/32.png) [@Zumba\_The\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zumba_The_Cat)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2001, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-ymmv-and-otoh-mean/75529/6 "2001-08-09T01:44:31Z")
Can I ask what TMI means while we are on the subject. (I have been around so long I am almost embarrased to ask. Please don’t tell anyone.) ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2001, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-ymmv-and-otoh-mean/75529/7 "2001-08-09T01:47:40Z")
We have a whole list of [Acronyms (abbreviations?)](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=2528) in an ancient **ATMB** thread. ---
**Author:** ![Zumba\_The\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/779978/32.png) [@Zumba\_The\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zumba_The_Cat)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2001, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-ymmv-and-otoh-mean/75529/8 "2001-08-09T01:52:28Z")
Thank you tomndeb. But, the one I want isn’t mentioned. Usually it is used in a subject title about something personal and with a warning. For the life of me I can’t figure out what it mean! ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2001, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-ymmv-and-otoh-mean/75529/9 "2001-08-09T02:01:23Z")
TMI Too Much Information As in warning this may gross you out. ---
**Author:** ![Zumba\_The\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/779978/32.png) [@Zumba\_The\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zumba_The_Cat)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2001, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-ymmv-and-otoh-mean/75529/10 "2001-08-09T02:07:44Z")
Thank you **Zebra**. ---
**Author:** ![tsunamisurfer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a698b9/32.png) [@tsunamisurfer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tsunamisurfer)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2001, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-ymmv-and-otoh-mean/75529/11 "2001-08-09T02:08:39Z")
DGICSTI = “Don’t Go In, Clinton’s Shagging the Intern.” ---
**Author:** ![ModernRonin2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c37758/32.png) [@ModernRonin2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ModernRonin2)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2001, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-ymmv-and-otoh-mean/75529/12 "2001-08-09T02:17:59Z")
PMFJ. IMHO ref [http://www.acronymfinder.com](http://www.acronymfinder.com). BTW, IANAL, BAOJIOGUOCSWMRTJDBIFOWNMITSIHGCWOAC. -Ben “HTH. HAND.” Cantrick ---
**Author:** ![Arken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dfb087/32.png) [@Arken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arken)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2001, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-ymmv-and-otoh-mean/75529/13 "2001-08-09T13:22:36Z")
Don’t listen to these people, they’re lying. Ymmv and Otoh are actually words, not acronyms. The first is pronounced “Yumm-uv” and the later “Oh-toe”… their meaning is strange and arcane and found in various grimoires such as the Necronomicon and the Whole Earth Catalog. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2001, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-ymmv-and-otoh-mean/75529/14 "2001-08-09T13:44:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ModernRonin2 \* > \*\* > PMFJ. IMHO ref [http://www.acronymfinder.com](http://www.acronymfinder.com). > > BTW, IANAL, BAOJIOGUOCSWMRTJDBIFOWNMITSIHGCWOAC. > -Ben “HTH. HAND.” Cantrick \*\* I’ve always loved that acronym. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2001, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-ymmv-and-otoh-mean/75529/15 "2001-08-09T14:54:05Z")
And then there’s the [&_$#&(_ Acronyms](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=78086) thread… ---
**Author:** ![Foggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foggy/32/1082_2.png) [@Foggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foggy)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2001, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-ymmv-and-otoh-mean/75529/16 "2001-08-09T16:59:23Z")
Ok, what does “PMFJ” & “BAOJIOGUOCSWMRTJDBIFOWNMITSIHGCWOAC” mean? [http://www.acronymfinder.com](http://www.acronymfinder.com). didn’t have these. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2001, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-ymmv-and-otoh-mean/75529/17 "2001-08-09T17:12:49Z")
And I thought YMMV stood for “Your Monkey Murdered Voltron.” Well, live and learn. ---
**Author:** ![ModernRonin2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c37758/32.png) [@ModernRonin2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ModernRonin2)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2001, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-ymmv-and-otoh-mean/75529/18 "2001-08-09T19:48:37Z")
Acronymfinder didn’t have PMFJ??? They’re slipping… It’s “Pardon Me For Jumping In”. Don’t ask me where the “I” went, I don’t know. “But although OJ is obviously guilty, under our current system we must respect the jury’s decision, but I for one would not mind in the slightest if his golf cart went off a cliff.” Both these are from “Dave Barry In Cyberspace”, a book I enjoyed quite throughly. ;] -Ben