# What is ETA? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 26, 2007, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-eta/401760 "2007-04-26T17:56:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jebert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ec9cab/32.png) [@jebert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jebert)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-eta/401760/1 "2007-04-26T17:56:25Z")
I have just recently noticed in several threads the use of a new (at least to me) abbreviation: ETA. I have figured out the other commonly used ones, AFAIK, IANAL, and so on, but I’ve come up with nothing for this one. \ ---
**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-eta/401760/2 "2007-04-26T17:57:04Z")
estimated time of arrival? ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-eta/401760/3 "2007-04-26T18:00:52Z")
Edited to add ---
**Author:** ![MrSquishy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9e5f3/32.png) [@MrSquishy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrSquishy)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-eta/401760/4 "2007-04-26T18:00:55Z")
I believe it’s “edited to add”. It has just started showing up since we got the ability to edit posts. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-eta/401760/5 "2007-04-26T18:10:35Z")
**EddyTeddyAsparagus** ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-eta/401760/6 "2007-04-26T18:21:05Z")
[Euskadi Ta Askatasuna](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ETA) ---
**Author:** ![Jayrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Jayrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayrot)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-eta/401760/7 "2007-04-26T18:22:19Z")
Excruciating Tilapia Annotation? ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Scrappy\_Hero\_Pup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ea5d25/32.png) [@Happy\_Scrappy\_Hero\_Pup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Scrappy_Hero_Pup)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-eta/401760/8 "2007-04-26T18:23:03Z")
It jars me whenever I see ETA. ETA means “Estimated Time of Arrival.” I don’t see why people need to put “ETA” here. There’s a “reason” field for your edits, people. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-eta/401760/9 "2007-04-26T18:23:57Z")
[QUOTE=Happy Scrappy Hero Pup] It jars me whenever I see ETA. ETA means “Estimated Time of Arrival.” I don’t see why people need to put “ETA” here. There’s a “reason” field for your edits, people. [/QUOTE] There is? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-eta/401760/10 "2007-04-26T18:25:03Z")
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ---
**Author:** ![brewha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@brewha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brewha)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-eta/401760/11 "2007-04-26T18:30:20Z")
??? ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-eta/401760/12 "2007-04-26T18:31:30Z")
ETA as used on the Dope normally means “Edited to Add” – and, contrariwise to the comments about the “Reason” field, it’s used to introduce text added in an edit, second thoughts and/or clarifications seen as needed within five minutes of posting. The “Reason” field is the top line of the “posting” interface when you ask the software for an edit, just above the optional Post Title field. ETA in travel contexts of course means “Estimated Time of Arrival.” It’s also used for the name of the eighth letter of the Greek alphabet, resembling a H in uppercase and a h without the long ascender and with the right descender extended below the line resembling a j in lowercase. In one specific context, it’s the acronym for the (semi-terrorist) group seeking Basque autonomy, which is named in Basque _Euskadi Ta Askatasuna_, which means “Basque Homeland/Fatherland and Freedom/Liberty,” depending on your preferred translation. ETA: I see all the posts with frivolous edits simply to show off how to use the reason field. Notice the difference in this paragraph and what appears below it. ---
**Author:** ![Triskadecamus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@Triskadecamus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Triskadecamus)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-eta/401760/13 "2007-04-26T18:32:13Z")
Yes, it should be fun. Tris ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-eta/401760/14 "2007-04-26T20:21:21Z")
Elephants Trumpet Audibly ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-eta/401760/15 "2007-04-26T20:26:32Z")
[QUOTE=Happy Scrappy Hero Pup] It jars me whenever I see ETA. ETA means “Estimated Time of Arrival.” [/QUOTE] I agree. I generally just use “edit:” to add any additional comments below my original post. ETA looks ugly to me. edit: See, just like this. I don’t like using the “reason for editing” field. It’s too small, and it’s not necessarily clear what part of your post you’re adding. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Scrappy\_Hero\_Pup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ea5d25/32.png) [@Happy\_Scrappy\_Hero\_Pup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Scrappy_Hero_Pup)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-eta/401760/16 "2007-04-26T20:27:32Z")
[QUOTE= Polycarp] ETA as used on the Dope normally means “Edited to Add” – and, contrariwise to the comments about the “Reason” field, it’s used to introduce text added in an edit, second thoughts and/or clarifications seen as needed within five minutes of posting. [/QUOTE] Yeah, but “ETA” is superflous and lame. “Look! I thought of something else, too! Look! L@@K!!!twenty-five!!!” It’s silly and you can use the reason bar to convey the same meaning, as I will demonstrate. Here is a third paragraph in which I further demonstrate my dislike for the ridiculous “ETA” and point out how you can use the “Reason for Editing” field to do the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![Ferd\_Burfel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecccb3/32.png) [@Ferd\_Burfel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferd_Burfel)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-eta/401760/17 "2007-04-26T20:28:12Z")
Earl Told Arlene? ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-eta/401760/18 "2007-04-26T21:20:54Z")
Apart from whether the “reason” field makes it superflous or not, it seems to have already been established as a convention on some other boards which allow you to edit posts, but don’t provide that field. A lot of people are in the habit of using it from those other places. ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-eta/401760/19 "2007-04-26T21:31:20Z")
I always think Enfield Tennis Academy. And that just doesn’t make sense. ---
**Author:** ![SuperNelson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@SuperNelson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuperNelson)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-eta/401760/20 "2007-04-26T21:36:44Z")
[QUOTE=danceswithcats] Elephants Trumpet Audibly [/QUOTE] Or Everybody Toots Audibly. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-eta/401760.md?page=2)