# Why do people use such obscure abbreviations here? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 5, 2011, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-use-such-obscure-abbreviations-here/566524 "2011-01-05T19:37:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2011, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-use-such-obscure-abbreviations-here/566524/41 "2011-01-06T15:49:29Z")
Tl; dr. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2011, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-use-such-obscure-abbreviations-here/566524/42 "2011-01-06T16:28:43Z")
> [@rogerbox](#): > > …and what is the point of a message board if it isn’t clear communication, especially in a medium without body language and visual cues? To create a sense of ingroup/community, exclusivity? Moreover, the communication is usually clear for people who have been members for more than a few days. New members will take some time to become familiar with the peculiarities of any group they hook up with. This board is no exception; I see similarly idiosyncratic behavior, unique colloquialisms/abbreviations, and inside jokes on other discussion boards as well. TADT (They All Do That) ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2011, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-use-such-obscure-abbreviations-here/566524/43 "2011-01-06T16:38:03Z")
There’s a user here, **Shibboleth** , that _ONLY_ uses SDMB-exclusive abbreviations, initializations, and acronyms. JK ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2011, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-use-such-obscure-abbreviations-here/566524/44 "2011-01-06T19:28:40Z")
> [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](#): > > Tl; dr. Someone beat you to it LOUNE ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2011, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-use-such-obscure-abbreviations-here/566524/45 "2011-01-06T19:51:35Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > There’s a user here, **Shibboleth** , that _ONLY_ uses SDMB-exclusive abbreviations, initializations, and acronyms. iICWYDT. ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2011, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-use-such-obscure-abbreviations-here/566524/46 "2011-01-06T20:08:27Z")
Does anyone else wonder what **TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW** would think of this thread? ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2011, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-use-such-obscure-abbreviations-here/566524/47 "2011-01-06T20:17:19Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > iICWYDT. O, u c? ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2011, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-use-such-obscure-abbreviations-here/566524/48 "2011-01-06T20:30:08Z")
The only one I didn’t get was SWIM **S** omeone **W** ho **I** sn’t **M** e ---
**Author:** ![Kuboydal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecb155/32.png) [@Kuboydal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kuboydal)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2011, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-use-such-obscure-abbreviations-here/566524/49 "2011-01-06T20:48:53Z")
I keep checking for an opportunity to use TINSTAAFL in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2011, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-use-such-obscure-abbreviations-here/566524/50 "2011-01-06T21:19:02Z")
Nevermind, wikipedia gives both TANSTAAFL and TINSTAAFL as alternatives. ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2011, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-use-such-obscure-abbreviations-here/566524/51 "2011-01-07T02:11:55Z")
> [@inner stickler](#): > > because we can. aka, bwc. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2011, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-use-such-obscure-abbreviations-here/566524/52 "2011-01-07T02:19:41Z")
> [@tr0psn4j](#): > > Someone beat you to it LOUNE It still holds water. ---
**Author:** ![Kozmik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8dc957/32.png) [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2011, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-use-such-obscure-abbreviations-here/566524/53 "2011-01-07T02:50:13Z")
Re: MPSIMS OP - TTFN ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2011, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-use-such-obscure-abbreviations-here/566524/54 "2011-01-07T04:14:45Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > **Polycarp** once said that he’d operated for years under the misapprehension that YMMV stood for “you make me vomit.” That still makes me giggle. On Lamebook, a girl posted that her mom thought LOL meant “Lots Of Love.” Then she posted a text that her mom sent her: “Your grandpa just died, LOL” ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2011, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-use-such-obscure-abbreviations-here/566524/55 "2011-01-07T04:35:15Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > On Lamebook, a girl posted that her mom thought LOL meant “Lots Of Love.” Then she posted a text that her mom sent her: > > “Your grandpa just died, LOL” :smack: My on facebook took a picture of his iPhone. The screen had a SMS conversation between him and a stranger starting off with that stranger, a guy, who dialed the wrong number and sent him a breakup text message. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-use-such-obscure-abbreviations-here/566524.md?page=2)