# yes, this is probably a stupid question. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 18, 2007, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-this-is-probably-a-stupid-question/388467 "2007-01-18T17:11:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MovingTarget](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/edb3f5/32.png) [@MovingTarget](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovingTarget)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2007, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-this-is-probably-a-stupid-question/388467/1 "2007-01-18T17:11:56Z")
I know, this is probably just a stupid question, but what does YMMV mean? I see it at the end of a lot of posts and I just can’t figure out what it means. I’ve deciphered a lot of the other ones IANAL- I am not a lawyer, etc. But this one is giving me fits. I’m sure as soon as I figure out what it means I’m going to feel incredibly stupid, but it’s driving me nuts. Worse than that 14 p of d thing. And if you know of any other very common but maybe slightly confusing abbreviations, list them here too. Thanks in advance. ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2007, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-this-is-probably-a-stupid-question/388467/2 "2007-01-18T17:14:19Z")
Your Mileage May Vary ---
**Author:** ![yanceylebeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yanceylebeef/32/12290_2.png) [@yanceylebeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yanceylebeef)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2007, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-this-is-probably-a-stupid-question/388467/3 "2007-01-18T17:14:22Z")
“your mileage may vary” Not a stupid question at all. Remeber, there are no stupid questions, only stupid people. Or something like that. yancey ---
**Author:** ![MovingTarget](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/edb3f5/32.png) [@MovingTarget](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovingTarget)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2007, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-this-is-probably-a-stupid-question/388467/4 "2007-01-18T17:21:38Z")
wow…just wow…I had thought of that being a possible one. If it is, then I think a lot of people aren’t using it correctly. but thanks none the less. ---
**Author:** ![aktep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f0a364/32.png) [@aktep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aktep)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2007, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-this-is-probably-a-stupid-question/388467/5 "2007-01-18T17:23:50Z")
I think most people use it correctly; YMMV, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleanor_of_Aquitaine)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2007, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-this-is-probably-a-stupid-question/388467/6 "2007-01-18T17:26:31Z")
Check out the [Beginner’s Guide to Glossary of Terms on Straight Dope Message Boards](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=320298) posted in ATMB. ---
**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2007, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-this-is-probably-a-stupid-question/388467/7 "2007-01-18T17:27:26Z")
It’s all about inflation. Some are overinflated, they get more mileage, but less control. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2007, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-this-is-probably-a-stupid-question/388467/8 "2007-01-18T19:22:45Z")
Since we’re asked and answered, a little hijack: What do people call “mileage” in metric contries? Just something mundane like “fuel efficiency,” or do you have a cool word like “kilometerage?” ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2007, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-this-is-probably-a-stupid-question/388467/9 "2007-01-18T20:17:08Z")
[QUOTE=TimeWinder] Since we’re asked and answered, a little hijack: What do people call “mileage” in metric contries? Just something mundane like “fuel efficiency,” or do you have a cool word like “kilometerage?” [/QUOTE] It’s still “mileage” in Australia, even though people hardly ever refer to miles for distance these days (except when talking to Americans). ---
**Author:** ![Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hypnagogic_jerk/32/4252_2.png) [@Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypnagogic_Jerk)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2007, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-this-is-probably-a-stupid-question/388467/10 "2007-01-18T20:36:00Z")
[QUOTE=TimeWinder] Since we’re asked and answered, a little hijack: What do people call “mileage” in metric contries? Just something mundane like “fuel efficiency,” or do you have a cool word like “kilometerage?” [/QUOTE] Well, here (speaking in French), we use both _millage_ and _kilométrage_. When using the term in a figurative sense (as done here), I’d venture to say that most people, and especially older ones, would use _millage_. People here are still somewhere between the SI and imperial systems. I know temperature in Celcius (except when cooking) and distances in kilometres only. I’m more comfortable with knowing a person’s weight in pounds, although I’ll also understand kilograms, and metric units I will also use for very large and very small masses. I understand a person’s height if it is given either in feet and inches or in metres; most people here would use feet and inches. As for cooking, as I alluded to earlier, it’s still all in imperial measures, which is why I cannot really use recipes that have been written in France (and not translated). Sorry for pursuing the hijack further. ---
**Author:** ![Nic2004](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/4491bb/32.png) [@Nic2004](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nic2004)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2007, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-this-is-probably-a-stupid-question/388467/11 "2007-01-18T21:18:49Z")
[QUOTE=severus] Well, here (speaking in French), we use both _millage_ and _kilométrage_. When using the term in a figurative sense (as done here), I’d venture to say that most people, and especially older ones, would use _millage_. People here are still somewhere between the SI and imperial systems. I know temperature in Celcius (except when cooking) and distances in kilometres only. I’m more comfortable with knowing a person’s weight in pounds, although I’ll also understand kilograms, and metric units I will also use for very large and very small masses. I understand a person’s height if it is given either in feet and inches or in metres; most people here would use feet and inches. As for cooking, as I alluded to earlier, it’s still all in imperial measures, which is why I cannot really use recipes that have been written in France (and not translated). Sorry for pursuing the hijack further. [/QUOTE] just a litle more hijack please. Do you pronounce it Kill-oh-meter or Ki-lom-iter. I have heard many highly educated and worldly people pronounce it both ways. is there a correct way in terms of most-people-in-places-using-metric say it _this_ way. Sorry. Carry on. ---
**Author:** ![robcaro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@robcaro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robcaro)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2007, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-this-is-probably-a-stupid-question/388467/12 "2007-01-18T21:31:42Z")
This link will give you all you need to know about Internet Shorthand. [http://www.romulus2.com/articles/guides/shorthand/shorthand.shtml](http://www.romulus2.com/articles/guides/shorthand/shorthand.shtml) ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2007, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-this-is-probably-a-stupid-question/388467/13 "2007-01-18T23:55:09Z")
While “kilo” is more often than not pronounced “kEE-lo” , I tend to say and hear “kill-aw-mihter” most often. Quite inconsistent, I know! [hijack] **severus** - Sherbrooke, eh? It’s my home town… my parents still live there and I go down fairly often. Grab a poutine at Louis’ for me![/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2007, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-this-is-probably-a-stupid-question/388467/14 "2007-01-19T00:53:38Z")
[QUOTE=TimeWinder] Since we’re asked and answered, a little hijack: What do people call “mileage” in metric contries? Just something mundane like “fuel efficiency,” or do you have a cool word like “kilometerage?” [/QUOTE] We use “kilometraje” in spanish (which I am sure I don’t need to translate for you) ---
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2007, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-this-is-probably-a-stupid-question/388467/15 "2007-01-19T01:03:13Z")
It can also stand for **Y** ou **M** ake **M** e **V** omit. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2007, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-this-is-probably-a-stupid-question/388467/16 "2007-01-19T01:25:19Z")
[QUOTE=TimeWinder] Since we’re asked and answered, a little hijack: What do people call “mileage” in metric contries? Just something mundane like “fuel efficiency,” or do you have a cool word like “kilometerage?” [/QUOTE] As mentioned above, it’s still “mileage” for the average person, but official sources tend to use “fuel consumption” instead. This reminds me I once heard a record of old songs converted to metric. It was quite a hoot. “A hundred and sixty kilometres, a hundred and sixty kilometres, you can hear the whistle blow a hundred and sixty kilometres.” I like the metric system. A grew up with it, and I find it easy and logical. Gotta admit though, it’s none too romantic. ---
**Author:** ![Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hypnagogic_jerk/32/4252_2.png) [@Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypnagogic_Jerk)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2007, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-this-is-probably-a-stupid-question/388467/17 "2007-01-19T01:39:58Z")
[QUOTE=mnemosyne] While “kilo” is more often than not pronounced “kEE-lo” , I tend to say and hear “kill-aw-mihter” most often. Quite inconsistent, I know! [/quote] In English, what I would say would probably be “kill-ah-meehter”. With a rather short “ee”. It’s close to the way you’re pronouncing it. > [@](#): > > [hijack] **severus** - Sherbrooke, eh? It’s my home town… my parents still live there and I go down fairly often. Grab a poutine at Louis’ for me![/hijack] I just moved here a few weeks ago to do my Ph.D. in mathematics, actually; I was living in Gatineau before. I’ll try to find that Louis, I haven’t eaten a poutine for some time actually.