Are relational abbreviations txt spk?

Lovely Bloke

mirrorwall14 wrote: »

However OH (other half), BF (boyfriend), MIL (mother in law) are definitely abbreviations and are becoming very common

but they don't have the cringe factor that DD, DH, DD and DF do.

It's the absolute skin crawlery of those terms that is the real issue here, for most people.

Who actually goes around calling their relations "Dear" anything.

Nobody, that's who.

Whereas, OH, BF and MiL are normal everyday terms, in use the world over.

riffmongous

Orion wrote: »

NOMW

All it takes is 2 seconds

Orion

riffmongous wrote: »

All it takes is 2 seconds

2 seconds per acronym. Try reading some of the posts on rollercoaster or mumsnet - it's as if they're written in code. Trying to decipher some posts just makes people who don't know the acronyms lose interest very quickly. Speak English and people will understand you. It's not that hard to type "son", "husband" or "wife" etc so just do it.

mirrorwall14

Baldy Conscience wrote: »

but they don't have the cringe factor that DD, DH, DD and DF do.

It's the absolute skin crawlery of those terms that is the real issue here, for most people.

Who actually goes around calling their relations "Dear" anything.

Nobody, that's who.

Whereas, OH, BF and MiL are normal everyday terms, in use the world over.

That's what I mean!

One eyed Jack

Orion wrote: »

2 seconds per acronym. Try reading some of the posts on rollercoaster or mumsnet - it's as if they're written in code. Trying to decipher some posts just makes people who don't know the acronyms lose interest very quickly. Speak English and people will understand you. It's not that hard to type "son", "husband" or "wife" etc so just do it.

I often wonder are the familial acronyms a linguistic evolution of political correctness, and the shorthanded efforts an impersonal extension of that?

I remember when people used use son, husband, wife, daughter, etc, but words like "partner" or LP (life partner) and "sibling(s)" are becoming more and more part of common language.

I think it's only a matter of time before these familial acronyms become part of common language, as older more traditional terminology falls out of favour.


(I'm around the Internet long enough to remember when IANAL was a disclaimer, not sure too many would be familiar with the acronym nowadays!)

Tokyo

One eyed Jack wrote: »

I'm around the Internet long enough to remember when IANAL was a disclaimer, not sure too many would be familiar with the acronym nowadays!

Latest Apple product?? :eek:

Neyite

I'm afraid to google that.

coffee_cake

IANAL, YMMV, you'll be fine

osarusan

Baldy Conscience wrote: »

but they don't have the cringe factor that DD, DH, DD and DF do.

It's the absolute skin crawlery of those terms that is the real issue here, for most people.

Who actually goes around calling their relations "Dear" anything.

Nobody, that's who.

Whereas, OH, BF and MiL are normal everyday terms, in use the world over.

Surely LOL or ROFL should be banned for the same reasons?

But I think the reason is actually to do with how commonly understood the acronyms are.

I'm not sure how solid that reasoning is, as the acronyms that are understood are understood because they're permitted and people are exposed to them and learn what they mean (imo, tbh, OP, for example).

Permitting DH, DD, etc, would probably have the same result.

Dades

osarusan wrote: »

Permitting DH, DD, etc, would probably have the same result.

Yes, but people say "in my opinion" and "to be honest" all the time.

Most people find the "dear X" abbreviation an irritating affectation inherited from some other forum. If you can stop that from becoming commonplace in our own forums, then great.

The great thing about having your own forum is making your own rules. There doesn't have to be absolute consistency to the detriment of popular opinion.

Lovely Bloke

Dades wrote: »

Yes, but people say "in my opinion" and "to be honest" all the time.

The examples he gave though "ROFL" and "LOL".

I mean, who actually ends up rolling around the floor after they've read something on the internet, not to mention in actual social situations - not many I'd warrant.

And how many times does something one reads on the internet actually illicit a mere audible whimper of approval, never mind an actual laugh loud enough to be heard.

It's not that people don't use those terms, it's the addition of "Dear" that is absolutely abhorrent.

One eyed Jack

While we're at it, can we get rid of OMG, FML, and "weep for humanity"?

biko

Are relational abbreviations txt spk?

No.

LucidLife

The_Conductor wrote: »

Rofl or tbh- are not primarily used on Mumsnet- they are widely used and everyone will recognise them. However- they are text speak- and technically- disallowed. However- along with the 3 people in this thread using terms primarily used on Mumsnet- which were open to misinterpretation they are also text speak.

I'm bowing out of this right here and now- because- to be quite frank- I'm seriously pissed off. I am unfollowing this thread. If anyone wants to contact me- please PM me.

Regards,

The_Conductor

So was this guy warned for use of 'PM'?

I ask because there are many who don't use 'PM' as dont use DD, MIL, TTC etc. From reading this thread all I can see is a biased opinion from boards/mods. It's ok for us to use things we recognize but you sir cant dare use something we dont. Anyone else see this hypocrisy or is it just me?

LucidLife

LucidLife wrote: »

So was this guy warned for use of 'PM'?

I ask because there are many who don't use 'PM' as dont use DD, MIL, TTC etc. From reading this thread all I can see is a biased opinion from boards/mods. It's ok for us to use things we recognize but you sir cant dare use something we dont. Anyone else see this hypocrisy or is it just me?

In a normal conversation, spoken or written, someone would say "send me a private message" or PM for short.

In a normal conversation would someone really say "I was called into my darling daughters (typed as DD for short) school today as she has been bullying a younger child"?

PM - does what it says on the tin
DD/DS/DH - bit rich calling your bully daughter, 20 convictions and counting son or cheated on me twice husband darling or dearest. Definitely does not do what it says on the tin.

riffmongous

Strawberry Milkshake wrote: »

In a normal conversation, spoken or written, someone would say "send me a private message" or PM for short.

In a normal conversation would someone really say "I was called into my darling daughters (typed as DD for short) school today as she has been bullying a younger child"?

PM - does what it says on the tin
DD/DS/DH - bit rich calling your bully daughter, 20 convictions and counting son or cheated on me twice husband darling or dearest. Definitely does not do what it says on the tin.

Would someone really say send me a private message in real life? I dont think so, PM refers to the service provided by Boards I would have thought, I dont even say PM on other forums where the messenger isnt refereed to as a private messenger.

But even so why should that have to be a criteria, we are on the internet, as Baldy Con said earlier I've never seen anyone rolling around on the floor laughing in real life, and I have certainly never heard of anyone laughing so heard that their arse fell off. When someone says OP I dont think 'original poster', or LOL as 'laugh out loud', but what it refers to no more than I read DH as 'dear husband' all the time.

So since it comes down to the mods in the end, are we supposed to report people who use DH etc? Should we also report people who use acronyms/abbreviations that are cringey/confusing/not used in real life? PC in AH is going to be top of my list for sure then :pac:

Dades

riffmongous wrote: »

So since it comes down to the mods in the end, are we supposed to report people who use DH etc? Should we also report people who use acronyms/abbreviations that are cringey/confusing/not used in real life? PC in AH is going to be top of my list for sure then :pac:

By all means report people using acronyms/abbreviations that you find cringey/confusing. If the mods agree someone is posting in an adverse manner, they will step in.

If people are going to be 'officially' moderated, it should be for breach of something clearly expressed in the charter, for example, using DS, DD, etc in the Parenting forum.

Some internet abbreviations (such as LOL, ROFL) are so commonplace now, that it would be counterproductive for Boards to try and outlaw them wholesale (and daft, frankly). Like Mr Rolleyes smiley, they are part of the Internet. However this doesn't preclude individual forums like the Parenting forum from adding certain limitations to their charters, if they can justify it on the grounds of improving the quality of posting.

Again, Boards is its own boss. As long as the rules are clear we don't have to allow/ban ALL abbreviations for some futile show of "consistency". Especially so given the huge variety of forums under the roof. And most forums have Feedback threads if someone really wants certain posting habits to be examined by the mods.

riffmongous

Dades wrote: »

By all means report people using acronyms/abbreviations that you find cringey/confusing. If the mods agree someone is posting in an adverse manner, they will step in.

If people are going to be 'officially' moderated, it should be for breach of something clearly expressed in the charter, for example, using DS, DD, etc in the Parenting forum.

Some internet abbreviations (such as LOL, ROFL) are so commonplace now, that it would be counterproductive for Boards to try and outlaw them wholesale (and daft, frankly). Like Mr Rolleyes smiley, they are part of the Internet. However this doesn't preclude individual forums like the Parenting forum from adding certain limitations to their charters, if they can justify it on the grounds of improving the quality of posting.

Again, Boards is its own boss. As long as the rules are clear we don't have to allow/ban ALL abbreviations for some futile show of "consistency". Especially so given the huge variety of forums under the roof. And most forums have Feedback threads if someone really wants certain posting habits to be examined by the mods.

Well said

Oryx

The abbreviation/txt spk rule does vary from forum to forum. In the parenting forum I sometimes read posts with technical abbreviations and wonder what they mean, but the regulars understand. Ditto for the athletics and triathlon forums where I once posted a list of the more common acronyms to help out new posters. They weren't a problem though, because the majority of people who post there understood them, or soon would as they would happen on them all the time. They are things like DCM, HoTW, FTP, gibberish to the uninitiated but commonplace to those in the sport. And they actually are helpful as shorthand - instantly recognisable.

That's the key to this rule for me. Are the abbreviations helpful and understandable to the people who read them? One or two shortcuts in a post don't hurt if the comprehension is there. Its when someone uses a term that is not in regular use in that forum, or who pepper their post w/ so much txt dat u can c its laziness that problems occur. And that is why mod discretion has to be used. Because context is important.