What do those initials mean?

**robthehiker** · 16th August 11, 06:19 PM

Here is a page of commonly used internet acronyms. Warning, some may be offensive.

**Father Bill** · 16th August 11, 06:21 PM

Thank you fellows. Many of the acronyms you mention I recognize - I used them with the students I taught for years, but even what may seem obvious to the user, the use for example, of two letters to indicate American states and now Canadian provinces is something that for instance many outside our nations may take a moment to figure out. I certainly don't have them all in my mental rolodex! I'm therefore advocating in favour of plain language whenever possible such that we don't always have to go to the FAQs as an online dictionary - and perhaps find that the item isn't there because it's not a kilt term, but something else.

Yes, we'll learn in time, but after some considerable time and activity on the Internet in general, and this forum in particular, I for one am often still confused and slowed by the use of acronyms, which are allowedly, a common form of communication. The question isn't whether they are common, but whether they are always easy to use, spot, and understand, in a word, effective. Sometimes I pause, wondering if we're talking about a nation or a member.

(!)

I spend an awful lot of time with newspaper articles for instance, tracing the article back to the beginning see if I can figure out what is being referenced, and sometimes to no avail.

There is always "in-house lingo." All I'm doing here, is advocating for plain language as often as possible. It just lubricates the wheels of the machine.

Please don't take this as any criticism - just that my aging brain can't always move as nimbly as this sort of thing best requires. In fact, thank you all for your concern and willingness to support me in this - the help you so quickly offered is a sign of the decency of so many of our members.

YAFPL!

Bill+

**Father Bill** · 16th August 11, 06:22 PM

Originally Posted by Aspiringloser

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...80/index2.html
In post #13 NB is used - "(NB the visible edge of the deep pleat at the right of the apron is NOT folded over. [Must be a part of that elusive Specification!])"
What does NB mean?

That one I know! It's from the Latin, nota bene - "note well"

**Aspiringloser** · 16th August 11, 06:23 PM

Thank you for that. I learned something today.

**Mikilt** · 16th August 11, 06:27 PM

Originally Posted by Aspiringloser

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...80/index2.html
In post #13 NB is used - "(NB the visible edge of the deep pleat at the right of the apron is NOT folded over. [Must be a part of that elusive Specification!])"
What does NB mean?

I took it to means "notas bene" or, "note well". A Latin phrase

**piperdbh** · 16th August 11, 06:29 PM

Originally Posted by Father Bill

...All I'm doing here, is advocating for plain language as often as possible...

I'd like to advocate for correct spelling and punctuation. Some posts here can be difficult read due to run-on sentences and no visible breaks in the stream-of-consciousness we sometimes get.