OMG! Not another acronym!

Long before texting and Facebook acronyms were in vogue, the pervasive use of acronyms in everyday conversations and written communications has been evident.  Think of the very first acronym you probably learned in elementary school, or earlier: the USA (United States of America) Some acronyms of this nature are so pervasive and commonly used, they take on a life of their own and almost become a word in and of themselves. 

Have you had your daily dose of alphabet soup today?

Yet many acronyms are only familiar to certain groups that use them with common shared interests. This frequently streamlines communications and assists in getting your message across…if the people you are conversing with understand what the acronym stands for.  How many times have you found yourself thinking….Oh Kaaaay, well what does that mean? The use of acronyms is very common and almost always found in a group of persons that share the same interest; they all use the same types of languages and phrases to share information about their common interest.

I was recently prompted to write about acronyms because of recent “overuse” of them in many modern conversations: especially pharmaceutical commercials. Oh Gracious! There are so many ailments that have been assigned so many different acronyms that even if you did become ill, how do you know what it is you are dealing with?  Also, how do you know if the recommended medication is for you? Obviously, talk to your doctor first. If you have reason to know what any of these letters stand for, I would imagine you would be discussing this with your medical provider….not pondering the possibilities from network television.  Nevertheless,  it is truly amazing the letters that get thrown out there frequently to confuse the subject matter. Bear in mind, too that you best not be mixing up your letters!   ED (Erectile Dysfunction) is quite different from ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder), which is different from ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder).  When you hear a commercial on NBC (National Broadcast Corporation) about MBC (Metastatic Breast Cancer) you will know that are talking about breast cancer, not the station affiliate. I heard that commercial several times and I thought they were saying NBC. Closer listening helped me to identify it as MBC.  I’m not making light of the illnesses, I am just saying it gets very confusing throwing all that verbiage around. There are so many more, but here are just a few: MD (Macular Degeneration), COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) and DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis)….just to name a few.

Video Gamers, both on-line and solo versions, have developed a whole new language today including of course several acronyms for communicating with your fellow gamers. Here are a few that those who play are probably very familiar with: DD (Dungeons and Dragons), GG (Good Game) BG (Bad Game or Battleground, depending on the context), BRB (Be Right Back…even the most dedicated gamer has to take a bathroom break now and then…) DPS (Damage Per Second)

On the topics of sports and leisure, wow….the field of sports seems to even have the pharmaceuticals beat when it comes to the use of acronyms. Some of these are just so automatic; you don’t even think that the NFL stands for the National Football League….you just think NFL. Nevertheless here are a few more to load up your bowl of alphabet soup: AFC(American Football Conference, NFC (National Football Conference) NBA (National Basketball Association), WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association), NHL (National Hockey League) PGA (Professional Golf Association)…..well, you get the idea and I bet you can name a whole lot more.

In the work place, acronyms are very pervasive and definitely serve their purpose.  Every occupation has their own set of acronyms and abbreviations used fluently and frequently. Since I am married to an engineer and have a son who is also an engineer I am “privy” to many of the acronyms used in that field.  Here is just a sampling: ASCE(American Society of Civil Engineers), IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers), PMP (Project Management Plan), PE(Professional Engineer), EIT(Engineer in Training), CEM (Certified Energy Manager), PPE(Personal Protection Equipment, safety glasses, etc,)

Sometimes awkward moments, and frequently humorous results, occur when conversations including acronyms are not understood by both parties. True story: a friend of mine was discussing current issues when the BLM (Black Lives Matter) movement came up.  My friend was not familiar with that particular acronym and could not understand how the Bureau of Land Management-BLM fit in with that story. Embarrassment followed and a little light of recognition came on. Ohhhhh, that BLM! It is also funny how one extra letter can change the whole meaning: if you recently received a map and directions from your local AAA (American Automobile Association) you can find your way to your AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) meeting.

The texting and Facebook acronyms open up a whole new category of acronyms that are too varied and numerous to include in this blog. Yet, I bet many of us know the frequently used ones, and choose to use our favorites time and again. Right?  LOL!(Laugh Out Loud) So I bid you adieu for now and TTYL(Talk To You Later) JES (not truly an acronym, but I use it a lot: Julie E. Smith)