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Usenet Posted 22 years ago
Usage
Acronym anxiety.
The following is a quotation from an article by Compos Mentis (pen name) in the current issue of Metering International, the magazine that serves my profession.
Start quote
Have you noticed that our world often seems glutted with new acronyms? .. Too many new, unfamiliar acronyms create what I call "acronym anxiety". We fear that if we have to ask what those letters stand for, we may look stupid and out of touch. So we often don't ask. We bluff and nod as if we are absolutely familiar with the acronym. Yeah, sure we've "got it". But we don't, and we don't like that.
End quote.
Does anybody here, who works in a technical field, recognise the symptoms of acronym anxiety in himself?
Later on in the article, he resurrects an old acronym, KISS. Keep It Simple, Stupid. Previously, I had thought that the advice applied only to the writers of sex manuals that encourage us to attempt intercourse in completely impossible positions. I now know that it also applies to metering engineers in their daily work.
Richard Chambers Leeds UK.
Start quote
Have you noticed that our world often seems glutted with new acronyms? .. Too many new, unfamiliar acronyms create what I call "acronym anxiety". We fear that if we have to ask what those letters stand for, we may look stupid and out of touch. So we often don't ask. We bluff and nod as if we are absolutely familiar with the acronym. Yeah, sure we've "got it". But we don't, and we don't like that.
End quote.
Does anybody here, who works in a technical field, recognise the symptoms of acronym anxiety in himself?
Later on in the article, he resurrects an old acronym, KISS. Keep It Simple, Stupid. Previously, I had thought that the advice applied only to the writers of sex manuals that encourage us to attempt intercourse in completely impossible positions. I now know that it also applies to metering engineers in their daily work.
Richard Chambers Leeds UK.
Top answer
[nq:1]The following is a quotation from an article by Compos Mentis (pen name) in the current issue of Metering International, ... positions. I now know that it also applies to metering engineers in their daily work.
- [nq:1]The following is a quotation from an article by Compos Mentis (pen name) in the current issue of Metering International, ...
- positions.
- I now know that it also applies to metering engineers in their daily work.
- [/nq] In my industry it is a rite of passage when a junior member of staff realizes what the more common acronyms mean/stand for.
- It is a standing joke (although not exactly funny) to see how long a new recruit will study a map looking for the ports of Neobig (not East of but including Greece) and Ralff (Ravenna, Ancona, La Nouvelle, Falconara, Fiumicino).
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55 Answers
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[nq:1]The following is a quotation from an article by Compos Mentis (pen name) in the current issue of Metering International, ... positions. I now know that it also applies to metering engineers in their daily work. Richard Chambers Leeds UK.[/nq]
In my industry it is a rite of passage when a junior member of staff realizes what the more common acronyms mean/stand for. It is a standing joke (
In my industry it is a rite of passage when a junior member of staff realizes what the more common acronyms mean/stand for. It is a standing joke (
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Matthew Newell filted:
[nq:1]In my industry it is a rite of passage when a junior member of staff realizes what the more common ... standard phrase they make life easier. The problem arises when people use them without knowing fully what they stand for.[/nq]
Yabbut in programming it surpasseth all understanding..."Zero and Add Packed"?...what were they thinking?...
(The department I wo
[nq:1]In my industry it is a rite of passage when a junior member of staff realizes what the more common ... standard phrase they make life easier. The problem arises when people use them without knowing fully what they stand for.[/nq]
Yabbut in programming it surpasseth all understanding..."Zero and Add Packed"?...what were they thinking?...
(The department I wo
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[nq:1]The following is a quotation from an article by Compos Mentis (pen name) in the current issue of Metering International, ... End quote. Does anybody here, who works in a technical field, recognise the symptoms of acronym anxiety in himself?[/nq]
I work in a technical field, and recognise the problem, though I don't think I would class my own reaction as anxiety.
Some while ago, someo
I work in a technical field, and recognise the problem, though I don't think I would class my own reaction as anxiety.
Some while ago, someo
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[nq:1]Matthew Newell filted:[/nq]
[nq:2]In my industry it is a rite of passage when ... people use them without knowing fully what they stand for.[/nq]
[nq:1]Yabbut in programming it surpasseth all understanding..."Zero and Add Packed"?...what were they thinking?... (The department I work in has a nested acronym for a name)..r[/nq]
That's probably not that rare anything that includes "
[nq:2]In my industry it is a rite of passage when ... people use them without knowing fully what they stand for.[/nq]
[nq:1]Yabbut in programming it surpasseth all understanding..."Zero and Add Packed"?...what were they thinking?... (The department I work in has a nested acronym for a name)..r[/nq]
That's probably not that rare anything that includes "
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Today, Alec McKenzie (Email Removed) abed:
[nq:1]Some while ago, someone came to see me in my office (he wasn't my boss, but he was head of ... someone in my position being so ignorant, but I soon realised it was because he didn't know what it meant![/nq]
Michael Hamm
AM, Math, Wash. U. St. Louis
(Email Removed) Standard disclaimers:
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Jess Askin filted:
[nq:2](The department I work in has a nested acronym for a name)..r[/nq]
[nq:1]That's probably not that rare anything that includes "radar" in the name, for example. Somebody here must know what the record is for deepest level of acronym nesting.[/nq]
"MINCE" for "MINCE Is Not Complete EMACS"..r
[nq:2](The department I work in has a nested acronym for a name)..r[/nq]
[nq:1]That's probably not that rare anything that includes "radar" in the name, for example. Somebody here must know what the record is for deepest level of acronym nesting.[/nq]
"MINCE" for "MINCE Is Not Complete EMACS"..r
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[nq:1]Jess Askin filted:[/nq]
[nq:2]That's probably not that rare anything that includes "radar" ... what the record is for deepest level of acronym nesting.[/nq]
[nq:1]"MINCE" for "MINCE Is Not Complete EMACS"..r[/nq]
Not bad... both nested and recursive.
dg (domain=ccwebster)
[nq:2]That's probably not that rare anything that includes "radar" ... what the record is for deepest level of acronym nesting.[/nq]
[nq:1]"MINCE" for "MINCE Is Not Complete EMACS"..r[/nq]
Not bad... both nested and recursive.
dg (domain=ccwebster)
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don groves filted:
[nq:2]Jess Askin filted: "MINCE" for "MINCE Is Not Complete EMACS"..r[/nq]
[nq:1]Not bad... both nested and recursive.[/nq]
And consequently nested an infinite number of levels deep..r
[nq:2]Jess Askin filted: "MINCE" for "MINCE Is Not Complete EMACS"..r[/nq]
[nq:1]Not bad... both nested and recursive.[/nq]
And consequently nested an infinite number of levels deep..r
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[nq:1]R H Draney exposited:[/nq]
[nq:2]Jess Askin filted: "MINCE" for "MINCE Is Not Complete EMACS"..r[/nq]
[nq:1]Not bad... both nested and recursive. [/nq]
You're making me anxious. I have no idea what you're all talking about.
Richard Chambers Leeds UK.
[nq:2]Jess Askin filted: "MINCE" for "MINCE Is Not Complete EMACS"..r[/nq]
[nq:1]Not bad... both nested and recursive. [/nq]
You're making me anxious. I have no idea what you're all talking about.
Richard Chambers Leeds UK.
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[nq:1]Jess Askin filted:[/nq]
[nq:2]That's probably not that rare anything that includes "radar" ... what the record is for deepest level of acronym nesting.[/nq]
[nq:1]"MINCE" for "MINCE Is Not Complete EMACS"..r[/nq]
I gnu that one. Acronymfinder.com has a three-level-deep one: SRK = "SACCS Replacement Keyboard"; SACCS = "SAC Automated Command & Control System"; SAC = "Strategic Air
[nq:2]That's probably not that rare anything that includes "radar" ... what the record is for deepest level of acronym nesting.[/nq]
[nq:1]"MINCE" for "MINCE Is Not Complete EMACS"..r[/nq]
I gnu that one. Acronymfinder.com has a three-level-deep one: SRK = "SACCS Replacement Keyboard"; SACCS = "SAC Automated Command & Control System"; SAC = "Strategic Air
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