Top 10 Email Acronyms

When’s the last time you received an email with confusing #acronyms and #initialisms?  Well, in this #Top10Tuesday, we’ve explained a few, so you needn’t feel lost again.

Question

So what is the difference between acronyms and initialism?

Answer

• Acronyms are words formed from the initial letters of a phrase and pronounced as a word…eg ‘LOL, UNICEF, WOW’
• Initialism is the group of initial letter of the word in a phrase that can be used to make repeated use much faster…eg ‘FBI, CEO, OMG’ 

I remember being in a presentation where the speaker, who had been given slides to read from, he came across an #abbreviation he didn’t understand.  Rather than confessing, they tried to blag it.  The problem was the audience knew what it meant, and the speaker just ended up looking silly.

Don’t be that guy – have a look at our handy-dandy list and pick up the email lingo. Even better still,  leave a comment with some initialisms or acronyms and jargon that annoy, amuse or puzzle you.

• ADBB – All Done, Bye Bye
• AFAIK – As Far As I Know
• EML – Email Me Later
• EOM – End of Message
• FWIW – For What It’s Worth
• IIRC – If I Recall Correctly
• NRN – No Reply Necessary
• OTOH – On The Other Hand
• TTFN – Ta Ta For Now
• YMMV – Your Mileage May Vary

Acronyms, like Scotch Bonnet peppers, should be used sparingly.   Yes, they can save you a few character strokes and maybe even a little ink if the recipient prints the email, but they can also cause confusion and frustration. And if you really overdo them, you might make someone cry.

TTFN!

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