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Question N00b question

Discussion in 'Welcome New Users' started by ZY-Fighter, Oct 4, 2017.

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ZY-Fighter Jedi Knight

Registered:

Feb 1, 2017

Hi all,
I've been a member here for some time but only recently have I started taking part in discussions, almost always in the Sequel Trilogy and Anthology forums. I've noticed something that is making some posts very difficult to understand:

Why are there so many acronyms?

I can understand writing ANH and kinda get why you'd type SW. I struggle with name acronyms. Then there are acronyms for unofficial titles or unannounced films, and yet more I can't decipher and have to ask about.

Are Star Wars fans unable to write full names? Does the version of the forum they access have a character count? I imagine I'm in a minority but surely it's not too hard to write Lucasfilm or Daisy Ridley?

I'd be grateful for any advice more helpful than "get used to it". I like the community here but find this aspect tricky.

ZY-Fighter, Oct 4, 2017

#1

teamhansolo, Dandelo and Lady Belligerent like this.
Outsourced Force Ghost

Registered:

Apr 10, 2017

Acronyms just develop over time. There's not really any single reason behind it. Just like "Lol", "ROFL", and other terminology, they just kind of appear. There really isn't any good advice other than "Get used to it"; it's just something you'll pick up over time.

Outsourced, Oct 4, 2017

#2

ZY-Fighter likes this.
DarthIshyZ Chosen One

Registered:

Jan 8, 2005

It isn't only Star Wars fans who use acronyms, though. Search for ST:TOS and you'll find Star Trek: The Original Series. Or B5 for Babylon Five. It's simply a known shorthand.

Sent using Tapatalk this was!

DarthIshyZ, Oct 4, 2017

#3
Lady_Belligerent Queen of the RPF, SWC, C&P, and Pancakes & Waffles Staff Member Manager

Registered:

Jan 29, 2008

ZY-Fighter - we have a glossary of those here. Hopefully that will help.

Lady_Belligerent , Oct 4, 2017

#4

Skiara , ZY-Fighter, Bazinga'd and 4 others like this.
Seagoat Former Manager VIP - Former Mod/RSA

Registered:

Jan 25, 2013

DIJRHLWRA

Translation: Damn, I just realized how lazy we really are....

Seagoat, Oct 4, 2017

#5

teamhansolo, Skiara , Adalia-Durron and 6 others like this.
Bazinga'd Saga / WNU Manager - Knights of LAJ Staff Member Manager

Registered:

Nov 1, 2012

ZY-Fighter We have a glossary that contains a somewhat current list of definitions and accronyms. Click HERE to visit the Glossary Thread

EDIT: I am slow Lady Belligerent beat me to the punch.

Bazinga'd , Oct 5, 2017

#6

Skiara , Lady Belligerent and Dandelo like this.
Dandelo SW and Film Music Interview Host VIP - Game Host

Registered:

Aug 25, 2014

I agree whole heartily with the OP.

looking at the glossary page it seems noone has a clue what BBC is the abbreviation for...

British Broadcasting Coropration ?

Bail's (Organa) Birth Certificate?

(The) BB8 Bowling center?

help us out Bazinga'd

Dandelo, Oct 5, 2017

#7

BookExogorth, Skiara , Seagoat and 4 others like this.
Bazinga'd Saga / WNU Manager - Knights of LAJ Staff Member Manager

Registered:

Nov 1, 2012

Dandelo Lady Belligerent ZY-Fighter I think this thread has spawned a discussion between Skiara and I about the need to revise the acronym/glossary. So we are working on it. We will likely be soliciting everyone's input for suggestions/changes/revisions/additions/deletions to the list in the near future. So stay tuned.

Bazinga'd , Oct 5, 2017

#8

Skiara , Lady Belligerent and Dandelo like this.
Adalia-Durron WNU/Costume/Props/EUC Mod. Staff Member Manager

Registered:

Jun 3, 2003

I have to admit, even when I was a Mod, I found myself looking up some of them as I had no idea what they meant! You're not alone with the struggle mate

Adalia-Durron , Oct 5, 2017

#9

ZY-Fighter and Lady Belligerent like this.
Sarge Chosen One

Registered:

Oct 4, 1998

Yeah, struggling to understand what people are saying is part of the charm of this place. But "charm" may not be the right word.

Sarge, Oct 5, 2017

#10

Adalia-Durron and ZY-Fighter like this.
Lady_Belligerent Queen of the RPF, SWC, C&P, and Pancakes & Waffles Staff Member Manager

Registered:

Jan 29, 2008

Seagoat said: ↑

DIJRHLWRA

Translation: Damn, I just realized how lazy we really are....
Click to expand...

This should be part of the glossary update.

Lady_Belligerent , Oct 5, 2017

#11

Skiara , Seagoat, Adalia-Durron and 1 other person like this.
DarthIshyZ Chosen One

Registered:

Jan 8, 2005

I usually get things from context and play dumb (not a hard exercise) when I don't know.

Sent using Tapatalk this was!

DarthIshyZ, Oct 5, 2017

#12

BookExogorth and Adalia-Durron like this.
Sarge Chosen One

Registered:

Oct 4, 1998

DarthIshyZ said: ↑

I usually get things from context and play dumb (not a hard exercise) when I don't know.

Sent using Tapatalk this was!
Click to expand...

Huh? I don't get it.

Sarge, Oct 5, 2017

#13

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Adalia-Durron WNU/Costume/Props/EUC Mod. Staff Member Manager

Registered:

Jun 3, 2003

This is Sarge who is artfully demonstrating he is able to 'play dumb' when required. A Very good Jedi Trait.

Adalia-Durron , Oct 5, 2017

#14

Sarge and DarthIshyZ like this.
Sarge Chosen One

Registered:

Oct 4, 1998

Jedi trait? What are you talking about? I'm so confused! SHMP!

Sarge, Oct 5, 2017

#15
Adalia-Durron WNU/Costume/Props/EUC Mod. Staff Member Manager

Registered:

Jun 3, 2003

And now he's demonstrating how to make others 'feel' Dumb............

Adalia-Durron , Oct 5, 2017

#16

DarthIshyZ and Sarge like this.
Sarge Chosen One

Registered:

Oct 4, 1998

I admit, I just made that one up on the spot. Anybody want to take a guess at SHMP?

Sarge, Oct 6, 2017

#17
Sith-I-5 Force Ghost

Registered:

Aug 14, 2002

Thank you, Lady Belligerent - first thing I learned just now, was what AIM meant.

My own nightmare has extended beyond acronyms. A recent arrival at FanFic just blasts out merged character names from the EU, and expects people to know that he's shipped two people, and it isn't an individual character that we have forgotten about.

Sith-I-5, Oct 6, 2017

#18

Sarge and Lady Belligerent like this.
Lady_Belligerent Queen of the RPF, SWC, C&P, and Pancakes & Waffles Staff Member Manager

Registered:

Jan 29, 2008

Sith-I-5, I’m glad it helped. I refer to it fairly often.

Lady_Belligerent , Oct 6, 2017

#19
Bazinga'd Saga / WNU Manager - Knights of LAJ Staff Member Manager

Registered:

Nov 1, 2012

Pinned a New Thread Requesting Feedback on How to Improve. the WNU Glossary.

Bazinga'd , Oct 6, 2017

#20

Lady Belligerent and Skiara like this.
Sarge Chosen One

Registered:

Oct 4, 1998

Improe? Should we work on our spelling before we worry about expanding our vocabulary?

Sarge, Oct 6, 2017

#21

DarthIshyZ likes this.
Skiara ~• RSA FFC •~ Staff Member Manager

Registered:

Nov 5, 2002

ZY-Fighter, you are right about the abbreviation thingy. When one is new, it's hard to read some threads just like a book or so. That's why we have a glossary in WNU, to have a place that helps to understand those abbreviations without asking in public.

Why there are so many abbreviations? There are many reason and I don't know all of them for sure. Some are "being lazy", "just easier", "common knowledge" and so on, but one thing we don't have to forget is that it builds a community feeling. If you understand and use abbreviations like usual words, you are not "new" anymore and part of the community. Same with shortened usernames: There was one who cared enough to give you a nickname. So you are part of the community.

Of course, it would be easier for new members, if we avoid too many abbreviations. That's one reason why we use abbreviations in WNU carefully. We like to give a good start. But as said above, creating abbreviations is something that just happens and can't be avoided (not even in WNU*). With this very old forum and its very old community (some are here for over ten years, very soon even over twenty years), it's part of the forum. So, as hard and unsatisfying as it sounds there is just one thing you can do: Don't get frustrated about it, remember the glossary linked above and accept it as part of the forum slang.

Btw, it would be very cool, if you could check the request above about the feedback on the glossary thread!

*WNU = Welcome New Users (board)

Skiara , Oct 7, 2017

#22

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Sith-I-5 Force Ghost

Registered:

Aug 14, 2002

So THAT's what IIRC means?!

I remembered IRC instant response chat, and figured it was related to that.

Sith-I-5, Oct 7, 2017

#23
Bazinga'd Saga / WNU Manager - Knights of LAJ Staff Member Manager

Registered:

Nov 1, 2012

Sarge said: ↑

Improe? Should we work on our spelling before we worry about expanding our vocabulary?
Click to expand...

I have a new definition for you Sarge. Its Sarge Banned: Banned from TFN for being a wise-a@#

Bazinga'd , Oct 7, 2017

#24

Jedi Knight Fett, Sarge, Lady Belligerent and 1 other person like this.
DarthIshyZ Chosen One

Registered:

Jan 8, 2005

Sarge's ass is wise? What happens when he sits down?

DarthIshyZ, Oct 8, 2017

#25

Sarge likes this.

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