Acronym and Abbreviation Overload: Difference between revisions

Content added Content deleted
VisualWikitext
m (categories and general cleanup)
m (Mass update links)
Line 6: Line 6:
When used in media (as opposed to being used in [[Fan Communities|talking about media]]), it tends to feature in an [[Expospeak Gag]] or aiding the resident [[Motor Mouth]]. Or both.
When used in media (as opposed to being used in [[Fan Communities|talking about media]]), it tends to feature in an [[Expospeak Gag]] or aiding the resident [[Motor Mouth]]. Or both.


Not to be confused with [[Fun With Acronyms]], because that trope is about acronyms that are humorous rather than accurate, as opposed to simply having too many acronyms to remember, or acronyms that you'd have to be an insider of the community to know.
Not to be confused with [[Fun with Acronyms]], because that trope is about acronyms that are humorous rather than accurate, as opposed to simply having too many acronyms to remember, or acronyms that you'd have to be an insider of the community to know.


When writers include an overload of acronyms, they usually do so in the hope that you'll end up R.O.T.F.L.O.L.Y.F.A.O. Occasionally they'll thrown in some acronyms that refer to [[Deadly Euphemism|Deadly Euphemisms]] along with more benign euphemisms in the hopes that you'll do a mental [[Double Take]] and think [[Big OMG|O.M.F.G.]]!
When writers include an overload of acronyms, they usually do so in the hope that you'll end up R.O.T.F.L.O.L.Y.F.A.O. Occasionally they'll thrown in some acronyms that refer to [[Deadly Euphemism|Deadly Euphemisms]] along with more benign euphemisms in the hopes that you'll do a mental [[Double Take]] and think [[Big OMG|O.M.F.G.]]!
Line 20: Line 20:
== L.T.T.R. ==
== L.T.T.R. ==


* The ''[[Warrior Cats (Literature)|Warrior Cats]]'' fandom is fond of this. Acronyms include:
* The ''[[Warrior Cats]]'' fandom is fond of this. Acronyms include:
** the series titles (TNP, TPOT, OOTS)
** the series titles (TNP, TPOT, OOTS)
** book titles (TDH, FQ, BP, NW, BotC, T4A, SotC, to name a few... This created a slight issue when ''Code of the Clans'' came along, because there was already a CotC from ''Cats of the Clans''. There were even forum threads debating on what to call it - the most common form is C2otC.)
** book titles (TDH, FQ, BP, NW, BotC, T4A, SotC, to name a few... This created a slight issue when ''Code of the Clans'' came along, because there was already a CotC from ''Cats of the Clans''. There were even forum threads debating on what to call it - the most common form is C2otC.)
** some characters, places, etc (HF, DF, PoNS)
** some characters, places, etc (HF, DF, PoNS)
** related websites (Ww, OF)
** related websites (Ww, OF)
* The team of ''[[Discworld (Literature)|Discworld]]'' wizards who work on [[AI Is a Crapshoot|Hex]] do this a bunch -- Hex is a computer [[Bamboo Technology|made out of an ant farm and some common household implements]], including an FTB (fuzzy teddy bear), a CWL (clothes wringer from the laundry), and the like. A number of these acronyms are references to real-life ones, generally from computing (such as "FTB", a play on "[[wikipedia:FTP|FTP]]", an Internet protocol).
* The team of ''[[Discworld]]'' wizards who work on [[AI Is a Crapshoot|Hex]] do this a bunch -- Hex is a computer [[Bamboo Technology|made out of an ant farm and some common household implements]], including an FTB (fuzzy teddy bear), a CWL (clothes wringer from the laundry), and the like. A number of these acronyms are references to real-life ones, generally from computing (such as "FTB", a play on "[[wikipedia:FTP|FTP]]", an Internet protocol).
* ''[[The Dilbert Principle]]'' advises employees to use lots of acronyms in describing their accomplishments because "they sound impressive while conveying no information":
* ''[[The Dilbert Principle]]'' advises employees to use lots of acronyms in describing their accomplishments because "they sound impressive while conveying no information":
{{quote| '''Boss''': "What was your contribution to the project?"<br />
{{quote| '''Boss''': "What was your contribution to the project?"<br />
Line 40: Line 40:
== N.P.C.M. ==
== N.P.C.M. ==


* A ''[[Dilbert (Comic Strip)|Dilbert]]'' strip tries to abuse this when the engineers try to deceive the pointy-haired boss by making up lots of acronyms.
* A ''[[Dilbert]]'' strip tries to abuse this when the engineers try to deceive the pointy-haired boss by making up lots of acronyms.


== T.B.T.G. ==
== T.B.T.G. ==
Line 51: Line 51:


* The song "Arse End of the Earth" from ''Keating! The Musical''.
* The song "Arse End of the Earth" from ''Keating! The Musical''.
* ''[[Hair (Theatre)|Hair]]'' uses a lot of acronyms in the lyrics of "Hashish" and "Initials." Appearing in both are "L.S.D." and [[New York Subway|"I.R.T."]]
* ''[[Hair]]'' uses a lot of acronyms in the lyrics of "Hashish" and "Initials." Appearing in both are "L.S.D." and [[New York Subway|"I.R.T."]]




Line 58: Line 58:
* ''[[Ancient Domains of Mystery]]'': (ADOM) The guidebook has all kinds of abbreviations that make it downright illegible unless you read the compiled list of acronyms and abbreviations. One of the biggest offenders is the [[Infinity+1 Sword|TotRR]].
* ''[[Ancient Domains of Mystery]]'': (ADOM) The guidebook has all kinds of abbreviations that make it downright illegible unless you read the compiled list of acronyms and abbreviations. One of the biggest offenders is the [[Infinity+1 Sword|TotRR]].
* ''[[Super Smash Bros]]'': (SSB) guides will have all kinds of acronyms, sometimes making the simplest things hard to read; for instance, DI, or Directional Influence; your ability to move left or right a little bit in midair, etc.
* ''[[Super Smash Bros]]'': (SSB) guides will have all kinds of acronyms, sometimes making the simplest things hard to read; for instance, DI, or Directional Influence; your ability to move left or right a little bit in midair, etc.
* ''[[Dwarf Fortress (Video Game)|Dwarf Fortress]]'': [[Invoked Trope|Done deliberately]] by the DF community; talk of the [[Giant Spider|GCS]] and the [[Dug Too Deep|HFS]] prevents spoilers. Also overlaps with [[Insistent Terminology]].
* ''[[Dwarf Fortress]]'': [[Invoked Trope|Done deliberately]] by the DF community; talk of the [[Giant Spider|GCS]] and the [[Dug Too Deep|HFS]] prevents spoilers. Also overlaps with [[Insistent Terminology]].
* ''[[Nethack]]'': The IRC channel often combines this with the in-game symbols used to represent the various items; so a late game ascension kit might contain (among other things) [oMR, "oLS, a cursed !oGL and plenty of /oD.
* ''[[Nethack]]'': The IRC channel often combines this with the in-game symbols used to represent the various items; so a late game ascension kit might contain (among other things) [oMR, "oLS, a cursed !oGL and plenty of /oD.
* The [[Game FAQs]] ''Naruto'' boards has JnJ, PnJ, ET, SST, CT, FRS, 0TK, 3TK, 4TK, 8TK, nTK, MS, EMS...
* The [[Game FAQs]] ''Naruto'' boards has JnJ, PnJ, ET, SST, CT, FRS, 0TK, 3TK, 4TK, 8TK, nTK, MS, EMS...
* ''[[Megaman Battle Network]]'': [[In Universe]], actually. Mostly to preserve memory space, but also has a nice futuristic look.
* ''[[Mega Man Battle Network]]'': [[In-Universe]], actually. Mostly to preserve memory space, but also has a nice futuristic look.
** Its [[Spiritual Successor]] series, ''[[Mega Man Star Force|Starforce]]'', does this on the [[Nintendo DS]], [[Rule of Cool|simply for the latter reason]]. It also forces this on the player, due to little paragraph space for the parts you have to write yourself, such as naming your "Best Combos".
** Its [[Spiritual Successor]] series, ''[[Mega Man Star Force|Starforce]]'', does this on the [[Nintendo DS]], [[Rule of Cool|simply for the latter reason]]. It also forces this on the player, due to little paragraph space for the parts you have to write yourself, such as naming your "Best Combos".
* ''[[Starcraft]]'': Most of the Goliath's [[Stop Poking Me]] quotes. The Goliath in Starcraft II has many quotes reused, but also has the previous quote from G''oodMorningVietnam''.
* ''[[Starcraft]]'': Most of the Goliath's [[Stop Poking Me]] quotes. The Goliath in Starcraft II has many quotes reused, but also has the previous quote from G''oodMorningVietnam''.
{{quote| '''Goliath:''' Go ahead, TACCOM. Milspec [[Robo Cop|ED 209]] on. USDA selected. FDIC approved. Checklist complete... SOB.}}
{{quote| '''Goliath:''' Go ahead, TACCOM. Milspec [[RoboCop|ED 209]] on. USDA selected. FDIC approved. Checklist complete... SOB.}}
* The ''[[Battle for Wesnoth]]'' community has a lot of this. HttT, TSG, AoI, SoF, THoT, DA, HI, WM, ZoC, CtH, HAPMA... almost all campaigns, units and gameplay elements are abbreviated, [http://wiki.wesnoth.org/Wesnoth_Acronyms_and_Slang see also here].
* The ''[[Battle for Wesnoth]]'' community has a lot of this. HttT, TSG, AoI, SoF, THoT, DA, HI, WM, ZoC, CtH, HAPMA... almost all campaigns, units and gameplay elements are abbreviated, [http://wiki.wesnoth.org/Wesnoth_Acronyms_and_Slang see also here].
* The ''[[Rock Band]]'' fan comunity reduces song names to acronyms, such as GGaHT (that's Green Grass and High Tides).
* The ''[[Rock Band]]'' fan comunity reduces song names to acronyms, such as GGaHT (that's Green Grass and High Tides).
Line 72: Line 72:
== W.B.C.M. ==
== W.B.C.M. ==


* Ryotaro Dojima, from [[Peachi]]'s [[Persona 4 (Video Game)|Persona 4]] comic:
* Ryotaro Dojima, from [[Peachi]]'s [[Persona 4]] comic:
{{quote| '''Ryotaro Dojima''': We've got no clues about the perp. We don't even have a sus because the sec with a mo's got a perf al.<br />
{{quote| '''Ryotaro Dojima''': We've got no clues about the perp. We don't even have a sus because the sec with a mo's got a perf al.<br />
'''Adachi''': Sir, what are you even-<br />
'''Adachi''': Sir, what are you even-<br />
'''Dojima''': Shut UP, Adachi. }}
'''Dojima''': Shut UP, Adachi. }}
* ''[[MS Paint Adventures]]'' from ''[[Problem Sleuth (Webcomic)|Problem Sleuth]]'' onwards, so much that the wiki has an [http://mspaintadventures.wikia.com/wiki/Acronym_Cheatsheet Acronym Cheatsheet].
* ''[[MS Paint Adventures]]'' from ''[[Problem Sleuth]]'' onwards, so much that the wiki has an [http://mspaintadventures.wikia.com/wiki/Acronym_Cheatsheet Acronym Cheatsheet].
* ''[[Terminal Lance]]'': is drawn by a Marine, for Marines. Non-Marines are strongly advised to have the [[The Other Wiki|Wikipedia]] page on [[wikipedia:List of United States Marine Corps acronyms and expressions|USMC acronyms and expressions]] open and ready for reference.
* ''[[Terminal Lance]]'': is drawn by a Marine, for Marines. Non-Marines are strongly advised to have the [[The Other Wiki|Wikipedia]] page on [[wikipedia:List of United States Marine Corps acronyms and expressions|USMC acronyms and expressions]] open and ready for reference.


== W.S.T.A.N.M. ==
== W.S.T.A.N.M. ==


* In one episode of [[Yogis Treasure Hunt]], [[Top Cat]] calls the treasure hunters this way:
* In one episode of [[Yogi's Treasure Hunt]], [[Top Cat]] calls the treasure hunters this way:
{{quote| '''Top Cat''': Attention! This is T.C. calling with an A.P.B.. Report to the treasure room A.S.A.P..}}
{{quote| '''Top Cat''': Attention! This is T.C. calling with an A.P.B.. Report to the treasure room A.S.A.P..}}


Line 89: Line 89:
* [[Truth in Television]]: The United States armed forces do this, to the point where two members of the same branch (say an artilleryman and a tanker, both Army) can't understand each other. Much worse if it's members of two different branches.
* [[Truth in Television]]: The United States armed forces do this, to the point where two members of the same branch (say an artilleryman and a tanker, both Army) can't understand each other. Much worse if it's members of two different branches.
* The Armed Services see this extensively. "Private Bob! Gimme a SITREP on the PMCS of that APC ASAP!".
* The Armed Services see this extensively. "Private Bob! Gimme a SITREP on the PMCS of that APC ASAP!".
** A lot of personnel use this for [[Fun With Acronyms]]. A radar operator might call in "An unidentified B-1-R-Delta (bird) possible hostile G-U-Eleven (gull) class" Or a technician might report an "ID-ten-T (id10t) user error" or "Equipment inoperable in O-F-F Mode"
** A lot of personnel use this for [[Fun with Acronyms]]. A radar operator might call in "An unidentified B-1-R-Delta (bird) possible hostile G-U-Eleven (gull) class" Or a technician might report an "ID-ten-T (id10t) user error" or "Equipment inoperable in O-F-F Mode"
** It is said (somewhat tongue-in-cheek) that the American armed forces run on TLAs<ref>Three-Letter Acronyms</ref>, ETLAs<ref>Extended Three-Letter Acronyms</ref>, and MTTLAs<ref>More-Than-Three-Letter Acronyms</ref>.
** It is said (somewhat tongue-in-cheek) that the American armed forces run on TLAs<ref>Three-Letter Acronyms</ref>, ETLAs<ref>Extended Three-Letter Acronyms</ref>, and MTTLAs<ref>More-Than-Three-Letter Acronyms</ref>.
* Civilian aviation inherited this from the military for the same reason they us it: brevity is important over crowded radio channels and there are lot of technical terms in use. For example: "I'm gonna study the SOP, refer to the FAR/AIM and the POH, then go up and practice an ILS, VOR, NDB and GPS approach out of EVB. Oh, not GPS, cause RAIM is inop."
* Civilian aviation inherited this from the military for the same reason they us it: brevity is important over crowded radio channels and there are lot of technical terms in use. For example: "I'm gonna study the SOP, refer to the FAR/AIM and the POH, then go up and practice an ILS, VOR, NDB and GPS approach out of EVB. Oh, not GPS, cause RAIM is inop."
** Or: "I am going to study the standard operating procedure, refer to the federal air regulations aeronautical information manual and the pilots operating handbook, then go up and practice an instrument landing system, very high frequency omnidirectional range, non directional beacon and global positioning system approach out of New Smyrna Beach municipal airport. Oh, not global positioning system, because the receiver autonomous integrity monitoring is inoperable." Suddenly the acronyms seem godsend instead of an annoyance.
** Or: "I am going to study the standard operating procedure, refer to the federal air regulations aeronautical information manual and the pilots operating handbook, then go up and practice an instrument landing system, very high frequency omnidirectional range, non directional beacon and global positioning system approach out of New Smyrna Beach municipal airport. Oh, not global positioning system, because the receiver autonomous integrity monitoring is inoperable." Suddenly the acronyms seem godsend instead of an annoyance.
* Laptop computers used to use a type of expansion slot known as PCMCIA, an acronym for the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association, the group of companies that got together to develop the hardware standard. Owing to what a mouthful the acronym was (not to mention how non-descriptive it proved to be once you bothered to unroll it), the acronym is jokingly said to mean "'''[[Fun With Acronyms|P]]'''[[Fun With Acronyms|eople]] '''[[Fun With Acronyms|C]]'''[[Fun With Acronyms|an't]] '''[[Fun With Acronyms|M]]'''[[Fun With Acronyms|emorize]] '''[[Fun With Acronyms|C]]'''[[Fun With Acronyms|omputer]] '''[[Fun With Acronyms|I]]'''[[Fun With Acronyms|ndustry]] '''[[Fun With Acronyms|A]]'''[[Fun With Acronyms|cronyms]]".<br /><br />The name was eventually changed to the much shorter "PC Card", before the format was replaced entirely by Express Card.
* Laptop computers used to use a type of expansion slot known as PCMCIA, an acronym for the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association, the group of companies that got together to develop the hardware standard. Owing to what a mouthful the acronym was (not to mention how non-descriptive it proved to be once you bothered to unroll it), the acronym is jokingly said to mean "'''[[Fun with Acronyms|P]]'''[[Fun with Acronyms|eople]] '''[[Fun with Acronyms|C]]'''[[Fun with Acronyms|an't]] '''[[Fun with Acronyms|M]]'''[[Fun with Acronyms|emorize]] '''[[Fun with Acronyms|C]]'''[[Fun with Acronyms|omputer]] '''[[Fun with Acronyms|I]]'''[[Fun with Acronyms|ndustry]] '''[[Fun with Acronyms|A]]'''[[Fun with Acronyms|cronyms]]".<br /><br />The name was eventually changed to the much shorter "PC Card", before the format was replaced entirely by Express Card.
* Old [http://www.catb.org/jargon/html/T/TLA.html hacker anecdote]: When asked what "the biggest problem in computing in the '90s" would be, one hacker is said to have quipped, "there are only 17,000 three-letter acronyms". When you have [[Fun With Acronyms|joke acronyms]] [[Hypocritical Humor|bemoaning the plethora of acronyms]] in your profession, it's pretty bad.
* Old [http://www.catb.org/jargon/html/T/TLA.html hacker anecdote]: When asked what "the biggest problem in computing in the '90s" would be, one hacker is said to have quipped, "there are only 17,000 three-letter acronyms". When you have [[Fun with Acronyms|joke acronyms]] [[Hypocritical Humor|bemoaning the plethora of acronyms]] in your profession, it's pretty bad.
* There's an old song by [[Allan Sherman]] ''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roAWodrsZXI Harvey and Sheila]'' that celebrates the acronyms of life in the USA.
* There's an old song by [[Allan Sherman]] ''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roAWodrsZXI Harvey and Sheila]'' that celebrates the acronyms of life in the USA.
* Anybody who studies biology for long enough, particularly metabolism or genetics, quickly finds the acronyms getting out of hand. We have acronyms made of acronyms.
* Anybody who studies biology for long enough, particularly metabolism or genetics, quickly finds the acronyms getting out of hand. We have acronyms made of acronyms.
Retrieved from "https://allthetropes.org/wiki/Acronym_and_Abbreviation_Overload"