When you look at that sentence above, does it annoy you?
The use of acronyms is on of my pet peeve so I was delighted to read that someone sent a letter to Miss Manners* on "Understanding acronyms." I wholeheartedly sympathize with the writer of the letter and disagree with Miss Manner's response that since the letter writer speak of the use of acronyms at work that it is up to the letter writer "to learn the terms in common use."
I also acknowledge the usefulness of acronym but admonishes the use when acronym is unfamiliar to the addressees. In my work experience, I was at a meeting and saw on the powerpoint and heard the presenter use an acronym. I didn't know the meaning and since I saw bunch of people nodding in what looked like assent, I asked. The first person didn't know the meaning so we both asked another who didn't know then we asked the presenter who also didn't know. Finally, we asked the manager who looked it up and gave us the definition of a new acronym for the new process that was presented in the meeting.
Just as how this presenter was using an acronym that was unfamiliar, people will use acronyms without knowing their meaning. I am reminded by my college classmate's sister who avoided using swear words and frequently admonish me when I did. One day, I heard her describe a fellow as a "S.O.B." so I asked her what it meant. She gave me a strange look like how is it that you don't know then told me that it was another word for "real jerk." Then I informed her it was an acronym and spelt out the words for her. She was shocked.
Therefore Miss Manners, sometimes people just drop acronyms ( jargons and buzzwords too) to look cool. They might not even know the meaning themselves. Moreover, I like the tip this letter provides:
"To ensure the meaning of your acronym is communicated is to precede an acronym with its expanded name the first time it's used in conversation" or a document.
This is very good advice as certain acronyms can be shared (picture this: a bunch of chemists who belong to ACS decided to participate in a run to benefit ACS; in the preceding, 1st ACS means American Chemical Society while 2nd ACS means American Cancer Society).
So to unencrypt my phrase above:
Tonight (Saturday, June 20, 2015), I will be at Cinema Paradiso in Hollywood during the Downtown Hollywood ArtWalk and next Saturday (June 27, 2015), I will be hosting poetry reading at Cinema Paradiso in Ft. Lauderdale and going to Fort Lauderdale Art Walk afterwards.
This is an acrostic poem that is in a novel (working title: Totems) that I am currently writing:
*Source: "Understanding Acronyms" (Letter to Miss Manners). Sun- Sentinel. Travel & Life section. Sunday, June 7, 2015. Print. or http://www.uexpress.com/miss-manners/2015/6/7/0/
No comments:
Post a Comment