Stop it. Just stop.

Why you call it RSS when you could simply have called it syndication? Why call it CEO when you could have called it top chief. You are making your language harder to understand for no good reason. Why call it TLDR when you can call it summary. Like what the fuck…

  • @marmulak
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    52 years ago

    This is not linguistics, lol

  • mekhos
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    42 years ago

    Abbreviations can be hard when you are new to a topic, but they are very useful for members of tight knit communities who maybe use certain phrases frequently. The polite thing to do when writing is to include the longhand version the first time it is used with the abbreviation in brackets, so that people dont have to go hunting for definitions.

  • @GenkiFeral
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    22 years ago

    I’m fine with many abbreviations, but when they keep changing things like CEO to CFO or adding too many letters to things like LGTB (I thought gay covered enough), I find it tedious to keep up. TLDR is fine and I don’t think summary is an accurate discription of TLDR - but, at least in the beginning, it would be considerate for people to put in paranethesis what TLDR (Too Long, Didn’t Read) means. Language is supposed to be about communication, but some people use it as a way to set themselves apart - usually to make themselves sound better. On the internet and in a multi-language, immigrant world, we all could be more considerate by using easier to understand words - considering that non-native speakers may be reading what you write and just because they don’t understand YOUR writings doens’t mean they are stupid. They may have a PhD or two master degrees or make $250,000 a year from their street smarts.

  • LvxferreM
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    111 months ago

    Since Linguistics is descriptive (it tells you what goes on) instead of prescriptive (it doesn’t tell you what you should be using), note that this is at most off-topic. That said…

    The reason why people rely so much on abbreviations is information density - note how they’re usually shorter than their alternatives. And it’s fine; people are be able to parse any abbreviation as long as they have the context to do so.

    But waitaminute that also applies to other words too, not just abbreviations! And I think that the problem that you might be noticing with abbreviations also affects other words, known as “buzzwords”. They’re basically words crafted to hide meaning instead of convey it, within a certain utterance.

  • @Slatlun
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    12 years ago

    I think you mean:

    Stop using abbreviations (frowning face)

  • @Peter1986c
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    12 years ago

    To be honest (TBH) I think saying “top chief” instead of Chief Executive officer (CEO) is a bit simplistic. They seldom operate alone, as there are other “top chiefs” (COO,CFO,etc.) as well. No, I cannot really explain what they do either but still I think “top chief” is something you might use when talking to children.

    • Vegafjord eoOP
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      02 years ago

      We use that expression in Norway at least.

    • ghost_laptop
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      02 years ago

      In Spanish is “director ejecutivo”, which would mean “executive director”, which I think represents quite well what they do, since the officer is kind of pointless anyway.