Like Stephane Bosman, in an earlier post, I, too, have difficulty with many of the anagrams used by forum participants. Often the post has little meaning for me when such esoteric abridgments are used. The propensity for brevity often interferes with communication between those of you who have so much to offer, and those of us who have so much to learn. I appreciate the knowledge and experience of this forum's participants and have learned a great deal. I will be grateful to those contributors who take into consideration that not everyone knows the meaning of every abbreviation used. Thanks to all for making this a most enjoyable and informative forum.

-- Max Wall (mtwall@earthlink.net), January 17, 2002

Answers

I agree with Max Wall. I don't know anyone who speaks ln abbreviations. If you want to communicate with understanding, spell it out.... that's MHO., EXH....

-- ed hazera (ehazera@msn.com), January 17, 2002.

I have found this site to be of great use. Type in any abbreviation or acronym and you will get the expanded narrative. Sometimes there are several examples, but in the context of the post, you should be able to find the one that works.

IMHO this should help PDQ.

code breaker

-- Al Smith (smith58@msn.com), January 17, 2002.

I meant "acronym". I "AHTWTW".

-- Max Wall (mtwall@earthlink.net), January 17, 2002.

The secret handshake is safe!

Although http://www.acronymfinder.com/ is helpful with many things, they haven't yet broken the codes for Leicaspeak. The closest definition they have for CLA (clean, lubricate, and adjust), for example, is congenital lactic acidosis. ;-)

-- Ralph Barker (rbarker@pacbell.net), January 17, 2002.

Is SP leicaspeak?

-- ed hazera (ehazera @msn.com), January 17, 2002.

SP is "spontaneous potential" -- it's the voltage generated between two points in a geoligical structure. If one point is on the wall of an oil well bore, and the other point it at the surface, then you can use SP to find the depths of different formation changes.

-- John Morris (jtmorris@slb.com), January 17, 2002.

FYI

IMHO there is too much anagram bullshit on these threads. OTOH many of us don't have the time to post correctly and prefer to do things ASAP (since academics are usually writing to NSERC, MRC, or OSAP) so at the end of today I find myself ROTFLMAO over the miniscule amount that was accomplished.

I need a CLA and some TLC as my brain is DOA.

But hey, that's academia

And thats A-OK!

;-)

-- John Chan (ouroboros_2001@yahoo.com), January 17, 2002.

PSHAW.

-- jeff (debontekou@yahoo.com), January 17, 2002.

Max:

I don't know them all, but cyber-geeks that spend a lot of time in chat rooms have created code acronyms for the repetitive comments that crop in said chat rooms. The usual assortment includes:

OT = "off-topic" for the subject being discussed.

IMO or IMHO = "in my (honest or humble depending on the personality of the author) opinion."

FWIW = "for what it's worth."

AFAIK = "as far as I know."

LOL = "lots of laughs" or "laughing out loud."

LMAO = "laughing my a&& off!"

NP = "no problem."

:-) ;-) 8^) :( :(... all are sideways and = smile, wink and smile, profile smile with glasses on, sad, and crying. There are many other versions of these, but hopefully you get the idea.

;-) Cheers,

-- Jack Flesher (jbflesher@msn.com), January 17, 2002.

I thought SP was Nikon's premier RF (that's: Range Finder) camera.

-- (bmitch@home.com), January 17, 2002.

Thanks, Jack. You always come through with a good response. I know most of the ones you have listed. It's the camera/lenses/photographic abbreviations that I have trouble with. Bill, I do know that RF stands for rangefinder, but that's the kind of assistance I'm referring to. Now, if others will be as helpful during the next few posts I will be grateful.

-- Max Wall (mtwall@earthlink.net), January 17, 2002.

SP:

street photographer spying pilferer sexual predator secretly positioned shutter primed silly person

-- Preston Merchant (merchant@speakeasy.org), January 17, 2002.

Max:

FWIW, IMHO, either GWI or GAL, or finally M3.

Art

-- Art (AKarr90975@aol.com), January 17, 2002.

Groan. Time for some ETOH*.

* Medical abbreviation for Ethyl Alcohol.

-- Bob Fleischman (RFXMAIL@prodigy.net), January 17, 2002.

Bob:

To be correct that should be written: EtOH, IMEE. :o)))

Art

-- Art (AKarr90975@aol.com), January 17, 2002.

M camera = messen, to measure i.e., rangefinder

OK = there is "O"rder in the "K"ingdom

-- Chris Chen (chrischen@msn.com), January 17, 2002.

Geee, Jack....

I've always read LOL as the ironic "Lots of luck!" - and it's usually made sense in the context. (?!)

I'm still fascinated that TANSTAFFL came up TWICE on the same day within minutes on two unrelated threads. ("There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch")

-- Andy Piper (apidens@denver.infi.net), January 18, 2002.

Max - if you list some specific abbreviations that confuse you I'm sure you'll get a polite and serious answer - among others.

-- Ken Shipman (kennyshipman@aol.com), January 18, 2002.

Whats the extra "f" for?

(see, I managed to post something without any abbreviations!)

Aren't I wonderful?

jk...

Phillip

-- Phillip Silitschanu (speedin_saab@hotmail.com), January 18, 2002.

I'm going out to do SP with my SP. I hope I get some good PICS.

-- ed hazera (ehazera@msn.com), January 18, 2002.

TTL or not TTL? That is the question! Whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer the S and A of OF, or to take arms against a ST, using an M or R, DS or SS, AG or GMbH, recently CLaed, and by OTF AE, end them!

-- David Killick (dalex@inet.net.nz), January 18, 2002.

there is the german expression of "AKÜFI" (abkürzungsfimmel), the maniac desire to shorten any fregquent expression, mainly used in connection with bureaucratic borers. the nazis were pretty good at it. so were the officials in the GDR. isn't it time to regain our full use of language?

-- stefan randlkofer (geesbert@yahoo.com), January 18, 2002.