alpha2 Report post Posted September 3, 2018 (edited) As I've been using American abbreviations, slang, and such, it occurs to me that a LOT of the users on the forum don't know what I'm talking about. So, I'm starting a list of common...in America, abbreviations, slang, short cuts, et cetera, that maybe our "overseas from us" members are scratching their heads over. First, "BTW". It stands for "by the way", or "for instance", or "case in point". Or maybe, "what I mean to say is..." I frankly don't know how other countries say it. Edited September 3, 2018 by alpha2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
alpha2 Report post Posted September 3, 2018 This can go both ways. I think I have "sorted" figured out. Or as some might say, "sorted". Next is "ETA", or "edited to add". Everybody feel free to join in. Jeff I realize this is all available with variable ease on Google, but this may keep you from having to go to the "dark side" during your time on the forum. Jeff Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bikermutt07 Report post Posted September 3, 2018 I thought ETA was estimated time of arrival? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chain Report post Posted September 4, 2018 What they really need to do is stop using a unit of weight as a unit of size Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bikermutt07 Report post Posted September 4, 2018 10 minutes ago, Chain said: What they really need to do is stop using a unit of weight as a unit of size ??? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
YinTx Report post Posted September 4, 2018 16 minutes ago, Chain said: What they really need to do is stop using a unit of weight as a unit of size Ounce? and who is they? Us? Them? maybe we should be using thousandths... YinTx Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bikermutt07 Report post Posted September 4, 2018 We didn't make up the ounce measurement in leather, we are just stuck using it. I don't even know how that started. I would much rather use fractions. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ScoobyNewbie Report post Posted September 4, 2018 Biker mutt07 is right ETA - Estimated Time of Arrival. ROFLMAO is and will always be my favorite - Rolling On the Floor, Laughing My A** Off. Life is good. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rockoboy Report post Posted September 4, 2018 IMHO* = in my honest opinion WIP* = work in progress ATM* = at the moment - or - automatic teller machine Not sure why I use these in caps, but I always do ... sometimes. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sheilajeanne Report post Posted September 4, 2018 (edited) IIRC = If I recall correctly WTF?? = well, I don't think I need to explain that one! :D Describes a lot of things going on in politics south of the border ATM! Most of these have come into common use as a result of the internet, and people texting on their cell phones. BRB - be right back TTYL - talk to you later TTFN - an old British expression (think it's Cockney) - ta-ta for now! YMMV - your mileage may vary, meaning you may have had a different experience with this, or different opinion WYSIWYG - what you see is what you get. An old computer term, meaning what's on the screen right now is going to be what you get when you press 'post', or are finished entering your data. Not heard so much these days. IAW [person's name] = I agree with [person] As for leather thickness, I prefer to use either millimeters or inches. Most Canadians of my generation are bilingual when it comes to metric vs. the imperial system, as the switch-over happened while we were in school! But I still prefer to use pounds for my weight and inches for my height, and think of zero degrees as being REALLY cold, and not just the freezing point of water! Edited September 4, 2018 by Sheilajeanne Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fredk Report post Posted September 4, 2018 (edited) Almost all those abbreviations are standard fare in the UK, mainly due to t'internetty Not all British slang comes from Cockney!* TTFN was a popular phrase coined by a favourite radio presenter called Jimmy Young * in fact most British slang has nowt to do with them sort of Londoners IMHO = here, mostly is In My Humble Opinion we separate ATM from atm. But it is extremely rare for anyone here to ask for an ATM; they usually call it a 'hole in the wall' or 'cash point' Old one which still causes confusion; LOL - to some = Laughs Out Loud, to some = Lots Of Love afair, it was Lots Of Love originally to the British, but the US and international Laugh.... took over; thus older users use it for Love WTF; has a clean form, = Why The Face? Edited September 4, 2018 by fredk Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sheilajeanne Report post Posted September 4, 2018 (edited) fredk, my mom used to listen to a radio progam called "Calling All Britons'. Its host was a Cockney broadcaster named Ray Sonin, and he'd always sign off with "Until next time, this is your old China, Ray Sonin, saying TTFN - Ta-ta for now!" That's why I thought the expression might be of Cockney origin! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Sonin He was the first North American broadcaster to play the Beatles' songs on N. America radio. My friends laughed at me when I told them I'd heard the songs before they did. Guess they thought I was making it up! Glad to have that memory justified after all these years! We now return you to our regular programming... Edited September 4, 2018 by Sheilajeanne Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chrisash Report post Posted September 4, 2018 In the royal Navy we had ROMFT = Roll on my F***** time you can fill inj the F Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fredk Report post Posted September 4, 2018 In RAF we had one very important one; WOP....... Warrant-Officer on Prowl Its not so much the abbreviations, which are now quite common, but the names of everyday things that can cause confusion eg; US truck = UK pick-up. in UK a truck is a heavy goods vehicle weighing 3 tons or more or a small light weight wheeled vehicle for handling very large goods US, bill-fold, UK - wallet. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rockoboy Report post Posted September 4, 2018 2 hours ago, fredk said: eg; US truck = UK pick-up. in UK a truck is a heavy goods vehicle weighing 3 tons or more or a small light weight wheeled vehicle for handling very large goods Australian = ute (short for 'utility vehicle') 2 hours ago, fredk said: US, bill-fold, UK - wallet. Australia = wallet Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
alpha2 Report post Posted September 4, 2018 4 hours ago, fredk said: In RAF we had one very important one; WOP....... Warrant-Officer on Prowl Its not so much the abbreviations, which are now quite common, but the names of everyday things that can cause confusion eg; US truck = UK pick-up. in UK a truck is a heavy goods vehicle weighing 3 tons or more or a small light weight wheeled vehicle for handling very large goods US, bill-fold, UK - wallet. I've heard bill-fold, but I've never used it. It's been a wallet all my 65 years. The bill-fold may be a hold over from the 20's, 30's, 40's? When bill were referred to as "folding money" And truck/pick-up are interchangeable when referring to a pick-up, something bigger would be a truck. And, whatever happened to "lorry"? US peeps have been told for a long time that a truck was called a lorry in UK. Don't even get me started on military and aviation abbreviations. Here's a meteorological for you all...LTGICCCCG. Lightening in cloud, cloud to cloud, and cloud to ground. Yeah, ground school was a challenge. Jeff Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Northmount Report post Posted September 5, 2018 1 hour ago, alpha2 said: I've heard bill-fold, but I've never used it. It's been a wallet all my 65 years. Billfold here used to be just for a few bills, paper money. Wallet added a coin pocket and photo sleeves which have been taken over by credit cards. Tom Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ScoobyNewbie Report post Posted September 5, 2018 FUBAR! LOL! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sheilajeanne Report post Posted September 5, 2018 LOL! I think that's pretty universal for English speakers everywhere! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TxLeather Report post Posted September 5, 2018 19 hours ago, Sheilajeanne said: WTF?? = well, I don't think I need to explain that one! :D Describes a lot of things going on in politics south of the border ATM! or NORTH of the border... Just saying Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stelmackr Report post Posted September 5, 2018 TLA - Three Letter Acronym ;-) Bob Stelmack Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Northmount Report post Posted September 5, 2018 1 minute ago, stelmackr said: TLA - Three Letter Acronym ;-) Bob Stelmack ATLA - another 3 letter acronym Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mark842 Report post Posted September 5, 2018 (edited) Snafu....situation normal, all f**ked up Edited September 5, 2018 by Mark842 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fredk Report post Posted September 13, 2018 Saw another use of WTF? today WTF? "Where's the Food?" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
alpha2 Report post Posted September 13, 2018 So, Fredk, you're saying I might be wrong about WTB meaning "wanting to buy"? Could be "Where's the beer"? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
