Overview: When a company decides to buy a product (specifically complex products/systems like a PBX) it must decide which vendor is providing the most value

Acronyms for E-mail and IM

Overview

An acronym shorthand term formed by using the first letters of the words in a phrase. They are an easy way to say an entire phrase and any specific field has its own jargon. It is remarkable how many words we use that are not actually words but acronyms. New technology has advanced our vocabulary into a new language of symbols to make communicating more efficient as long as the reader knows what the acronym stands for, thus reducing the amount of typing from the sender. This critique will explain what an acronym is and how it relates to the realm of instant messaging and E-mail in our society today.

What is an Acronym?

An acronym is shorthand for a phrase that is formed by using the first letter of the words in that particular phrase. For example, "FYI", which is commonly known to denote, "For Your Information". Easy enough, if you understand the context or specialty in which the acronym is written. If the reader does not understand the acronym, it creates confusion rather than effective communication.

Different Types of Acronyms

Different contexts include common or generic acronyms that can be found in IM such as, "BRB", meaning, "Be Right Back". An example of common or generic in E-Mail could be, "ASAP", meaning, "As Soon As Possible". Another type of acronym in the digital world is jargon or technical acronyms. These are acronyms that are universally accepted to mean certain things pertaining to technology such as, "PC", or personal computer. Technical acronyms are found in millions of places on the World Wide Web, in e-mail, and Instant Messaging used widely and understood by the majority of people who read them. There are also acronyms that are specific to electronic text. There are numerous examples such as, "HTTP", meaning Hypertext Transfer Protocol." These three types of acronyms create electronic shorthand when used properly.

Acronym Examples

ATM: Asynchronous Transfer Mode (in telecommunications), or Automatic Teller Machine (in banking)
CPU: Central Processing Unit
FTP: File Transport Protocol
HTML: Hypertext Markup Language
IP: Internet Protocol
LAN: Local Area Network
URL: Universal Resource Locator

Commonly Used Acronyms

AKA: Also Known As
BTW: By The Way
FYI: For Your Information
PS: Post Script
BYOB: Bring Your Own Bottle (or beer)

Acronyms Used In Electronic Text

An interesting set of acronyms are used in electronic text - specifically in e-mail, chat rooms, and instant messaging. The use of acronyms in electronic text goes beyond common or technical acronyms. People have generated all kinds of acronyms to express themselves in electronic text. When the receiver can be expected to know theacronmy, they can save time. When acronmys are used that the receiver does not recognize, they waste time or cause confusion. Here are some examples of acronyms specific to electronic text messaging:

AFAIK: As Far As I Know
ICCL: I Could Care Less
IMHO: In My Humble Opinion
IDK: I Don’t Know
CUL8R: See You Later
LOL: Laugh Out Loud
TIA: Thanks In Advance

Related Links

Acronym Index. Extensive index of computer and Internet acronyms.

Webcronyms. List of acronyms relevant to business, management, and technology.

Glossary of E-mail and Online Chat Acronyms. A good a-z glossary of acronyms.

The Acronym Finder. Large database, somewhat difficult to use, finds the definition of an acronym.

(SHS) Secret Hackers Society, (SHS) ACRONYM 1.01 for the Web. Good site gives a rating of related links and fair glossary of terms.

A Beginner's Guide to Effective Email - Acronyms Jargon. Fair site gives good introduction and some reasons behind why acronyms are used.