Trial posting: Using abbreviations

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AlwaysShocked

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There has been plenty of discussion about postings during the upcoming trial. Surely we will all be avidly reading here.

I have seen nothing regarding the use of abbreviations within posts. Certainly we all use abbreviations for the names of the principals involved. Use of "LDB" saves typing "Linda Drane-Burdick" every time you mention her. And use of "ICA" (Inmate Casey Anthony) for Casey vs. "CA" for Cindy Anthony differentiates easily between the two.

Sometimes I have a problem with LA for "Lee Anthony" because my mind wants to go to "Los Angeles". But that's just me, and I can check myself very quickly. In addition, when a set of initials has not been seen in some time and then pops up - such as "RK" - I sometimes find myself thinking "RK...RK...who is that?" But then usually the context of the post will bring "Roy Kronk" to mind.

With all of this said, I have noticed that lately - and I think this is perhaps a carryover from texting - there is a tendency to abbreviate WAY too much within posts. Not to point fingers at any single poster, but just as an example, I recently read a post in which the word "dryer sheet" was used once, and thereafter within the post "ds" was used as a substitute for the word.

Well, to me, "ds" represents "Dorothy Sims" in this case.

Does anyone else get what I am saying here? IMO: If we all just start using our own abbreviations for normal words, we are going to have a hot mess during the reading of posts during this trial. There is already sometimes a problem with people "misreading" posts, especially when a thread is moving fast.

Is anyone else interested in seeing some guidelines established for abbreviations? I know there are the standard posting abbreviations such as LOL - although surely Cheney Mason has had stellar input into that one!

Input on this subject?
 
FWIW, if you copy and Google most abbreviations that are not player names, you can usually find any net acronym defined that way.

It might also be a thought to putting a message on the poster's wall to ask what the abbreviation means, rather than adding another post to a fast-moving thread by asking on the board.

Also, does this forum have a case-specific abbreviation thread where people can ask these things?

Members can find a list of general WS abbreviations in the Jury Room:

[ame="http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=84535"]Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community[/ame]
 
AlwaysShocked said:
There has been plenty of discussion about postings during the upcoming trial. Surely we will all be avidly reading here.

I have seen nothing regarding the use of abbreviations within posts. Certainly we all use abbreviations for the names of the principals involved. Use of "LDB" saves typing "Linda Drane-Burdick" every time you mention her. And use of "ICA" (Inmate Casey Anthony) for Casey vs. "CA" for Cindy Anthony differentiates easily between the two.
Click to expand...

Snipped for space only.

Hi- I think you've got a great point. Not being a texter person myself, I have the same problem as you trying to figure out what people are saying and it can get distracting. I often wonder what this new generation of people are going to do when faced with full words.....:crazy:.

Anyway- not tragic, but certainly it will make it much easier for some of us if the abbreviations are kept to a minimum, especially when the trial gets in full mode. :banghead:
 
I have trouble with abbreviation at times and thought it was just my brain being slow. I agree when a person who isn't talked about for a long time and all of a sudden their initials shows up I'm lost. Last night one of the attorney's for the defense that left a while ago and I didn't know what her initials were. I actually had to google ICA attorneys to figure out who it was.

Some posters who have followed this case from day one have no problems, while others who jumped on recently are going to be lost. I fall in the middle. (laugh)

I'm not sure about guidelines and I think some are already listed in a sticky. I suppose if one types the person's name out my hopes is that the moderators will give the person a pass when doing so.

I'm still confused on KC, and who that pertains to? Is it ICA and some just use KC instead? I'm usually lost when I see that one.
 
I found a more case-specific thread that might be of use:

[ame="http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=68412"]Websleuth's Lingo - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community[/ame]
 
AlwaysShocked said:
There has been plenty of discussion about postings during the upcoming trial. Surely we will all be avidly reading here.

I have seen nothing regarding the use of abbreviations within posts. Certainly we all use abbreviations for the names of the principals involved. Use of "LDB" saves typing "Linda Drane-Burdick" every time you mention her. And use of "ICA" (Inmate Casey Anthony) for Casey vs. "CA" for Cindy Anthony differentiates easily between the two.

Sometimes I have a problem with LA for "Lee Anthony" because my mind wants to go to "Los Angeles". But that's just me, and I can check myself very quickly. In addition, when a set of initials has not been seen in some time and then pops up - such as "RK" - I sometimes find myself thinking "RK...RK...who is that?" But then usually the context of the post will bring "Roy Kronk" to mind.

With all of this said, I have noticed that lately - and I think this is perhaps a carryover from texting - there is a tendency to abbreviate WAY too much within posts. Not to point fingers at any single poster, but just as an example, I recently read a post in which the word "dryer sheet" was used once, and thereafter within the post "ds" was used as a substitute for the word.

Well, to me, "ds" represents "Dorothy Sims" in this case.

Does anyone else get what I am saying here? IMO: If we all just start using our own abbreviations for normal words, we are going to have a hot mess during the reading of posts during this trial. There is already sometimes a problem with people "misreading" posts, especially when a thread is moving fast.

Is anyone else interested in seeing some guidelines established for abbreviations? I know there are the standard posting abbreviations such as LOL - although surely Cheney Mason has had stellar input into that one!

Input on this subject?
Click to expand...

Couldn't agree more.
 
Lera213 said:
I have trouble with abbreviation at times and thought it was just my brain being slow. I agree when a person who isn't talked about for a long time and all of a sudden their initials shows up I'm lost. Last night one of the attorney's for the defense that left a while ago and I didn't know what her initials were. I actually had to google ICA attorneys to figure out who it was.

Some posters who have followed this case from day one have no problems, while others who jumped on recently are going to be lost. I fall in the middle. (laugh)

I'm not sure about guidelines and I think some are already listed in a sticky. I suppose if one types the person's name out my hopes is that the moderators will give the person a pass when doing so.

I'm still confused on KC, and who that pertains to? Is it ICA and some just use KC instead? I'm usually lost when I see that one.
Click to expand...

Lera, KC was Casey Anthony. Now we refer to he as ICA, Inmate Casey Anthony. :)
 
AlwaysShocked said:
There has been plenty of discussion about postings during the upcoming trial. Surely we will all be avidly reading here.

I have seen nothing regarding the use of abbreviations within posts. Certainly we all use abbreviations for the names of the principals involved. Use of "LDB" saves typing "Linda Drane-Burdick" every time you mention her. And use of "ICA" (Inmate Casey Anthony) for Casey vs. "CA" for Cindy Anthony differentiates easily between the two.

Sometimes I have a problem with LA for "Lee Anthony" because my mind wants to go to "Los Angeles". But that's just me, and I can check myself very quickly. In addition, when a set of initials has not been seen in some time and then pops up - such as "RK" - I sometimes find myself thinking "RK...RK...who is that?" But then usually the context of the post will bring "Roy Kronk" to mind.

With all of this said, I have noticed that lately - and I think this is perhaps a carryover from texting - there is a tendency to abbreviate WAY too much within posts. Not to point fingers at any single poster, but just as an example, I recently read a post in which the word "dryer sheet" was used once, and thereafter within the post "ds" was used as a substitute for the word.

Well, to me, "ds" represents "Dorothy Sims" in this case.

Does anyone else get what I am saying here? IMO: If we all just start using our own abbreviations for normal words, we are going to have a hot mess during the reading of posts during this trial. There is already sometimes a problem with people "misreading" posts, especially when a thread is moving fast.

Is anyone else interested in seeing some guidelines established for abbreviations? I know there are the standard posting abbreviations such as LOL - although surely Cheney Mason has had stellar input into that one!

Input on this subject?
Click to expand...

Totally agree. :)
 
I know last week when I was trying to do pbp, I used Dr. Snufalufagus for that Dr. that nobody seems to be able to spell or pronounce his name.

Maybe we could come up with some for the scientific stuff. Like the gas chromagrapher thingy? (Whenever I hear them talk about it, I think of Back to the Future :crazy:)
 
This past year I have gone from a simple SAHM to a Federal Somethingorother.
In DC everyone talks in acronyms.They don't just write them,they use them in place of words as they talk. It's become a bit of a joke that everyone else will take turns interpreting for me during the meetings.
I consider it a form of evolution. Pretty soon we will be speaking in chirps.
 
MissJames said:
This past year I have gone from a simple SAHM to a Federal Somethingorother.
In DC everyone talks in acronyms.They don't just write them,they use them in place of words as they talk. It's become a bit of a joke that everyone else will take turns interpreting for me during the meetings.
I consider it a form of evolution. Pretty soon we will be speaking in chirps.
Click to expand...

Chirps - Love it!

Yes, I think it is the speed at which we are able to communicate that determines the number of abbreviations we use - and threads fly - as we try to keep up to the information feed - I don't know how we will be able to get around it and keep up to posting within the trial without using most of them.

The only real thing I can suggest is a moveable sticky that could be posted in the beginning of each thread opening for each day of the the actual trial thread, so someone could look up abbv.'s (lol) for each person without actually leaving the thread.

Beyond that I can't think of any way to curb it - for example - "you know what I mean" and "KWIM" which one works better? We may not like it but it's progress.
 
Tulessa said:
Lera, KC was Casey Anthony. Now we refer to he as ICA, Inmate Casey Anthony. :)
Click to expand...

I remember when Scott Peterson went from SP to ISP, an acronym more familiar to most as Internet Service Provider.
 
MissJames said:
This past year I have gone from a simple SAHM to a Federal Somethingorother.
In DC everyone talks in acronyms.They don't just write them,they use them in place of words as they talk. It's become a bit of a joke that everyone else will take turns interpreting for me during the meetings.
I consider it a form of evolution. Pretty soon we will be speaking in chirps.
Click to expand...

I too moved from the regular world to the acronymic secret world of the FederalSomthingorothers. I think for the first year I didn't understand anything anybody said in FedSpeak. I'm not much better off 6 years later!!
 
logicalgirl said:
{snip}

The only real thing I can suggest is a moveable sticky that could be posted in the beginning of each thread opening for each day of the the actual trial thread, so someone could look up abbv.'s (lol) for each person without actually leaving the thread.

Beyond that I can't think of any way to curb it - for example - "you know what I mean" and "KWIM" which one works better? We may not like it but it's progress.
Click to expand...

I think that's a great idea (sticky); however, a post restricted to only case-related acronyms would be most helpful. One or more links to other sources such as some posted upthread could be added at the end of the sticky. IOW, mixing-up ICA with ROFL on a same list gets confusing not to mention too lengthy.

~jmo~
 
shana said:
I think that's a great idea (sticky); however, a post restricted to only case-related acronyms would be most helpful. One or more links to other sources such as some posted upthread could be added at the end of the sticky. IOW, mixing-up ICA with ROFL on a same list gets confusing not to mention too lengthy.

~jmo~
Click to expand...

Agree, think the names of the players are the most important ones, plus any upcoming witnesses - those of us who have been around for awhile know who YM is and JA and DC and LDB, JA, MC, JB, ICA, LA, CA, GA, etc., and when someone is flying through a thread, how important is ROFL to the content of the thread anyhow?

It took me ages to understand what BBM stood for, and it didn't matter because I could see what lines in a quote were bolded....So I can see our general sticky for general no rush reference, and a moveable sticky with the players names only on it - plus appropriate media speaks like RH, and BS.

Just IMO of course.
For myself, I don't care because I speed read to I'll figure it out pretty quickly.
 
I'm just praying that the server will serve us well!
 
BBM stands for Blackberry Messages..Why wud u need this an who cares? This one I don't understand.
 
RR0004 said:
I'm just praying that the server will serve us well!
Click to expand...

That's for sure and that we don't have to draw numbers like the courtroom for those of us who can be on site at the same time.....:eek:
 
shotzie said:
BBM stands for Blackberry Messages..Why wud u need this an who cares? This one I don't understand.
Click to expand...

I think it means "bolded(ing) by me" but I could be wrong - as in when you want to emphasize one line of someone's post you are quoting....
 
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