I hate abbreviations: "BBEG"?

[Kansaschaser]

Half the time I can't understand what someone is talking about. People just seem to be too lazy to type out a few extra letters.

I have tried to pull up the common abbreviations post three times and the link isn't working. It keeps locking up my browser. I was reading a post earlier and everyone was refering to a "BBEG".

Is that a "Big Bad Evil Guy"? Because that's all I can think of when I see "BBEG".

[Lateral]

Yes.

Trust me, you get used to it.

[Ytaker]

Special gamer slang makes us feel superior to outsiders and allows us to talk easily about complex issues.

[kamikasei]

People just seem to be too lazy to type out a few extra letters.
That's a fairly ironic criticism to make when the effort to simply run "BBEG" through Google would have saved you from needing to post this at all.

[Kansaschaser]

No, I don't think I will. I've played World of Warcraft for over 5 years now and people still use abbreviations. To this day I still ask everyone to spell it out.

<Furywarrior1> any1 for a DM run?
<Kansaschaser> What is "DM"?
<Furywarrior1> dire maul
<Kansaschaser> Oh.


OR

<Goblinrogue> Hey, lets do heroic DM.
<Kansaschaser> Wait, I thought Furywarrior1 said DM stood for Dire Maul? How can that be heroic?
<Goblinrogue> Haha. Dumb@$$, it's heroic Dead Mines.
<Kansaschaser> Argh! /pulls hair out by the roots


That's a fairly ironic criticism to make when the effort to simply run "BBEG" through Google would have saved you from needing to post this at all.

I did run "BBEG" through a google search. I got a link for common abbreviations and when I clicked on the link, it was blocked. Considering I can't even get to Mapquest (it's blocked here), that's not surprising.

[Eldan]

It's convenient? By the fifteenth time you have written desoxyribonucleic acid in the same paragraph, you'll switch to DNA too.

[Shhalahr Windrider]

No, I don't think I will. I've played World of Warcraft for over 5 years now and people still use abbreviations. To this day I still ask everyone to spell it out.

<Furywarrior1> any1 for a DM run?
<Kansaschaser> What is "DM"?
<Furywarrior1> dire maul
<Kansaschaser> Oh.


OR

<Goblinrogue> Hey, lets do heroic DM.
<Kansaschaser> Wait, I thought Furywarrior1 said DM stood for Dire Maul? How can that be heroic?
<Goblinrogue> Haha. Dumb@$$, it's heroic Dead Mines.
<Kansaschaser> Argh! /pulls hair out by the roots
Uh, I think “laziness” and “lack of consistent use” are two distinct problems there.

[Kansaschaser]

Uh, I think “laziness” and “lack of consistent use” are two distinct problems there.

Then a lot of people seem to have BOTH problems. :smallmad:

[Lateral]

It's convenient? By the fifteenth time you have written desoxyribonucleic acid in the same paragraph, you'll switch to DNA too.

This. Replacing short things with unnecessary abbreviations is stupid. Replacing something like 'big bad evil guy' with 'BBEG' when you have to use the term several times is common sense.

[Sipex]

Abbreviations are a part of life, they're easy to do, especially using a text based medium which may have full on keyboards available to ill-designed phone texting technology and everything in between.

I advise you get used to it and ask for clarification when necessary (ie: your DM = Dire Maul or Dead Mines example) but otherwise you'll need to live with it or you're just going to end up stressing yourself out. People don't usually take to a random guy telling them they're 'doing it wrong'.

[Knaight]

World of Warcraft is a different case entirely. There are far more terms, shared abbreviations, and other matters than in pretty much any role playing game. In any one, terms are relatively few, and shortening them is absolutely key, particularly in anything relating to statblocks or other areas where information density really matters.

[DwarfFighter]

Why is it even "big bad evil guy" and not simply "villain"?

It makes as much sense as HRCIT (hot rescuable chick in trouble) and OWMWB (old wise man with beard), two other staples of heroic fantasy.

-DF

[Ytaker]

Why is it even "big bad evil guy" and not simply "villain"?

It makes as much sense as HRCIT (hot rescuable chick in trouble) and OWMWB (old wise man with beard), two other staples of heroic fantasy.

-DF

Villain refers to all minor enemies.

Big bad evil guy refers to powerful enemies, normally the big boss, not just diplomacy villains. It's originally from buffy the vampire slayer, a show popular among many dnd fans.

[Kansaschaser]

Abbreviations are a part of life, they're easy to do, especially using a text based medium which may have full on keyboards available to ill-designed phone texting technology and everything in between.

I advise you get used to it and ask for clarification when necessary (ie: your DM = Dire Maul or Dead Mines example) but otherwise you'll need to live with it or you're just going to end up stressing yourself out. People don't usually take to a random guy telling them they're 'doing it wrong'.

It's not so bad when people do it in chat because I can aks them to clarify what their abbreviation means. On forums however, it seems silly to make a post just to ask for clarification on an unknown abbreviation.

Am I the only one who can't seem to get to the "Common Abbreviations" post? I wouldn't have even started this thread if I could have pulled up that link.

One more thing that annoys me is when people start using the abbreviations in normal conversations. I have a friend that no longer laughs at jokes. He says, "LOL". That's the thing that REALLY annoys me.:smallfurious:


Why is it even "big bad evil guy" and not simply "villain"?

It makes as much sense as HRCIT (hot rescuable chick in trouble) and OWMWB (old wise man with beard), two other staples of heroic fantasy.

-DF

That's great! I like the "villain" idea.


Villain refers to all minor enemies.

Big bad evil guy refers to powerful enemies, normally the big boss, not just diplomacy villains. It's originally from buffy the vampire slayer, a show popular among many dnd fans.

Normally when I refer to the "big bad evil guy", I call him the boss.

[kamikasei]

I did run "BBEG" through a google search. I got a link for common abbreviations and when I clicked on the link, it was blocked. Considering I can't even get to Mapquest (it's blocked here), that's not surprising.
I apologize, though I wonder what your results looked like - mine are (in order) a dictionary, Wikipedia, and Urban Dictionary, all listing the definition in the sample text under the links so that I don't even have to click through to see.

Otherwise I just have to echo Sipex: abbreviation is a natural part of language and it's unreasonable to expect other people to expand every single one they might use for your benefit, rather than you making the effort to learn and remember the ones you encounter. If (as in your example) people are communicating unclearly and then being jackasses to you for needing clarification, that's because they're jackasses and it's one of the annoyances you have to deal with in some environments - if you extend that to behaving in the wider world as though the people around you are equivalent to the more obnoxious segment of WoW players, it's you who'll be the jackass nine times out of ten.

[Jan Mattys]

Well, honestly the original poster (or OP) has a point.

There's a long tradition of MAD, SAD, T1 T2 T3 classes, BoVD, BoED, ToB, ToS, HoH, ToH, TWF, DMM, and I think I could go on and on forever.

As a non native english speaker, at first I found it EXTREMELY annoying and it actually made it difficult to read even the simplest posts.

Of course you get used to it after a while, but that's more lazyness than coolness, if you ask me.


One more thing that annoys me is when people start using the abbreviations in normal conversations. I have a friend that no longer laughs at jokes. He says, "LOL". That's the thing that REALLY annoys me.:smallfurious:

Quoted for Truth (QFT) :smallbiggrin:
A friend of mine does the same and I always need to suppress the urge to throw books at him.

[Gullintanni]

Am I the only one who can't seem to get to the "Common Abbreviations" post? I wouldn't have even started this thread if I could have pulled up that link.

One more thing that annoys me is when people start using the abbreviations in normal conversations. I have a friend that no longer laughs at jokes. He says, "LOL". That's the thing that REALLY annoys me.:smallfurious:


To answer your first concern, the Common Abbreviations link.
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18512

And to answer your second point, yes. Words when speaking.

[Kansaschaser]

I apologize, though I wonder what your results looked like - mine are (in order) a dictionary, Wikipedia, and Urban Dictionary, all listing the definition in the sample text under the links so that I don't even have to click through to see.

Otherwise I just have to echo Sipex: abbreviation is a natural part of language and it's unreasonable to expect other people to expand every single one they might use for your benefit, rather than you making the effort to learn and remember the ones you encounter. If (as in your example) people are communicating unclearly and then being jackasses to you for needing clarification, that's because they're jackasses and it's one of the annoyances you have to deal with in some environments - if you extend that to behaving in the wider world as though the people around you are equivalent to the more obnoxious segment of WoW players, it's you who'll be the jackass nine times out of ten.


Oh, Wikipedia! Thanks, I'll check there now. I know it's not blocked. Maybe I can get a print out of abbreviations for gamers.

[Kurald Galain]

DM also means such things as

Doctor of Music
Dextromethorphan
Display Manager
Deutsche Mark
The island of Dominica

[Sipex]

It's not so bad when people do it in chat because I can aks them to clarify what their abbreviation means. On forums however, it seems silly to make a post just to ask for clarification on an unknown abbreviation.

Am I the only one who can't seem to get to the "Common Abbreviations" post? I wouldn't have even started this thread if I could have pulled up that link.

One more thing that annoys me is when people start using the abbreviations in normal conversations. I have a friend that no longer laughs at jokes. He says, "LOL". That's the thing that REALLY annoys me.:smallfurious:

To be fair, I do the same thing, it's a culture thing and I can't really explain it (I don't even know how I picked it up). Getting pissed off about it will, at best, end up stressing you out or, at worst, make you look like a jerk (if you speak up).

Trust me on this, I used to be a huge grammar/spelling/english nazi and it did absolutely NOTHING for me or the people around me. It just made me out to be "that uptight guy who freaks out at stupid things" which was not a fun position to be in.

Starting something new and not getting abbrieviations sucks but more often than not you can pick it up as you go on and people are usually nice enough to explain it for you.

[Shhalahr Windrider]

Then a lot of people seem to have BOTH problems. :smallmad:
Hey, now. Lack of consistency is a problem with large populations, not individual people. If I’m in a group that’s been using a particular nonstandard abbreviation to mean one thing, my group is not likely to use it to mean another. Otherwise, we will be confusing ourselves as well as the newbies.

At the same time, isn’t it unreasonable for us to be aware of what that abbreviation means when used by every other group?

Of course, I am talking about nonstandard abbreviations. Ones like BBEG*, MAD*, and SAD*. Certain abbreviations may be standardized by their use in rules material. Things like Str, Dex, NE, and LG. In these cases, if you are playing the game, it should be expected that you consistently use the accepted meaning of the abbreviation.

[hr]* Note, however, that these particular abbreviations, while not part of D&D or other game rules, have reached a certain de facto standardization through common use on this and other message boards. They are, in fact, used with a high level of consistency, and rarely mean anything other than “Big, Bad, Evil Guy,” “Multiple Attribute Dependency,” and “Single Attribute Dependency,” respectively. I only use those as examples, because I am currently hard pressed to come up with a good truly inconsistent example.

[Kansaschaser]

To answer your first concern, the Common Abbreviations link.
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18512

And to answer your second point, yes. Words when speaking.

Nope, the link still isn't working. Just keeps locking up my browser.

[Gullintanni]

Nope, the link still isn't working. Just keeps locking up my browser.

That's strange. Send me a PM and I'll see if I can create a word document for you...I wonder if I can send attachments with this thing. Doesn't look like it. Either way, I can send you the list in a PM.

[Jan Mattys]

Also, I find it easier to write On the Origin of PCs than to write OtOoPCs without typos.

Just sayin' :smallsmile:

Sadly, this site is giantitp.com, so you can say that it was Rich that started it all... :smallbiggrin:

[Shhalahr Windrider]

Nope, the link still isn't working. Just keeps locking up my browser.
Sounds like something for Board/Site Issues. :smallfrown:

[AsteriskAmp]

The use of abbreviations serve both a pragmatical and psychological need.

The pragmatic behind is that in fact, you really save days of your life if you type abbreviations because each second and each post create a great amount of "saved time" when you do so constantly, regularly and in different places.

Psychologically it makes one feel it is included in the collectiveness of those who use the abbreviations and makes it feel different from those who don't, ergo making you think you are special, kinda like learning Elvish or Esperanto.

The usage of internet speak on human to human conversation is not so much an annoyance as a call for help and psychiatric intervention.

[Shhalahr Windrider]

To be fair, I do the same thing, it's a culture thing and I can't really explain it (I don't even know how I picked it up). Getting pissed off about it will, at best, end up stressing you out or, at worst, make you look like a jerk (if you speak up).
Yeah, it’s just part of language evolution. Few conventions will restrict themselves to a single medium.

[Kansaschaser]

The use of abbreviations serve both a pragmatical and psychological need.

The pragmatic behind is that in fact, you really save days of your life if you type abbreviations because each second and each post create a great amount of "saved time" when you do so constantly, regularly and in different places.

Psychologically it makes one feel it is included in the collectiveness of those who use the abbreviations and makes it feel different from those who don't, ergo making you think you are special, kinda like learning Elvish or Esperanto.

The usage of internet speak on human to human conversation is not so much an annoyance as a call for help and psychiatric intervention.

You're probably right. And I can't say that I never use abbreviations. Here are the abbreviations that I have used in the past and will probably continue to use in the future.

- LOL
- afk

There, I think that about covers my extensive use of abbreviations that I've used over the past 14 years. I hope to double this number in the comming 14 years. :smallwink:

[AsteriskAmp]

You're probably right. And I can't say that I never use abbreviations. Here are the abbreviations that I have used in the past and will probably continue to use in the future.

- LOL
- afk

There, I think that about covers my extensive use of abbreviations that I've used over the past 14 years. I hope to double this number in the comming 14 years. :smallwink:

http://netforbeginners.about.com/od/internetglossary/a/glossary-of-internet-jargon-and-abbreviations.htm

A quick guide to internet Jargon, visits to Tvtropes may also prove productive.

[JBento]

Technically, I think you mean acronyms (but I might be wrong - grammar rules and names were never in the field of "stuff I'm interested in"). :smallsmile:

I can find other abbreviation on your post, though:

- You're
- can't
- I've

:smallwink:

I'm sure that lol, afk, brb, and others will soon become as easily identifiable as the ones I've pointed out, due to the evolving language. As internet and online chatting (and texting, and any other medium where people have conversations via writing) become more prevalent, it's only normal.

EDIT: Funny, I thought I just read "tvtropes" and "productive" in the same, affirmative sentence... time to pay the ophtalmologist another visit, I guess :smalleek:

[Gullintanni]

Visits to Tvtropes may also prove productive.

It's a TRAP!

Symptoms of visits to TVTropes include malnutrition, difficulty sleeping, reduced employability and anti-social behavior.

Proceed at your own peril!

[AsteriskAmp]

Thou forgotest one of the most essential transitions of english.
Going from the insanity of thou/thy to you/your.

It's language evolving through new mediums.



It's a TRAP!

Symptoms of visits to TVTropes include malnutrition, difficulty sleeping, reduced employability and anti-social behavior.

Proceed at your own peril!

Lies I say!, it enhances it. (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/SugarWiki/TVTropesWillEnhanceYourLife)

[Enguhl]

- LOL
- afk

There, I think that about covers my extensive use of abbreviations that I've used over the past 14 years. I hope to double this number in the comming 14 years. :smallwink:

Never written Mr. Ms. or Mrs. ? JBento had it Right though.

[Gullintanni]

Lies I say!, it enhances it. (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/SugarWiki/TVTropesWillEnhanceYourLife)

TVTropes.org regularly subverts this trope via use of negative energy attacks resulting in decreased spell capacity, poor ability to make saving throws, penalties to hit and skill checks and temporary hit point loss. Any negative levels gained via visits to TVTropes result in permanent level loss after 24 hours of exposure. These lost levels can not be regained. Ever. :smalltongue:

[Sipex]

You're probably right. And I can't say that I never use abbreviations. Here are the abbreviations that I have used in the past and will probably continue to use in the future.

- LOL
- afk

There, I think that about covers my extensive use of abbreviations that I've used over the past 14 years. I hope to double this number in the comming 14 years. :smallwink:

As bad as this sounds you may have identified a bit of your problem right here. You're 14 (or I assume so based on the post you made).

"You judgmental jerk!" you might say. Well, hear me out.

You're 14, going through a lot of changes and from the sounds of it you're probably maturing faster than your classmates in some ways, if you're anything like the average geek this is probably via intelligence.

So now you're noticing a large divide between how you think and how some of your other classmates think and you hate it. It's hard to hold intelligent conversations with them because they're either not interested in the same things you are or they don't seem to understand you. One of the easiest divides in communication for you to spot are these abbrieviations but I bet if you talked to your classmates a lot of them might say you use a lot of unnessecary big words.

The best advice I can offer is try to understand. "Why should I have to understand them?" you may say. Because telling them to understand you won't work. You have to let them get there on their own.

Just relax about it, the next time it bugs you say to yourself "It's just an abbrieviation, it's not a big deal." and eventually you'll come to believe it.

It took me until adulthood to realise this and it has made my life infinitely better.

edit: I will also point out that online rants like these help immensely during the process which you have probably already realised.

[The Glyphstone]

TVTropes.org regularly subverts this trope via use of negative energy attacks resulting in decreased spell capacity, poor ability to make saving throws, penalties to hit and skill checks and temporary hit point loss. Any negative levels gained via visits to TVTropes result in permanent level loss after 24 hours of exposure. These lost levels can not be regained. Ever.

If you find yourself browing TvTropes for more than four hours, consult a doctor immediately, as this may be a sign of rare yet serious side effects.

[AsteriskAmp]

TVTropes.org regularly subverts this trope via use of negative energy attacks resulting in decreased spell capacity, poor ability to make saving throws, penalties to hit and skill checks and temporary hit point loss. Any negative levels gained via visits to TVTropes result in permanent level loss after 24 hours of exposure. These lost levels can not be regained. Ever. :smalltongue:

YMMV on that though.

Also, abbreviations spread through cross-pollination of fora populations.



If you find yourself browing TvTropes for more than four hours, consult a doctor immediately, as this may be a sign of rare yet serious side effects.

Also, make sure this Doctor has an M.D. and not a Phd an that he isn't MAD (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MorallyAmbiguousDoctorate)

[Kansaschaser]

Technically, I think you mean acronyms (but I might be wrong - grammar rules and names were never in the field of "stuff I'm interested in"). :smallsmile:

I can find other abbreviation on your post, though:

- You're
- can't
- I've

:smallwink:

I'm sure that lol, afk, brb, and others will soon become as easily identifiable as the ones I've pointed out, due to the evolving language. As internet and online chatting (and texting, and any other medium where people have conversations via writing) become more prevalent, it's only normal.

EDIT: Funny, I thought I just read "tvtropes" and "productive" in the same, affirmative sentence... time to pay the ophtalmologist another visit, I guess :smalleek:

You're, can't, and I've are contractions. The only person I know that can't use them is Data from Star Trek: The Next Generation.

[Kansaschaser]

Never written Mr. Ms. or Mrs. ? JBento had it Right though.

Mr, Mrs, Jr, and Sr are considered Titles and Suffixes. I work in Vital Statistics so, we have specific lists of Titles and Suffixes.

I also know the abbreviation for all the states in the United States.

[Tvtyrant]

Actually Mr. used to be used as MR and was invented as a short hand in telegraphs for "melancholy redneck," a term applied to people who couldn't use telegraphs by the people who could.

The more you know!

[Shhalahr Windrider]

You're, can't, and I've are contractions.
How strict are we being here?

“In strict analysis, contractions should not be confused with abbreviations or acronyms (including initialisms), with which they share some semantic and phonetic functions, though all three are connoted by the term "abbreviation" in loose parlance. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contraction_(grammar))”


Mr, Mrs, Jr, and Sr are considered Titles and Suffixes. I work in Vital Statistics so, we have specific lists of Titles and Suffixes.
“Mister” is a title. “Mr.” is an abbreviated written form of that title.

“Junior” is a suffix. “Jr.” is an abbreviated written form of that suffix.

One could write out “Mister John Smith, Junior” just as well as “Mr. John Smith, Jr.” The shorter one, of course, is an abbreviation.


I also know the abbreviation for all the states in the United States.
Postal, general, or both?

[Psyren]

That's a fairly ironic criticism to make when the effort to simply run "BBEG" through Google would have saved you from needing to post this at all.

Thread won.

It strains the limit of my credulity that every single search result for such a common term could be blocked. As lazy as it may seem to use an abbreviation in place of a common term, it's just as lazy to give up on a search simply because one result is blocked.

[thompur]

That's strange. Send me a PM and I'll see if I can create a word document for you...I wonder if I can send attachments with this thing. Doesn't look like it. Either way, I can send you the list in a PM.

You want him to send you a Prime Minister? Did you have a specific one in mind? :smallwink:

[Jay R]

You're probably right. And I can't say that I never use abbreviations. Here are the abbreviations that I have used in the past and will probably continue to use in the future.

- LOL
- afk

There, I think that about covers my extensive use of abbreviations that I've used over the past 14 years. I hope to double this number in the comming 14 years. :smallwink:

Well, just about everybody else does use abbreviations, so you will need to get over being upset when it happens.

The crucial thing is this -- words are used for efficient communication. The desire for efficiency is why we use DM for dungeon master, apps for applications, Mr. for mister, 14 for fourteen, Ph.D. for Doctor of Philosophy, etc. for et cetera, etc.

But the main goal is still communication, which means that the abbreviation should be understood by the target audience. But who is the target audience? Almost any isolated group develops its own terms, understandable by that set of people alone. This is common in all circles -- cowboys, football fans, scientists, and gamers all develop jargon for their own use.

Newer members of any group are apt to feel awkward or annoyed when they don't know the jargon. Unfortunately, jargon is a necessary part of any group that talks about things most people don't. That's why there are new words to learn in any school class.

Similarly, when somebody plays his first game of D&D, one of the things he has to learn is all the terminology: PC, DM, NPC, NWP, "take 10", "take 20", DEX, WIS, xps, etc. A lot of this changes by edition, so even a long-term player must learn new abbreviations when starting a later edition.

Which brings us back to this forum. Many people here have been in D&D discussions before, and use the abbreviations common there. So part of getting involved is learning the additional language. It's not hard, but you need to make the jump from being annoyed by this universal aspect of human interaction, to considering it an interesting and vital part of the growth that comes with joining any new group, social set, school, job, or any other new experiences in your life.

[Gullintanni]

Thread won.

It strains the limit of my credulity that every single search result for such a common term could be blocked. As lazy as it may seem to use an abbreviation in place of a common term, it's just as lazy to give up on a search simply because one result is blocked.

To be fair, the OP was just claiming that the "Common Abbreviations" thread is blocked, and complaining that looking for info is frustrating when you're looking for upwards of 20 different abbreviations in a single thread...some being much more obscure than BBEG.

The OP actually did know what BBEG meant when the thread was posted, it was just something of an iconic example chosen to illustrate the point.

I imagine, owing to the fact that the OP now HAS the Common Abbreviations listing, reading threads will be a much less time consuming experience.


You want him to send you a Prime Minister? Did you have a specific one in mind? :smallwink:

I figure one of the really abrasive ones. Trudeau for example. Interesting guy, but apparently really caustic in person.

[AtomicKitKat]

A quick guide to internet Jargon, visits to Tvtropes may also prove productive.

Sad to say, 9 times out of 10, the opposite holds true.

[hangedman1984]

would people please stop linking to tvtropes, i got stuff i have to do today

[The Glyphstone]

would people please stop linking to tvtropes, i got stuff i have to do today

Why, are you afraid that TvTropes will ruin your life? (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TVTropesWillRuinYourLife)

[Sipex]

My place of work had the foresight to block TVtropes so I am eternally thankful.

[Gullintanni]

Why, are you afraid that TvTropes will ruin your life? (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TVTropesWillRuinYourLife)

I'm not sure the rules are clear on this...but do subtle attempts to destroy people's lives via malicious trope linking constitute a breach?

If not, then I will simply say... For shame sir, for shame. :smalltongue:

[Starbuck_II]

Graduate school is worse: to enter they require you to take Abbreviations:
Whether the GRE, or the LStat, etc.

You have to google those to figure out what they mean.

[The Glyphstone]

I'm not sure the rules are clear on this...but do subtle attempts to destroy people's lives via malicious trope linking constitute a breach?

If not, then I will simply say... For shame sir, for shame. :smalltongue:

Just remember - power corrupts, and absolute power IS SWEET.:smallcool:

[drakir_nosslin]

Spoilered for length, but here's the first two posta in the 'Common Abbreviations' thread. Problem solved.


This thread includes a number of abbreviations, acronyms, and terms commonly or uncommonly used on these boards that may not be common knowledge. This list is by no means exhaustive; if you see an error or have something that should be added, feel free to bring it up. Please note that this thread assumes a working knowledge of tabletop gaming, particularly RPGs, and is not useful as a primer for those completely new to the hobby.

I made this thread because sometimes posts end up looking like alphabet soup, and decoding all the esoteric jargon we use can be intimidating for newcomers. I hope this helps clear up some confusion.

Recent updates and changes in blue.

Abbreviations and Acronyms

D&D Books:
1 A 3.0 book.
2 Significant portions may be found in the SRD.

Core
- PhB2: Players Hand Book
- DMG2: Dungeon Master's Guide
- MM or MM12: Monster Manual
- PsiHB1: Psionics Handbook
- XPH2: Expanded Psionics Handbook

Expansions to the Core
- A&E, AEG, AEq, A&Eq, or A&EG1: Arms and Equipment Guide
- BoC1: Book of Challenges
- BoED: Book of Exalted Deeds
- BoVD1: Book of Vile Darkness
- DD, DDG, or D&DG1: Deities and Demigods
- DMGII or DMG2: Dungeon Master’s Guide II
- DrM or DraMa: Dragon Magic
- E&A1: Enemies and Allies
- ELH1: Epic Level Handbook
- FF: Fiend Folio
- HBG1: Hero Builders Guidebook
- LGG1: Living Greyhawk Gazetteer
- MH: Minatures Handbook
- MM2 or MMII1: Monster Manual II
- MM3 or MMIII: Monster Manual III
- MM4 or MMIV: Monster Manual IV
- MM5 or MMV: Monster Manual V
- MoI: Magic of Incarnum
- MotP1: Manual of the Planes
- OA1: Oriental Adventures
- PHBII or PHB2: Player's Handbook II
- PlH: Planar Handbook
- SBG or SHBG1: Stronghold Builders Guidebook
- SavS or SS1: Savage Species. The latter can be confused with Song &amp; Silence (below).
- ToB or Bo9S: Tome of Battle: The Book of Nine Swords
- ToM: Tome of Magic: Pact, Shadow, and Truename Magic
- UA2: Unearthed Arcana
- WoL: Weapons of Legacy

Class Books
- CAd or CV: Complete Adventurer
- CAr or CA: Complete Arcane
- CC or CCham: Complete Champion
- CD: Complete Divine
- CM: Complete Mage
- CP or CPsi: Complete Psionics
- CS or CScn: Complete Scoundrel
- CW: Complete Warrior
- DotF1: Defenders of the Faith
- MotW1: Masters of the Wild
- S&F1: Sword and Fist
- S&S or SS1: Song and Silence
- T&B1: Tome and Blood

Race Books
- RoD: Races of Destiny
- RotD: Races of the Dragon
- RoS: Races of Stone
- RotW: Races of the Wild

Heroes Books
- HoB: Heroes of Battle
- HoH: Heroes of Horror

Monster Books
- DotU: Drow of the Underdark
- LM or LiMo: Libris Mortis
- LoM or LoMad: Lords of Madness
- FC1: Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss
- FC2: Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells

Compendium Books
- MiC: Magic Item Compendium
- RC or RuC: Rules Compendium
- SC or SpC: Spell Compendium

Eberron Books
- 5N: Five Nations
- CoS or CoSR: City of Stormreach
- DoE: Dragons of Eberron (ECS)
- ECS: Eberron Campaign Setting
- EHB: Explorer’s Handbook
- FoE: Faiths of Eberron
- FoW or tFoW: The Forge of War
- MoE: Magic of Eberron
- PGtE or PGE: Player's Guide to Eberron
- RoE: Races of Eberron
- SCT, S:CT, or S:CoT: Sharn: City of Towers
- SoS: Secrets of Sarlona (ECS)
- SoX: Secrets of Xen'drik

FR (Forgotten Realms) Books
- A:tEoS: Anauroch: The Empire of Sand
- CoR: Champions of Ruin
- CoV: Champions of Valor (FR)
- CotSQ1: City of the Spider Queen
- DoF or DoFR1: Dragons of Faerûn
- F&P1: Faiths and Pantheons
- FRCS1: Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting
- LEF or LEoF: Lost Empires of Faerûn
- LoD1: Lords of Darkness
- MaF or MaFR1: Magic of Faerûn
- MoF or MoFR1: Monsters of Faerûn
- MoM or MotM: Mysteries of the Moon Sea
- PGtF or PGFR: Player's Guide to Faerûn
- PoF: Power of Faerûn
- RoF or RaFR1: Races of Faerûn
- SK: Serpent Kingdoms
- SM1: Silver Marches
- UE1: Unapproachable East
- UND: Underdark

DL (DragonLance) Books
- AoM: Age of Mortals
- BoK: Bestiary of Krynn
- DLCS: DragonLance Campaign Setting
- THoS or THS: Towers of High Sorcery
- WotL: War of the Lance

Adventures
- RttToEE or RToEE1: Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil. A very large adventure for 3.0 that is a sequel to a famous AD&D adventure.

D&D Books not yet published:
4E

D&D Versions:
- 1e: Usually the first edition of AD&D
- 2e: The second edition of AD&D.
- 2.5e: Term sometimes used to indicate AD&D games that used the later rules supplements (“Skills and Powers,” “Combat and Tactics,” “Spells and Magic,” etc.).
- 3.0 or 3e: Third edition or original d20 D&D.
- 3.5: The revised version of 3e or original d20 D&D.
- 3.x: Refers to 3rd edition and 3.5/original d20 D&D collectively.
- 4E: Fourth edition D&D, system apparently based of the original d20 system from 3.x but subtantially updated. Core books to be released June 2008.
- AD&D: Advanced Dungeons and Dragons; official name for editions that preceded 3rd edition but after the original D&D. The "A" was dropped for 3rd because it seemed superfluous and was thought to potentially confuse or intimidate new players (as in, if there's an Advanced version, where do I find the basic version?)
- D&D: Dungeons and Dragons. Can refer to all versions of the RPG inclusive, or to the d20 version specifically. Each version has its proponents and detractors; arguments over the “superiority” of one version over the others is a hot button issue.
- OD&D: Original (or "Old") Dungeons and Dragons. First version of the game. Properly called Dungeons and Dragons, but OD&D keeps it from being confused with 3.0/3.5.

D&D Terms:
- AC: Armor Class
- AMF: Anti-Magic Field
- AoE: Area of Effect*; can refer to the area affected by a spell, or as a generic designator for spells (especially damaging spells) that affect an area rather than a single target (ie. fireball's AoE is a 20ft radius; fireball is an AoE spell)
- AoO: Attack of Opportunity
- atk: Attack
- BAB: Base Attack Bonus
- BBEG: Big Bad Evil Guy. The main (or at least a very major) villain in a campaign. Xykon from the OotS comic would be an example of a BBEG.
- Bbn: Barbarian
- Bg or bg: Background, particularly a write-up of one for a character.
- Brd: Bard
- CdG: Coup de Grace
- CE: Chaotic Evil
- CG: Chaotic Good
- Cha: Charisma
- Clr: Cleric. Also sometimes seen as Cle.
- CLW: Cure Light Wounds. A basic healing spell.
- CMW: Cure Moderate Wounds. A basic healing spell.
- CN: Chaotic Neutral
- Con: Constitution
- cp: Copper pieces (Saying “Just my 2cp” is analogous to saying “Just my two cents.”)
- CR: Challenge Rating
- CSW: Cure Serious Wounds. A strong healing spell.
- DC: Difficulty Class
- Dex: Dexterity
- DM: Dungeon Master
- dmg: Damage. Usually the amount an attack or spell deals, or the amount taken by a creature.
- DoT: Damage over Time*; refers to effects that do damage over several rounds, or as a generic designator for a spell that deals damage over several round (eg. Melf's acid arrow is a DoT spell)
- DR: Damage Reduction
- Drd: Druid
- DvR: Divine Rank
- ECL: Effective Character Level
- EL: Encounter Level
- Fort: Fortitude Save
- Ftr: Fighter
- GP: Gold pieces
- HP: Hit Points
- Int: Intelligence
- IOTSOV: Initiate of the Seven Veils. A PrC from CAr. An abjuration specialist that can set up different warding "veils" keyed to seven colors of the rainbow.
- LA: Level Adjustment
- LE: Lawful Evil
- LG: Lawful Good
- LN: Lawful Neutral
- MAD: Multiple Attribute/Ability Dependency. In 3.0, refers to psionic casting, in which the ability score connected to manifesting a power changed depending on the discipline of the power. For example, metacreative powers were based off of Int, while telepathic powers were based off of Cha. In 3.5, refers to a group of caster classes that base different casting modifiers off different attributes. For example, the spirit shaman bases bonus spells per day off of Wis but spell DC off of Cha. Also occasionally used in reference to classes that are felt to require several above average ability scores to be effective, such as the monk.
- Mnk: Monk
- N, NN, or TN: Neutral, or True Neutral. Neutral on both alignment axes.
- NE: Neutral Evil
- NG: Neutral Good
- Pal: Paladin
- PaO: Polymorph Any Object. A sor/wiz spell that can turn one thing into another; considered to be very powerful and/or broken.
- PBS: Point Blank Shot
- pp: Platinum pieces
- PP: Power points
- PrC: Prestige Class
- Psi: Psion
- PvE: Player versus Environment.* Refers to when the players combat NPC opponents primarily. Compare PvP.
- PvP: Player versus Player.* Refers to when the players combat other players. Compare PvE.
- PW: Psychic Warrior
- RAW: Rules as Written
- Ref: Reflex Save
- Rgr: Ranger
- Rog: Rogue
- SK: Soulknife
- Sor: Sorcerer
- SP: Silver pieces
- SR: Spell Resistance
- Stats: The statistical representation of a character, or more specifically a set of ability scores.
- Str: Strength
- THAC0: To Hit AC Zero. A pre-3/3.5 term that refers to how the probability of a creature hitting its target with an attack was figured. In this case, each class granted a base To Hit number, modified by Str or Dex depending on the attack type, magic, and other factors. Then it has the AC of the target subtracted from it to determine the actual To Hit number for a specific AC. The attacker has to roll higher than the final number. AC 0 does not modify the final To Hit number, so it is easy to use this number to figure other To Hit numbers from THAC0. THAC0 is roughly analagous to BAB.
- TPK: Total Party Kill
- TWF: Two-Weapon Fighting
- UMD: Use Magic Device
- WBL: Wealth by level (guidelines). Refers to a chart in the DMG listing the approximate value of gear and treasure a character is assumed/expected to have by a certain character level.
- Will: Will, or Willpower, Save
- Wis: Wisdom
- Wiz: Wizard
- Wld: Wilder
- XP: Experience Points

*These terms are most often associated with and used regarding MMORPGs, but have begun to cross over into tabletop terminology.

Dice:
- d[X]: A die of [X] sides; for example, a 20 sided die is d20. A standard set of polyhedral dice contains a d4, one to three d6s, a d8, two d10s (one usually a different color or numbered 00-90 for use as a d%), a d12, and a d20. Typical non-standard types include the d16, d24, and d32. Unusual variants such as the d5 and d7 also known to exist. With the advent of dice rolling software, [X] can potentially be any whole number. Commonly encountered but unusual dice types listed below.
- d2: Two sided die, usually "rolled" by either flipping a coin or using a d4 and counting a 3 as a 1 and a 4 as a 2.
- d3: Three sided die, rolled similarly to a d2, but in this case with a d6 (4 becomes 1, 5 becomes 2, 6 becomes 3). Some examples of "true" d3s do exist.
- d% or d100: One hundred sided die. Some actual d100s exist, but usually rolled using two d10s of different colors (one as the 10s the other as the 1s). By convention, double 0 is 100. d% sometimes also refers to a d10 numbered by 10s (00-90) specifically for rolling these checks. A triple zero result with this die is 100.

Other Gaming Related:
- CCG: Collectible Card Game
- CoC: Call of Cthulhu, refers to any version of the game.
- CoCd20: Call of Cthulhu d20
- d20M: d20 Modern. d20F refers to the d20 Future supplement, and games utilizing it.
- FASA: Fredonian Aeronautics and Space Administration. The company that originally published BattleTech and Shadowrun, among other RPG, miniature, and board games. The name is a joke referencing a made up country featured in Marx Brothers’ skits. Most of their best known licenses have been acquired by WizKids, who has licensed Catalyst Games (previously they were with FanPro) to publish a few of them, specifically Shadowrun and Classic BattleTech.
- FLGS: Friendly Local Gaming Store
- FRPG: Fantasy Role-Playing Game. Perhaps the most common genre of RPG.
- GM: Game Master
- GSL: Game Systems License. The successor to OGL for 4th Edition D&D. Full details not yet released.
- IK: Iron Kingdoms. A d20 FRPG (the ruleset is a highly variant version of D&D 3.5) published by Privateer Press and set in the same world as that company's Warmachine miniatures game.
- L5R: Legend of the Five Rings. Often used to refer to the series of games and novels set in the oriental fantasy world of Rokugan, but can also mean a specific game, depending on context.
- L5RCCG: Refers to the card game that originated the L5R series
- L5Rd10: The original L5R RPG.
- L5Rd20: The newer version of the L5R RPG, originally found in OA. Greatly disliked by those who prefer the d10 version; the feeling of L5Rd20 players is generally mutual. A hot button issue.
- LGS: Local Gaming Store; same as FLGS, except most commonly used to indicate stores that aren't as friendly or well liked (ie, "I buy from Amazon instead of my LGS because they charge more and often don't have what I'm looking for. Plus, the owner is a jerk.")
- Mini: Plural minis; a miniature figurine representing a character or unit, or a game that specifically focuses on combat using minis (as opposed to a RPG that uses minis in combat, but does not focus on them primarily). Also a synonym for miniatures wargaming.
- M:tG: Magic: The Gathering
- nWoD: New World of Darkness. A major revision of WW's main line of horror RPGs. Includes Vampire: the Requiem, Werewolf: the Forsaken, and Mage: the Awakening.
- OGC: Open Gaming Content. Material published under the OGL.
- OGL: Open Gaming License. An "open source" concept for d20 rules that allows them to be used and published by third party sources. Not all d20 material is OGL; generally, only hard stats are OGL, and occasionally not even that for certain products.
- oWoD: Old (or Original) World of Darkness. Original version of WW's signature line of RPGs. The main products included Vampire: the Masquerade, Werewolf: the Apocalypse, Hunter: the Reckoning, Mage: the Ascension, and Changeling: the Dreaming.
- RPG: Roleplaying Game
- RPGA: Roleplaying Games Association. Nationwide group run by WotC to organize and run ongoing shared campaign worlds, especially at conventions.
- SR: ShadowRun. A cyberpunk/fantasy RPG originally created by FASA, now owned by WizKids and published by FanPro Catalyst Games.
- SR3: ShadowRun 3rd Edition, the last edition published by FASA. Recently replaced as the most current by SR4.
- SR4: Refers to ShadowRun 4th Edition, the recently released current version of the game.
- SRD: System Reference Document. The SRD refers to the 3.x D&D SRD; other SRDs prefixed by the name of the game (ie. d20M SRD, aka MSRD).
- SWd20: Star Wars d20 from WotC.
- SWd6 or WEGSW: The original SWRPG version published by WEG. As with L5R, players of one version of the SWRPG usually dislike the other version to some degree. Also a hot button issue.
- SWRPG: Star Wars Roleplaying Game, refers to any version.
- SWS or SWSaga: Star Wars Saga edition. Uses 4E type ruleset.
- TCG: Trading Card Game; generally understood as a synonym for CCG
- TSR: Tactical Studies Rules. Original publishers of D&D, purchased by and absorbed into WotC.
- V:tM: Vampire: the Masquerade
- V:DA: Vampire: Dark Ages
- V:tR: Vampire: the Requiem
- W:tA: Werewolf: the Apocalypse. Usually seen simply as Werewolf.
- W:tF: Werewolf: the Forsaken; considered amusing due to closeness to a profane Internet abbreviation
- WEG: West End Games. Published the version of Star Wars RPG that preceded SWd20.
- WH or WHF: Warhammer Fantasy, a popular game setting created by Games Workshop. Known for being especially dark and gothic in style. Primarily known for the Warhammer Fantasy Battles (WHFB) miniatures game; when one refers to WHF, it is often assumed to be a reference to the miniatures game. There is also an RPG, Warhammer Fantasy Roleplaying Game (WHFRP or WHFRPG), associated with the setting.
- WH40k: Warhammer 40,000, a science-fantasy miniatures game published by Game Workshop sharing many themes and some backstory with WHF. Also noted for its dark, gritty, and gothic themes. Associated with the popular Dawn of War (DoW) real-time strategy computer game series.
- WoD: World of Darkness. The shared universe of most WW games. Sometimes referred to pejoratively as Monster: the Angst or Monster: the Something, playing off the names of the games in this line. Uses the Storyteller rules (a d10 based system).
- WotC: Wizards of Wizards of the Coast, publishers of D&D and other d20 games, plus a little card game called Magic: the Gathering, among other things.
- WW: White Wolf, publishers of the World of Darkness or Storyteller games and Exalted.

Giant in the Playground Forum & General Internet:
(Note: Most internet abbreviations can appear without capitalization, or with alternate capitalization, and mean the same thing.)
- 5FS: Five Foot Steps. Rich’s other comic, appeared in the RPGA newsletter.
- AFK*: Away from keyboard. Can be used like BRB, or when one expects to be gone longer
- ATM: At the Moment
- B*: Back. Used after BRB. Rarely used, especially on a message board, also seen as BAK (Back At Keyboard) occasionally, especially after AFK.
- BBIAB*: Be back in a bit. Used like BRB, but when you expect to be gone longer.
- BBL*: Be back later. Used like BRB, but when you expect to be gone longer. Can be used in place of BBIAB, or for an even longer period of absence.
- BG: Blue Guy or Blue Gal, a character who followed the OotS around in order to execute them for supposed crimes. Later comics revealed her name to be Miko, rendering this term defunct.
- BRB*: Be right back. Rarely used on a message board.
- BTW:By the way
- EOM*: End of message. Usually used to indicate the end of a message that exceeded the maximum characters allowed by a chat or instant message program for a single send.
- FB: Friendly Banter
- FTW! or FTW: For the win! It basically is used to say &quot;that one is the best!&quot; Probably derives from the game show “Hollywood Squares,” which is essentially a game of tic-tac-toe. A celebrity in a booth (there’s a stack of them set up like a tic-tac-toe board) states a “fact,” which the player agrees or disagrees with, depending on if they think the fact was true or not. If the player guesses correctly, they get the square. If the player was about to get a win (three in a row/column/diagonal), they would say "<celebrity's name> for the win!"
- FTL: 1. Faster Than Light. Refers to anything - but usually modes of travel, communication, or detection - that operates at greater than light speed, either in actual fact or from the reference point of a theoretical observer. Commonly used in science fiction/fantasy. 2. For the lose. The opposite of FTW.
- FUBAR: Fracked Up Beyond All (or Any) Recognition. Originates with military usage. When things have gotten completely out of control. Can be used as a verb or adverb. Compare SNAFU.
- FWIW: For what it’s worth
- FYI: For your information. Usually not used in the sarcastic or defensive manner the full phrase is, but to alert the person its directed at to a piece of important information they might otherwise be unaware of.
- GitP: Giant in the Playground. Also sometimes refers to Rich Burlew, the Giant himself.
- GK: Gorbash Kazdar, a moderator on the forum.
- GW: Grey Watcher, a moderator on the forum.
- IC: In Character. Anything said in a PbP in the manner your character would say it. Also the Play board.
- IIRC: If I Recall Correctly
- IMHO: In My Humble Opinion. Occasionally IM(NS)HO (In My (Not So) Humble Opinion), or IMO (In My Opinion).
- IRC: Internet Relay Chat. A venerable real-time chat protocol that is non-proprietary and can be accessed by a number of client programs.
- L: Laugh. Displays mirth at something mildly amusing. Rare.
- LG: Linear Guild, the OotS’s nemeses.
- LOL: Laugh out loud. Displays mirth at something amusing to the poster. Most common variant.
- MitD: Monster in the Darkness. Refers to the enigmatic and child-like monster that serves Xykon and Redcloak in the OotS comic. So called because it has thus far spent the entire comic lurking in the shadows.
- MMORPG: Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game. Refers to a type of computer game in which you connect to an online, persistent world and play a character in that world. These games usually have a monthly fee. These games include Everquest (EQ), Everquest 2 (EQ2), World of Warcraft (WoW), Star Wars Galaxies (SWG), Guild Wars, and numerous others.
- Mod: Moderator
- NSFW: Not Safe for Work. Refers to a site with content one would not want on screen at work (generally adult content). Indicates a basic level of acceptability; NSFW content is not safe for any generally public venue, not just a place of work, and is also generally used to indicate content not acceptable to be viewed by minors.
- OOC: Out of Character; anything said in a PbP that is not in character. Also the Finding Players board.
- OotS: Order of the Stick, the GitP comic and the group featured in it.
- OP: Original poster. Refers to the person who started a particular thread.
- OTOH: On the other hand
- PbP: Play-by-Post, or an RPG game run on the forum.
- PEACH: Please Examine And Comment Honestly. A request usually seen attached to posts presenting original gaming content requesting constructive feedback and criticism.
- Pics: Pictures. Sometimes used to mean photographs specifically, but can apply to any image.
- PM: Private Message. A mail function that allows users of the forum to send each other info without posting it for all to see. At the top left is a link that tells you how many messages you have, clicking it bring up your PM mailbox.
- ppl*: People
- QFT: Quoted For Truth. Placed after a selection of quoted text to indicate the poster agrees with and wishes to emphasize the information in the quote.
- ROFL: Rolling on the floor laughing. Displays a great deal of amusement.
- ROFLMAO: Rolling on the floor laughing my ass off. Displays a great deal of amusement, strongest variant.
- Simul-Post or Simu-Post: Simultaneous post. Refers to when two people post at essentially the same time, especially when they say more or less the same thing. One or both of the posters then usually edit their post to say something to the effect of "oh, simul-posted."
- SMBG: Silly Message Board Games. Both the forum and the game threads in it.
- SNAFU: Situation Normal, All Fracked Up. Originates with military usage. Used to describe the usual level of chaos, confusion, or general stupidity found in many situations. Implication is that whatever problems are currently occurring are not major or beyond the norm and require no special attention. Compare FUBAR.
- Thx*: Thanks
- TTYL*: Talk to you later. A way of saying good-bye.
- ty*: Thank you
- UBB: Universal Bulletin Board code; the code used for formatting posts. Most forum software recognizes the same basic formatting codes and code structure, which is itself based off HTML code.
- V: Vaarsuvius, one of the characters in the OotS comic.
- vB: vBulletin, the forum software currently used by the GitP forums.
- wb*: Welcome back. Used when someone comes back from a BRB (or variant) or AFK.
- wtf: Put in board appropriate euphemism, "what the frack?"
- YaBB: Yet Another Bulletin Board, the previous forum software used by the GitP forums.
- YMMV: Your Mileage May Vary (as in ‘this is what happened for me, you may get different results’)
- yw*: You’re welcome

* Usually used in a chat or instant message; most of these should not be used on the boards normally.


Terminology

D&D Books:
- Class Book: A book that focuses on one or two classes, or a specific class archetype. 3.5 class books are CW, CD, CAr, CAd, CP, CM, CS, CC; 3.0 class books were S&F, DotF, T&B, MotW.
- Heroes Book: A series of splat books designed to provide additional rules and tips for running specific iconic campaign types (eg. war campaigns, horror compaigns). Includes HoB and HoH.
- Environment Book: A series of splat books on specific types of environments to set adventures in. Currently includes Frostburn (arctic), Sandstorm (desert), Stormwrack (oceanic & underwater), Cityscape (urban), and Dungeonscape (underground & dungeon).
- Monster Book: A splat book series focussing on a particular variety of well-known or oft encountered monsters. Includes Draconomicon (dragons), Libris Mortis (undead), Lords of Madness (aberrations) (aka Codex Anathema), Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss (demons), Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells (devils), and Drow of the Underdark.
- Race Book: A series in which each book focuses on a few connected core races, as well as introducing and detailing a new playable race. Includes RoS, RoD, RotW, and RotD. RoE is in the style of this series, but specific to Eberron. RoF contains similar material for FR, but is in a different format and style, and thus not really a part of this series.
- Splat Book: Any non-core book that introduces new rule material, aka a rules supplement. Comes from the practice of companies using an asterisk (*, or splat) to designate supplements in their product catalogs.

Gaming:
- Bag'o'rats: A trick where a D&D 3.x character with Great Cleave empties a bag of rats in order create a situation where the character gets more attacks on a foe. The original 3rd edition version combined this with Whirlwind Attack to get multiple attacks on a single foe at the highest base attack bonus; 3.5 changed it so one could not cleave during a whirlwind attack. In 3.5, the trick keys off getting an attack of opportunity when a rat moves to get an extra attack on the opponent. It is assumed that the character would deal enough damage even on a lowest roll to kill the rat, and that the character would only miss the rat on a 1.
- Batman Mage: Refers to the fact that mages, and specifically wizards, are generally seen as the most powerful mid-to-late game class in D&D 3.5 if properly built and played. Sometimes seen in other systems where caster type characters have similar capabilities. Named for DC superhero Batman, whose superpower is apparently being better at contingency planning than anyone or anything else, implying that a properly prepared wizard is unbeatable. Batman Wizards tend to follow a specific build that differentiates them from Blaster wizards by eschewing direct damage spells. Compare CoDzilla.
- Blaster: 1. A caster build (in D&D 3.5 usually a sorcerer or wizard) focusing on direct damage spells. Sometimes called an artillery mage. Generally seen as the most basic caster build. Compare Batman Mage. 2. The standard sidearm in Star Wars, also used as a generic term for any energy weapon that fires distinct bolts.
- Bones: Synonym for dice, stems from the time when dice were actuall made of bone. Most modern dice are made of high-impact plastics, but some made of wood, bone, or semi-precious or even precious stone can still be found.
- Breaking a character/game/build: Using a rules loophole or arcane (as in complex) build to make a character that is far more powerful than is expected, to the point of unbalancing - “breaking” - the game.
- Broken: An ability, spell, class, or other rule that appears to be capable of “breaking” a game with little or no special effort. Occasionally something that is unbalanced by being too weak may also be referred to as “broken.” Refers both to “breaking a(n) X” as above, and also that the subject in and of itself does not function as it should.
- Cheese: Describes an ability, spell, class, or other rule thought to be problematic in some manner. Sometimes used as a synonym for broken, more often refers to a build or rule that makes a character very powerful but not quite broken (eg. spiked chain cheese, divine meta-cheese), especially if the particular build becomes a dominant option for a particular class. Also often applied if the subject is considered absurd or ridiculous - ie. cheesy. For example, double weapons may be considered cheese as they are statistically sound but realistically improbable or impossible. May also refer to stereotypical fluff or backstory.
- CoDzilla: Cleric-or-Druid-zilla. Refers to the fact that most D&D players view the cleric and druid as the most easily "breakable" base classes in D&D 3.5. The zilla ending is a reference to the infamous Japanese movie monster that flattened Tokyo several times, implying that a properly min/maxed cleric or druid can cause destruction on a similar scale. Compare Batman Mage.
- Crunch: Game rules and statistical information found in a publication, sometimes called "hard" information. The term is used in contrast to fluff. Can be used as an adjective (eg. "CW is a rather crunchy book"). Less common than fluff.
- Errata: Corrections to published material, usually found on the website of the company that printed the material in question.
- Fudge: When a DM changes the results of a die roll because the actual results were not satisfactory. It's cheating when a player does it, and usually only acceptable for the DM to fudge in the player's favor, or to make the story more interesting without causing any real detriment to the PCs. Often looked down on, but also recognized as a useful DM tool. Excessive fudging is seen as bad form, though.
- Fluff: Non-rule or statistical information found in a publication, most often backstory, flavor text, or descriptive text. Sometimes called "soft" material. Likely stems from view that this material is used to "fluff out" a publication, or in comparison to "marshmallow fluff" - that is, without much substance but nice to have. Rarely used as an adjective (eg. "S:CoT has a lot of fluff" instead of "S:CoT is rather fluffy").
- Gestalt: An optional ruleset from UA that allows characters to advance in two classes simultaneously, taking the best features of each class at each level.
- Gish: A fighter/wizard multiclass character, specifically one capable of casting higher level spells and surviving melee combat. May also be broadened to refer to any combination of warrior/arcane (or psionic caster) classes. Hybrid classes such as bards, duskblades, hexblades, and psychic warriors are generally not considered examples (multiclass characters only). Originates from the term for a Githyanki war wizard (in 2e, a fighter/wizard or rogue/wizard).
- Go Nova: Refers to the tactic of a caster with limited resources exhausting those resources in a single encounter or short period of time to produce powerful effects at the expense of endurance, especially if the caster is essentially helpless/useless afterwards. In D&D 3.x, psionic casters are especially good at this as all of their powers are scalable.
- Golfball: Derogatory name for an actual one hundred sided die, since it does in fact look remarkably like a golfball. Very rare.
- Grognard: An older gamer, especially a wargamer, often one who is somewhat cantankerous and feels that the “old days” of gaming were better. Also often in possession of a story or anecdote from personal experience for every occasion, many of them amusing.
- Grok: To understand. Comes from Robert Heinlein’s Stranger in a Strange Land, and is a Martian word meaning literally “to drink,” but is really a metaphor to “fully take in” or “be one with.” Used by gamers and on the Internet to indicate either having a complete understanding of something, or as a synonym for “digging” or being into something. Usually associated with older gamers or computer/Internet aficionados, becoming rather rare.
- Hack and slash, or hack'n'slash: Gaming that focuses on killing creatures and taking their stuff; sometimes a synonym for roll-playing. Someone who does this is a hack and slasher (hack'n'slasher).
- Homebrew: A class, feat, skill, PrC, campaign setting, rule, or other piece of game material created for personal use (generally not for profit, at least initially). As in “brewed it up at home.” Term often also implies to a certain degree that the product may be somewhat unusual in nature. Some homebrew products may equal (or, depending on opinion, exceed) professionally produced material, but many are viewed as lower quality.
- House rule: A rule modification used by a group in their campaign, as opposed to the RAW. Rule questions are generally answered assuming no house rules, unless they are specifically stated to be in effect. Often, though, this will lead to analysis and questioning of the house rule.
- Metagame: Using information you know as a player, but is unknown to your character, in order to make decisions for your character. More simply, using OOC knowledge to make IC decisions. Such knowledge is usually called “metagame knowledge.”
- Min/Maxing*: The practice of attempting to derive the maximum benefit for the minimum penalty. Oft times looked down upon as power gaming or munchkinism, but in most cases is merely attempting to build the best character given a certain set of stats and other restrictions. Usually does not attempt to exploit rules loopholes intentionally. Someone who does this is a “min/maxer.”
- Munchkin*: Sometimes a synonym for power gaming, especially when the desire for power overrides all other concerns and is a detriment to the game, more often refers to someone who has the same goals as a power gamer but violates or ignores rules in order to achieve his goals. Also someone who ignores issues of suspension of disbelief, ability to fit into a campaign in a role-play sense, and common sense in their quest for power in game. Can also refer to the process of doing things the way a munchkin would. Munchkinism refers to the mindset that leads to this, or the practice itself.
- Nerf: A verb, means to weaken something in the game by changing the rules in some way. As in, “they nerfed haste for 3.5.” Comes from the Nerf toys that fired foam arrows, darts, or other projectiles, implying that the new version has a relationship with the old version similar to that between a real arrow and a Nerf dart.
- Oberoni Fallacy: The statement that there are no problematic or broken rules, as any identified as such can simply be corrected by application of Rule 0. A fallacy as having another overarching rule allowing for corrective action to be taken does not mean that there were not problems in the first place. Formally identified as a logical fallacy by WotC forum member Oberoni.
- Optimizer: 1. A poster on WotC's Character Optimization boards. 2. A synonym for the given definition of min/maxer. Has generally replaced that term as it is less pejorative.
- Power Gaming*: Varying definitions, but usually refers to attempting to “break” certain aspects of the game in the player’s favor. Also, the intent to gather as much power in game as possible, sometimes to the detriment of the campaign. Someone who does this a “power gamer.” Differs from munchkinism in that a power gamer nominally still works within the system's rules, though they often exploit loopholes and questionable rule interpretations. Sometimes used as a synonym for the given definition of “min/maxing,” and other times as a synonym for “munchkin.”
- Pun-Pun: A specific kobold character build that can get essentially infinitely high ability scores in any ability, just about any special ability, and more. Considered the most powerful character possible within the constraints of the D&D 3.5 system. More here (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=491801).
- Roll-playing: Gaming that focuses on the statistical capabilities and features of characters and the game itself. Often used pejoratively; play on “role-play” and “die rolls” (as in, the players always roll dice to resolve situations rather than role playing them). Someone who does this called a roll-player.
- Rule 0: The concept that the DM or GM of a game has final say in rules disputes, and has the authority to change game rules. Sometimes used to defend unfair behavior on the part of a DM. Originally specific to 3e D&D, which explicitly identified this concept by name in the DMG, but has since expanded to be used for any game, though still primarily brought up in discussions of d20 games.
- Source Material: The original film, story, or television show an RPG is based off of. For example, CoC is based off of the horror stories of H.P. Lovecraft, while SWRPG is naturally based off the Star Wars films, novels, comic books, and other material connected to that universe.
- Stormwind Fallacy: The statement that optimization (specifically character optimization) and roleplaying are mutually exclusive. Formally identified as a logical fallacy by WotC forum member Tempest Stormwind.
- Twink: To min/max a character to an extreme degree, often synonymous with power gaming or munchkinism. Can also be used as a noun to describe either the person doing the twinking, or the character that is being twinked. Derogatory.

* This is a generalized definition. Depending on the person using it or reading it, these terms can mean very different things. Some view min/maxing, power gaming, and munchkinism as all one and the same, others consider power gaming to more closely match the definition of min/maxing, though potentially to a more involved degree. The meaning and use of these words can be a hot button issue.

Giant in the Playground and Internet:
- *action*: A method of indicating physical action via typed text. For example, *wink*. Common shortened versions include *g* for grin, *eg* for evil grin. Sometimes seen as ::action::.
- Antibanjoists: A group of posters opposed to Banjoism (see below). Somewhat less organized than the Banjoists. Antibanjoism is simply the attitude of disliking Banjoists, rather than any sort of philosophy. Apparently defunct.
- Banjoism: A cult-like movement on the forums based around reverance of Banjo, the hand-puppert deity ivented in the OotS comic by Elan in a (mostly) unsuccessful attempt to gain clerical powers. A follower of Banjoism is called a Banjoist. Something of a role-playing exercise and inside joke. Apparently defunct.
- Bump: The practice of “bumping” an old thread to the top of the forum by adding a post, specifically one with no actual new content (the post often simply reads “bump”), usually by the thread’s author. Bumping is considered to be bad form on these forums.
- Catgirls: A running meme on the forums suggests that whenever someone brings up real world physics in a discussion of magic (particularly magic in an FRPG) or science fantasy "technology," a catgirl is killed. The statement "please, think of the catgirls!" is meant to deter such discussions from starting in the first place.
- Conspiracy, the: [CLASSIFIED]
- Dead thread: A thread that has not had replies added to it in at least several days, usually a week or more, depending on the forum it is in. In slower forums, such as Features, a thread can still be considered “alive” even if no new replies have been added in quite some time. In more active forums, a thread can be considered “dead” much sooner.
- Feud, the: The 'secret' plot to do something to the poster BlackFox for some reason no one seems to really recall. Other similar conflicts exist(ed), always identified by a specific synonym for feud or conflict posted in a specific color.
- Forum Rules: The rules you have to abide by in order to post by on these forums. Can be found here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/announcement.php?f=29&a=1). Some specific boards, especially Community World Building, Contests, and SMBG, have additional rules particular to themselves.
- Lurking: Reading a message board regularly but rarely, if ever, contributing to the discussion by actually posting. Someone who does this is a lurker.
- me love thog: Loose organization of fans of Thog from the OotS comic. Most display a variation of :thog: me love thog in their signatures.
- Ninja'd: When several posters reply to a question or comment with the same answer in a short period of time, all posters after the first are said to have been ninja'd. See simul-ninja.
- OotSatar: A forum avatar image in the style of the OotS comic.
- Peeps: People. Also, a kind of marshmallow covered with yellow sugar and shaped like a baby chick.
- Simu-ninja or simul-ninja: The person whose post shows up first in a simul-post situation. Orginated by Sneak. Specific term chosen because ninjas are sneaky bastards.
- Spam: Posting repeated, off-topic, usually innocuous or nonsensical comments to a thread that overwhelm and eventually derail that thread. These posts are referred to as “spam,” and someone who posts spam often is called a “spammer.” The latter term is also extremely derogatory and insulting, especially when used to describe someone who is not in fact spamming, as it essentially means that the poster finds that someone’s posts to no better than spam.
- Staff Forums: A rumored and legendary set of boards only accessible to Website Staff, such as mods. The existence of such has long been rumored or suspected, but never truly confirmed or denied.
- Threadomancy or thread necromancy: The practice of reviving “dead” threads, especially very old ones, and especially if no new content is added when the thread is revived, and often when the main argument or discourse of the thread has been more or less resolved. Differs from bumping mainly in the age of the thread, and that the person doing it is often not the thread’s author. Someone who does this (especially on a regular basis) is a threadomancer or thread necromancer.
- Town, the: A persistent shared world PbP for freestyle roleplay by members of the GitP forums. Please check here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17810) for more rules and information.
- Townie: A poster who primarily spends their time in the Town section of the message board. Alternatively, anyone who is very active in that forum.
- <X>-atar: An OotSatar made by a specific avatar artist (Losator, for example, for an avatar made by Losar). Refers to an OotS style avatar not drawn by Rich. Originated as Veeratar, for Veera, the first forum user to manage to duplicate the OotS style and offer custom made avatars upon request.

<hr>
This thread was inspired by a previous thread cataloging terms that needed to be defined for new users, and many of the definitions and terms were either taken from or inspired by the ones found there. That thread has been locked since this thread was started, but be sure to recognize everyone who helped out there! :smallgrin:

Also, check out TROLLBILL’S UNOFFICIAL DICTIONARY OF COMMON D&D MESSAGE BOARD TERMINOLOGY (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=46916), found on the WotC forums. I didn't take any entries directly from his work, but some of mine were inspired by ones found there (though I usually tried to expand upon them).

[Barlen]

It's not like people were using abbreviations this way in casual conversation before the internet right?


LBJ took the IRT down to Main st. USA
and when he got there what did he see?

[The Glyphstone]

It's not like people were using abbreviations this way in casual conversation before the internet right?


LBJ took the IRT down to Main st. USA
and when he got there what did he see?

IDK, his BFF Jill?

[Greenish]

LBJ took the IRT down to Main st. USA
and when he got there what did he see?An antediluvian monstrosity?

[Starbuck_II]

LBJ took the IRT down to Main st. USA
and when he got there what did he see?
That it ws a trap.
lol, he got pwned the noob. :smallbiggrin:

[Kansaschaser]

As bad as this sounds you may have identified a bit of your problem right here. You're 14 (or I assume so based on the post you made).

"You judgmental jerk!" you might say. Well, hear me out.

You're 14, going through a lot of changes and from the sounds of it you're probably maturing faster than your classmates in some ways, if you're anything like the average geek this is probably via intelligence.

So now you're noticing a large divide between how you think and how some of your other classmates think and you hate it. It's hard to hold intelligent conversations with them because they're either not interested in the same things you are or they don't seem to understand you. One of the easiest divides in communication for you to spot are these abbrieviations but I bet if you talked to your classmates a lot of them might say you use a lot of unnessecary big words.

The best advice I can offer is try to understand. "Why should I have to understand them?" you may say. Because telling them to understand you won't work. You have to let them get there on their own.

Just relax about it, the next time it bugs you say to yourself "It's just an abbrieviation, it's not a big deal." and eventually you'll come to believe it.

It took me until adulthood to realise this and it has made my life infinitely better.

edit: I will also point out that online rants like these help immensely during the process which you have probably already realised.

I am in fact 32 years old. I should probably have stated that I had been a gamer for 14 years and the only two abbreviations I have used were LOL and AFK.

[Sipex]

Oh damn, well there goes that theory.

Still, don't let it bug you, works for all ages, guaranteed!

[Kansaschaser]

Oh damn, well there goes that theory.

Still, don't let it bug you, works for all ages, guaranteed!

I do have to applaud most everyone on these forums for using punctuation. I really appreciate that. Most of the posters on the Blizzard forums are terrible. I think the gamers on here are much more mature.

I think I have a problem with abbreviations because I don't have the best of memory. I have to ask every year what day Christmas is on. In fact, the only holidays that I don't have to ask about is New Years day and the Fourth of July.

Being dyslexic doesn't help. :smallfrown:

[Shhalahr Windrider]

I am in fact 32 years old. I should probably have stated that I had been a gamer for 14 years and the only two abbreviations I have used were LOL and AFK.
Don’t see what being a gamer has to do with those abbreviations. Those are Internet Chat and Text abbreviations, not gamer abbreviations.

[Tyndmyr]

Abbreviations are not just a gamer thing. If you deal with things like the government, or perhaps business, you'll have all the TLAs(Three Letter Abbreviations) you can stand.

I suggest just getting used to it. Typically easier than changing how everyone else uses the English language.

[Gullintanni]

Typically easier than changing how everyone else uses the English language.

I know, right? What is wrong with everyone else!? :smallwink:

[Kansaschaser]

Abbreviations are not just a gamer thing. If you deal with things like the government, or perhaps business, you'll have all the TLAs(Three Letter Abbreviations) you can stand.

I suggest just getting used to it. Typically easier than changing how everyone else uses the English language.

I work for the Government (state) and we don't use a lot of abbreviations. Plus, any abbreviations we have in a document, there is always a key that shows what the abbreviation stands for.

I just don't like abbreviations because I have a terrible memory and I end up having to keep asking what they mean. Now that I was sent the list of abbreviations from here, I can print the document out and keep it handy for when I encounter abbreviations in the future.

[Keinnicht]

Technically, I think you mean acronyms (but I might be wrong - grammar rules and names were never in the field of "stuff I'm interested in"). :smallsmile:



No, he doesn't. BBEG is an initialism, since you don't pronounce it, like "FBI" and "TSA." Acronyms are pronounced as words, like "FEMA" or "SCUBA."

Both of them are forms of abbreviation.

Moving on past nitpicking, I like the term BBEG because it reduces the level of seriousness of a post. I don't know why, but I don't like making serious-sounding posts about my uber-hardcore villian.

[Gullintanni]

No, he doesn't. BBEG is an initialism, since you don't pronounce it, like "FBI" and "TSA." Acronyms are pronounced as words, like "FEMA" or "SCUBA."

Both of them are forms of abbreviation.

Moving on past nitpicking, I like the term BBEG because it reduces the level of seriousness of a post. I don't know why, but I don't like making serious-sounding posts about my uber-hardcore villian.

You know, technically speaking, BBEG becomes an acronym (albeit not often used) for anyone with a stutter. Y'know...technically. :smalltongue:

[Shhalahr Windrider]

Being dyslexic doesn't help. :smallfrown:
Oh.

Well, yeah, I would expect that to be part of the problem.

[Fuzzie Fuzz]

I work for the Government (state) and we don't use a lot of abbreviations. Plus, any abbreviations we have in a document, there is always a key that shows what the abbreviation stands for.

We have that too. It's called the entire internet. :smallwink:

But yeah, I imagine that a bad memory combined with dyslexia would make abbreviations annoying. Still, they've been around forever and they're not going away any time soon, so you'd best get used to it. (Printing out the list is a great idea, by the way.)

[Ozreth]

You use abbreviations in every other part of your life, whether you notice it or not.

As far as your WoW example (yeah, WoW) it sounds like you just need to learn the game. Five years and you don't know what DM stands for? Also, with Dead Mines and Dire Maul being the only two instances with those letters it should have been obvious that the second person meant Dead Mines if you knew the game better.

We shouldn't have to spell the way we type and talk because you aren't willing to put the effort into learning a thing or two about your hobbies.

[MeeposFire]

I work for the Government (state) and we don't use a lot of abbreviations. Plus, any abbreviations we have in a document, there is always a key that shows what the abbreviation stands for.

I just don't like abbreviations because I have a terrible memory and I end up having to keep asking what they mean. Now that I was sent the list of abbreviations from here, I can print the document out and keep it handy for when I encounter abbreviations in the future.

Wait WHAT? When I worked for the government (and when my dad was in the military) there were METRIC TONS of TLAs. It was madness. The worst was talking to people and they would say them as TLAs in conversation rather than the full name.

[The Glyphstone]

Wait WHAT? When I worked for the government (and when my dad was in the military) there were METRIC TONS of TLAs. It was madness. The worst was talking to people and they would say them as TLAs in conversation rather than the full name.

State government and federal government do tend to be different. It's possible that the government of a small state (say, Connecticut) wouldn't employ as many TLAs as California, or the US government as a federal entity.

[Lord.Sorasen]

You might have already been able to access all the abbreviations on that other page, but in case it's still locking your browser.


This thread includes a number of abbreviations, acronyms, and terms commonly or uncommonly used on these boards that may not be common knowledge. This list is by no means exhaustive; if you see an error or have something that should be added, feel free to bring it up. Please note that this thread assumes a working knowledge of tabletop gaming, particularly RPGs, and is not useful as a primer for those completely new to the hobby.

I made this thread because sometimes posts end up looking like alphabet soup, and decoding all the esoteric jargon we use can be intimidating for newcomers. I hope this helps clear up some confusion.

Recent updates and changes in blue.

Abbreviations and Acronyms

D&D Books:
1 A 3.0 book.
2 Significant portions may be found in the SRD.

Core
- PhB2: Players Hand Book
- DMG2: Dungeon Master's Guide
- MM or MM12: Monster Manual
- PsiHB1: Psionics Handbook
- XPH2: Expanded Psionics Handbook

Expansions to the Core
- A&E, AEG, AEq, A&Eq, or A&EG1: Arms and Equipment Guide
- BoC1: Book of Challenges
- BoED: Book of Exalted Deeds
- BoVD1: Book of Vile Darkness
- DD, DDG, or D&DG1: Deities and Demigods
- DMGII or DMG2: Dungeon Master’s Guide II
- DrM or DraMa: Dragon Magic
- E&A1: Enemies and Allies
- ELH1: Epic Level Handbook
- FF: Fiend Folio
- HBG1: Hero Builders Guidebook
- LGG1: Living Greyhawk Gazetteer
- MH: Minatures Handbook
- MM2 or MMII1: Monster Manual II
- MM3 or MMIII: Monster Manual III
- MM4 or MMIV: Monster Manual IV
- MM5 or MMV: Monster Manual V
- MoI: Magic of Incarnum
- MotP1: Manual of the Planes
- OA1: Oriental Adventures
- PHBII or PHB2: Player's Handbook II
- PlH: Planar Handbook
- SBG or SHBG1: Stronghold Builders Guidebook
- SavS or SS1: Savage Species. The latter can be confused with Song &amp; Silence (below).
- ToB or Bo9S: Tome of Battle: The Book of Nine Swords
- ToM: Tome of Magic: Pact, Shadow, and Truename Magic
- UA2: Unearthed Arcana
- WoL: Weapons of Legacy

Class Books
- CAd or CV: Complete Adventurer
- CAr or CA: Complete Arcane
- CC or CCham: Complete Champion
- CD: Complete Divine
- CM: Complete Mage
- CP or CPsi: Complete Psionics
- CS or CScn: Complete Scoundrel
- CW: Complete Warrior
- DotF1: Defenders of the Faith
- MotW1: Masters of the Wild
- S&F1: Sword and Fist
- S&S or SS1: Song and Silence
- T&B1: Tome and Blood

Race Books
- RoD: Races of Destiny
- RotD: Races of the Dragon
- RoS: Races of Stone
- RotW: Races of the Wild

Heroes Books
- HoB: Heroes of Battle
- HoH: Heroes of Horror

Monster Books
- DotU: Drow of the Underdark
- LM or LiMo: Libris Mortis
- LoM or LoMad: Lords of Madness
- FC1: Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss
- FC2: Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells

Compendium Books
- MiC: Magic Item Compendium
- RC or RuC: Rules Compendium
- SC or SpC: Spell Compendium

Eberron Books
- 5N: Five Nations
- CoS or CoSR: City of Stormreach
- DoE: Dragons of Eberron (ECS)
- ECS: Eberron Campaign Setting
- EHB: Explorer’s Handbook
- FoE: Faiths of Eberron
- FoW or tFoW: The Forge of War
- MoE: Magic of Eberron
- PGtE or PGE: Player's Guide to Eberron
- RoE: Races of Eberron
- SCT, S:CT, or S:CoT: Sharn: City of Towers
- SoS: Secrets of Sarlona (ECS)
- SoX: Secrets of Xen'drik

FR (Forgotten Realms) Books
- A:tEoS: Anauroch: The Empire of Sand
- CoR: Champions of Ruin
- CoV: Champions of Valor (FR)
- CotSQ1: City of the Spider Queen
- DoF or DoFR1: Dragons of Faerûn
- F&P1: Faiths and Pantheons
- FRCS1: Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting
- LEF or LEoF: Lost Empires of Faerûn
- LoD1: Lords of Darkness
- MaF or MaFR1: Magic of Faerûn
- MoF or MoFR1: Monsters of Faerûn
- MoM or MotM: Mysteries of the Moon Sea
- PGtF or PGFR: Player's Guide to Faerûn
- PoF: Power of Faerûn
- RoF or RaFR1: Races of Faerûn
- SK: Serpent Kingdoms
- SM1: Silver Marches
- UE1: Unapproachable East
- UND: Underdark

DL (DragonLance) Books
- AoM: Age of Mortals
- BoK: Bestiary of Krynn
- DLCS: DragonLance Campaign Setting
- THoS or THS: Towers of High Sorcery
- WotL: War of the Lance

Adventures
- RttToEE or RToEE1: Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil. A very large adventure for 3.0 that is a sequel to a famous AD&D adventure.

D&D Books not yet published:
4E

D&D Versions:
- 1e: Usually the first edition of AD&D
- 2e: The second edition of AD&D.
- 2.5e: Term sometimes used to indicate AD&D games that used the later rules supplements (“Skills and Powers,” “Combat and Tactics,” “Spells and Magic,” etc.).
- 3.0 or 3e: Third edition or original d20 D&D.
- 3.5: The revised version of 3e or original d20 D&D.
- 3.x: Refers to 3rd edition and 3.5/original d20 D&D collectively.
- 4E: Fourth edition D&D, system apparently based of the original d20 system from 3.x but subtantially updated. Core books to be released June 2008.
- AD&D: Advanced Dungeons and Dragons; official name for editions that preceded 3rd edition but after the original D&D. The "A" was dropped for 3rd because it seemed superfluous and was thought to potentially confuse or intimidate new players (as in, if there's an Advanced version, where do I find the basic version?)
- D&D: Dungeons and Dragons. Can refer to all versions of the RPG inclusive, or to the d20 version specifically. Each version has its proponents and detractors; arguments over the “superiority” of one version over the others is a hot button issue.
- OD&D: Original (or "Old") Dungeons and Dragons. First version of the game. Properly called Dungeons and Dragons, but OD&D keeps it from being confused with 3.0/3.5.

D&D Terms:
- AC: Armor Class
- AMF: Anti-Magic Field
- AoE: Area of Effect*; can refer to the area affected by a spell, or as a generic designator for spells (especially damaging spells) that affect an area rather than a single target (ie. fireball's AoE is a 20ft radius; fireball is an AoE spell)
- AoO: Attack of Opportunity
- atk: Attack
- BAB: Base Attack Bonus
- BBEG: Big Bad Evil Guy. The main (or at least a very major) villain in a campaign. Xykon from the OotS comic would be an example of a BBEG.
- Bbn: Barbarian
- Bg or bg: Background, particularly a write-up of one for a character.
- Brd: Bard
- CdG: Coup de Grace
- CE: Chaotic Evil
- CG: Chaotic Good
- Cha: Charisma
- Clr: Cleric. Also sometimes seen as Cle.
- CLW: Cure Light Wounds. A basic healing spell.
- CMW: Cure Moderate Wounds. A basic healing spell.
- CN: Chaotic Neutral
- Con: Constitution
- cp: Copper pieces (Saying “Just my 2cp” is analogous to saying “Just my two cents.”)
- CR: Challenge Rating
- CSW: Cure Serious Wounds. A strong healing spell.
- DC: Difficulty Class
- Dex: Dexterity
- DM: Dungeon Master
- dmg: Damage. Usually the amount an attack or spell deals, or the amount taken by a creature.
- DoT: Damage over Time*; refers to effects that do damage over several rounds, or as a generic designator for a spell that deals damage over several round (eg. Melf's acid arrow is a DoT spell)
- DR: Damage Reduction
- Drd: Druid
- DvR: Divine Rank
- ECL: Effective Character Level
- EL: Encounter Level
- Fort: Fortitude Save
- Ftr: Fighter
- GP: Gold pieces
- HP: Hit Points
- Int: Intelligence
- IOTSOV: Initiate of the Seven Veils. A PrC from CAr. An abjuration specialist that can set up different warding "veils" keyed to seven colors of the rainbow.
- LA: Level Adjustment
- LE: Lawful Evil
- LG: Lawful Good
- LN: Lawful Neutral
- MAD: Multiple Attribute/Ability Dependency. In 3.0, refers to psionic casting, in which the ability score connected to manifesting a power changed depending on the discipline of the power. For example, metacreative powers were based off of Int, while telepathic powers were based off of Cha. In 3.5, refers to a group of caster classes that base different casting modifiers off different attributes. For example, the spirit shaman bases bonus spells per day off of Wis but spell DC off of Cha. Also occasionally used in reference to classes that are felt to require several above average ability scores to be effective, such as the monk.
- Mnk: Monk
- N, NN, or TN: Neutral, or True Neutral. Neutral on both alignment axes.
- NE: Neutral Evil
- NG: Neutral Good
- Pal: Paladin
- PaO: Polymorph Any Object. A sor/wiz spell that can turn one thing into another; considered to be very powerful and/or broken.
- PBS: Point Blank Shot
- pp: Platinum pieces
- PP: Power points
- PrC: Prestige Class
- Psi: Psion
- PvE: Player versus Environment.* Refers to when the players combat NPC opponents primarily. Compare PvP.
- PvP: Player versus Player.* Refers to when the players combat other players. Compare PvE.
- PW: Psychic Warrior
- RAW: Rules as Written
- Ref: Reflex Save
- Rgr: Ranger
- Rog: Rogue
- SK: Soulknife
- Sor: Sorcerer
- SP: Silver pieces
- SR: Spell Resistance
- Stats: The statistical representation of a character, or more specifically a set of ability scores.
- Str: Strength
- THAC0: To Hit AC Zero. A pre-3/3.5 term that refers to how the probability of a creature hitting its target with an attack was figured. In this case, each class granted a base To Hit number, modified by Str or Dex depending on the attack type, magic, and other factors. Then it has the AC of the target subtracted from it to determine the actual To Hit number for a specific AC. The attacker has to roll higher than the final number. AC 0 does not modify the final To Hit number, so it is easy to use this number to figure other To Hit numbers from THAC0. THAC0 is roughly analagous to BAB.
- TPK: Total Party Kill
- TWF: Two-Weapon Fighting
- UMD: Use Magic Device
- WBL: Wealth by level (guidelines). Refers to a chart in the DMG listing the approximate value of gear and treasure a character is assumed/expected to have by a certain character level.
- Will: Will, or Willpower, Save
- Wis: Wisdom
- Wiz: Wizard
- Wld: Wilder
- XP: Experience Points

*These terms are most often associated with and used regarding MMORPGs, but have begun to cross over into tabletop terminology.

Dice:
- d[X]: A die of [X] sides; for example, a 20 sided die is d20. A standard set of polyhedral dice contains a d4, one to three d6s, a d8, two d10s (one usually a different color or numbered 00-90 for use as a d%), a d12, and a d20. Typical non-standard types include the d16, d24, and d32. Unusual variants such as the d5 and d7 also known to exist. With the advent of dice rolling software, [X] can potentially be any whole number. Commonly encountered but unusual dice types listed below.
- d2: Two sided die, usually "rolled" by either flipping a coin or using a d4 and counting a 3 as a 1 and a 4 as a 2.
- d3: Three sided die, rolled similarly to a d2, but in this case with a d6 (4 becomes 1, 5 becomes 2, 6 becomes 3). Some examples of "true" d3s do exist.
- d% or d100: One hundred sided die. Some actual d100s exist, but usually rolled using two d10s of different colors (one as the 10s the other as the 1s). By convention, double 0 is 100. d% sometimes also refers to a d10 numbered by 10s (00-90) specifically for rolling these checks. A triple zero result with this die is 100.

Other Gaming Related:
- CCG: Collectible Card Game
- CoC: Call of Cthulhu, refers to any version of the game.
- CoCd20: Call of Cthulhu d20
- d20M: d20 Modern. d20F refers to the d20 Future supplement, and games utilizing it.
- FASA: Fredonian Aeronautics and Space Administration. The company that originally published BattleTech and Shadowrun, among other RPG, miniature, and board games. The name is a joke referencing a made up country featured in Marx Brothers’ skits. Most of their best known licenses have been acquired by WizKids, who has licensed Catalyst Games (previously they were with FanPro) to publish a few of them, specifically Shadowrun and Classic BattleTech.
- FLGS: Friendly Local Gaming Store
- FRPG: Fantasy Role-Playing Game. Perhaps the most common genre of RPG.
- GM: Game Master
- GSL: Game Systems License. The successor to OGL for 4th Edition D&D. Full details not yet released.
- IK: Iron Kingdoms. A d20 FRPG (the ruleset is a highly variant version of D&D 3.5) published by Privateer Press and set in the same world as that company's Warmachine miniatures game.
- L5R: Legend of the Five Rings. Often used to refer to the series of games and novels set in the oriental fantasy world of Rokugan, but can also mean a specific game, depending on context.
- L5RCCG: Refers to the card game that originated the L5R series
- L5Rd10: The original L5R RPG.
- L5Rd20: The newer version of the L5R RPG, originally found in OA. Greatly disliked by those who prefer the d10 version; the feeling of L5Rd20 players is generally mutual. A hot button issue.
- LGS: Local Gaming Store; same as FLGS, except most commonly used to indicate stores that aren't as friendly or well liked (ie, "I buy from Amazon instead of my LGS because they charge more and often don't have what I'm looking for. Plus, the owner is a jerk.")
- Mini: Plural minis; a miniature figurine representing a character or unit, or a game that specifically focuses on combat using minis (as opposed to a RPG that uses minis in combat, but does not focus on them primarily). Also a synonym for miniatures wargaming.
- M:tG: Magic: The Gathering
- nWoD: New World of Darkness. A major revision of WW's main line of horror RPGs. Includes Vampire: the Requiem, Werewolf: the Forsaken, and Mage: the Awakening.
- OGC: Open Gaming Content. Material published under the OGL.
- OGL: Open Gaming License. An "open source" concept for d20 rules that allows them to be used and published by third party sources. Not all d20 material is OGL; generally, only hard stats are OGL, and occasionally not even that for certain products.
- oWoD: Old (or Original) World of Darkness. Original version of WW's signature line of RPGs. The main products included Vampire: the Masquerade, Werewolf: the Apocalypse, Hunter: the Reckoning, Mage: the Ascension, and Changeling: the Dreaming.
- RPG: Roleplaying Game
- RPGA: Roleplaying Games Association. Nationwide group run by WotC to organize and run ongoing shared campaign worlds, especially at conventions.
- SR: ShadowRun. A cyberpunk/fantasy RPG originally created by FASA, now owned by WizKids and published by FanPro Catalyst Games.
- SR3: ShadowRun 3rd Edition, the last edition published by FASA. Recently replaced as the most current by SR4.
- SR4: Refers to ShadowRun 4th Edition, the recently released current version of the game.
- SRD: System Reference Document. The SRD refers to the 3.x D&D SRD; other SRDs prefixed by the name of the game (ie. d20M SRD, aka MSRD).
- SWd20: Star Wars d20 from WotC.
- SWd6 or WEGSW: The original SWRPG version published by WEG. As with L5R, players of one version of the SWRPG usually dislike the other version to some degree. Also a hot button issue.
- SWRPG: Star Wars Roleplaying Game, refers to any version.
- SWS or SWSaga: Star Wars Saga edition. Uses 4E type ruleset.
- TCG: Trading Card Game; generally understood as a synonym for CCG
- TSR: Tactical Studies Rules. Original publishers of D&D, purchased by and absorbed into WotC.
- V:tM: Vampire: the Masquerade
- V:DA: Vampire: Dark Ages
- V:tR: Vampire: the Requiem
- W:tA: Werewolf: the Apocalypse. Usually seen simply as Werewolf.
- W:tF: Werewolf: the Forsaken; considered amusing due to closeness to a profane Internet abbreviation
- WEG: West End Games. Published the version of Star Wars RPG that preceded SWd20.
- WH or WHF: Warhammer Fantasy, a popular game setting created by Games Workshop. Known for being especially dark and gothic in style. Primarily known for the Warhammer Fantasy Battles (WHFB) miniatures game; when one refers to WHF, it is often assumed to be a reference to the miniatures game. There is also an RPG, Warhammer Fantasy Roleplaying Game (WHFRP or WHFRPG), associated with the setting.
- WH40k: Warhammer 40,000, a science-fantasy miniatures game published by Game Workshop sharing many themes and some backstory with WHF. Also noted for its dark, gritty, and gothic themes. Associated with the popular Dawn of War (DoW) real-time strategy computer game series.
- WoD: World of Darkness. The shared universe of most WW games. Sometimes referred to pejoratively as Monster: the Angst or Monster: the Something, playing off the names of the games in this line. Uses the Storyteller rules (a d10 based system).
- WotC: Wizards of Wizards of the Coast, publishers of D&D and other d20 games, plus a little card game called Magic: the Gathering, among other things.
- WW: White Wolf, publishers of the World of Darkness or Storyteller games and Exalted.

Giant in the Playground Forum & General Internet:
(Note: Most internet abbreviations can appear without capitalization, or with alternate capitalization, and mean the same thing.)
- 5FS: Five Foot Steps. Rich’s other comic, appeared in the RPGA newsletter.
- AFK*: Away from keyboard. Can be used like BRB, or when one expects to be gone longer
- ATM: At the Moment
- B*: Back. Used after BRB. Rarely used, especially on a message board, also seen as BAK (Back At Keyboard) occasionally, especially after AFK.
- BBIAB*: Be back in a bit. Used like BRB, but when you expect to be gone longer.
- BBL*: Be back later. Used like BRB, but when you expect to be gone longer. Can be used in place of BBIAB, or for an even longer period of absence.
- BG: Blue Guy or Blue Gal, a character who followed the OotS around in order to execute them for supposed crimes. Later comics revealed her name to be Miko, rendering this term defunct.
- BRB*: Be right back. Rarely used on a message board.
- BTW:By the way
- EOM*: End of message. Usually used to indicate the end of a message that exceeded the maximum characters allowed by a chat or instant message program for a single send.
- FB: Friendly Banter
- FTW! or FTW: For the win! It basically is used to say &quot;that one is the best!&quot; Probably derives from the game show “Hollywood Squares,” which is essentially a game of tic-tac-toe. A celebrity in a booth (there’s a stack of them set up like a tic-tac-toe board) states a “fact,” which the player agrees or disagrees with, depending on if they think the fact was true or not. If the player guesses correctly, they get the square. If the player was about to get a win (three in a row/column/diagonal), they would say "<celebrity's name> for the win!"
- FTL: 1. Faster Than Light. Refers to anything - but usually modes of travel, communication, or detection - that operates at greater than light speed, either in actual fact or from the reference point of a theoretical observer. Commonly used in science fiction/fantasy. 2. For the lose. The opposite of FTW.
- FUBAR: Fracked Up Beyond All (or Any) Recognition. Originates with military usage. When things have gotten completely out of control. Can be used as a verb or adverb. Compare SNAFU.
- FWIW: For what it’s worth
- FYI: For your information. Usually not used in the sarcastic or defensive manner the full phrase is, but to alert the person its directed at to a piece of important information they might otherwise be unaware of.
- GitP: Giant in the Playground. Also sometimes refers to Rich Burlew, the Giant himself.
- GK: Gorbash Kazdar, a moderator on the forum.
- GW: Grey Watcher, a moderator on the forum.
- IC: In Character. Anything said in a PbP in the manner your character would say it. Also the Play board.
- IIRC: If I Recall Correctly
- IMHO: In My Humble Opinion. Occasionally IM(NS)HO (In My (Not So) Humble Opinion), or IMO (In My Opinion).
- IRC: Internet Relay Chat. A venerable real-time chat protocol that is non-proprietary and can be accessed by a number of client programs.
- L: Laugh. Displays mirth at something mildly amusing. Rare.
- LG: Linear Guild, the OotS’s nemeses.
- LOL: Laugh out loud. Displays mirth at something amusing to the poster. Most common variant.
- MitD: Monster in the Darkness. Refers to the enigmatic and child-like monster that serves Xykon and Redcloak in the OotS comic. So called because it has thus far spent the entire comic lurking in the shadows.
- MMORPG: Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game. Refers to a type of computer game in which you connect to an online, persistent world and play a character in that world. These games usually have a monthly fee. These games include Everquest (EQ), Everquest 2 (EQ2), World of Warcraft (WoW), Star Wars Galaxies (SWG), Guild Wars, and numerous others.
- Mod: Moderator
- NSFW: Not Safe for Work. Refers to a site with content one would not want on screen at work (generally adult content). Indicates a basic level of acceptability; NSFW content is not safe for any generally public venue, not just a place of work, and is also generally used to indicate content not acceptable to be viewed by minors.
- OOC: Out of Character; anything said in a PbP that is not in character. Also the Finding Players board.
- OotS: Order of the Stick, the GitP comic and the group featured in it.
- OP: Original poster. Refers to the person who started a particular thread.
- OTOH: On the other hand
- PbP: Play-by-Post, or an RPG game run on the forum.
- PEACH: Please Examine And Comment Honestly. A request usually seen attached to posts presenting original gaming content requesting constructive feedback and criticism.
- Pics: Pictures. Sometimes used to mean photographs specifically, but can apply to any image.
- PM: Private Message. A mail function that allows users of the forum to send each other info without posting it for all to see. At the top left is a link that tells you how many messages you have, clicking it bring up your PM mailbox.
- ppl*: People
- QFT: Quoted For Truth. Placed after a selection of quoted text to indicate the poster agrees with and wishes to emphasize the information in the quote.
- ROFL: Rolling on the floor laughing. Displays a great deal of amusement.
- ROFLMAO: Rolling on the floor laughing my ass off. Displays a great deal of amusement, strongest variant.
- Simul-Post or Simu-Post: Simultaneous post. Refers to when two people post at essentially the same time, especially when they say more or less the same thing. One or both of the posters then usually edit their post to say something to the effect of "oh, simul-posted."
- SMBG: Silly Message Board Games. Both the forum and the game threads in it.
- SNAFU: Situation Normal, All Fracked Up. Originates with military usage. Used to describe the usual level of chaos, confusion, or general stupidity found in many situations. Implication is that whatever problems are currently occurring are not major or beyond the norm and require no special attention. Compare FUBAR.
- Thx*: Thanks
- TTYL*: Talk to you later. A way of saying good-bye.
- ty*: Thank you
- UBB: Universal Bulletin Board code; the code used for formatting posts. Most forum software recognizes the same basic formatting codes and code structure, which is itself based off HTML code.
- V: Vaarsuvius, one of the characters in the OotS comic.
- vB: vBulletin, the forum software currently used by the GitP forums.
- wb*: Welcome back. Used when someone comes back from a BRB (or variant) or AFK.
- wtf: Put in board appropriate euphemism, "what the frack?"
- YaBB: Yet Another Bulletin Board, the previous forum software used by the GitP forums.
- YMMV: Your Mileage May Vary (as in ‘this is what happened for me, you may get different results’)
- yw*: You’re welcome

* Usually used in a chat or instant message; most of these should not be used on the boards normally.

[yldenfrei]

Oh, "Big Bad Evil Guy"? I though it meant "Big Boss End Game", you know, that one boss at the end of the campaign. What if he's not evil? :smallconfused:

@OP: Much as I feel for your hardships with bad memory and dyslexia, I'm afraid there's no chance of making people give up their abbreviations usage. As mentioned, it saves people time and fosters camaraderie, that sense of belonging to the group who can easily identify the jargons. The best option is to have that abbreviation cheat sheet on hand all the time.

[MeeposFire]

State government and federal government do tend to be different. It's possible that the government of a small state (say, Connecticut) wouldn't employ as many TLAs as California, or the US government as a federal entity.

True I was definitely thinking about the Federal Government.

[Shinigaze]

YMMV on that though.

Also, abbreviations spread through cross-pollination of fora populations.




Also, make sure this Doctor has an M.D. and not a Phd an that he isn't MAD (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MorallyAmbiguousDoctorate)

What does YMMV mean? Oh and to pre-empt any posts about googling it I just have to say that if posters are free to post acronyms in a thread about hating acronyms I am also free to ask without googling. Just sayin

[sonofzeal]

What does YMMV mean? Oh and to pre-empt any posts about googling it I just have to say that if posters are free to post acronyms in a thread about hating acronyms I am also free to ask without googling. Just sayin
YMMV = Your Mileage May Vary. One of several common caveats, along with IIRC (If I Recall Correctly), and AFAIK (As Far As I Know). For example...

"AFAIK, those are the only three common caveats in general internet circulation, but YMMV in more specialized communities."

[JonestheSpy]

Moving on past nitpicking, I like the term BBEG because it reduces the level of seriousness of a post. I don't know why, but I don't like making serious-sounding posts about my uber-hardcore villian.

See, that's the main reason I don't like abbreviations - the trivialization, plus the attitude that all of [type of thing being abbreviated] are just the same in the end.

Now, I don't mind some abbreviations, because it does get tedious to type the same phrase over and over, but it's not really significantly harder to type "villain" than BBEG. And when seeing someone referring to Sauron as 'LOTR's BBEG', well, the poet inside me dies little...

[Greenish]

Oh, "Big Bad Evil Guy"? I though it meant "Big Boss End Game", you know, that one boss at the end of the campaign. What if he's not evil? :smallconfused:BBEG need not be big (physically, he does kinda need to be a big deal), bad, evil or guy. It simply refers to the role he/she/it plays in the campaign.

Just like the dragon (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheDragon) doesn't have to be a dragon.

[Innis Cabal]

You use abbreviations in every other part of your life, whether you notice it or not.

As far as your WoW example (yeah, WoW) it sounds like you just need to learn the game. Five years and you don't know what DM stands for? Also, with Dead Mines and Dire Maul being the only two instances with those letters it should have been obvious that the second person meant Dead Mines if you knew the game better.

We shouldn't have to spell the way we type and talk because you aren't willing to put the effort into learning a thing or two about your hobbies.


Also known as DM, which is an abbreviation shared with The Deadmines. When in doubt, check the level of the person asking for a group (shift click their name). Some players try to avoid confusion by abbreviating Dire Maul to DiM or The Deadmines to VC (after the final boss Edwin VanCleef). This may not apply, however, since before the dungeon finder people running Dire Maul would abbreviate what part of Dire Maul they are running, i.e.: Dire Maul: East (DM East), Dire Maul: North (DM North), etc.

The Wiki even has this to say about it.

[Warlawk]

For what it's worth to the OP, I kind of agree. People are just outright lazy these days. Typing a couple of extra letters is not going to shave years off of your life unless you type by hunting and pecking with your face.

I am a bit of a grammar nazi. I know it, I have no problem with it. I know also that I am not perfect and will make mistakes and I am pretty bad at technical english. I am more concerned with making my posts legible and read well.

That said, when I come to an internet forum, I know right out of the box things are not going to be pretty and generally I just don't even bother commenting on it. It doesn't bother me, just confirms my outlook. However, I can freely admit that I have a habit of judging people by the way they post. If someone is too lazy to even make any attempt at punctuation, capitalization and the like then I am likely to dismiss them as lazy, uninterested and/or some high school aged punk not worth the time. It's not fair, it's not right, but if you can't bother putting forth the effort to make a post that is well written and obviously has a bit of concern for the format and verbiage, I can't be troubled to have much respect for your post, I mean, why would I? You obviously didn't have much respect for it.

Face to face conversations are a whole different ballgame. Saying LOL instead of laughing is simply the height of laziness and just in bad taste. Speaking any sort of internet text abbreviation instead of the word just isn't something I'm willing to deal with in a conversationalist. I'm not saying it's the end all be all bottom line for me, but it is certainly strikes one and two. Again, it comes back to simple courtesy and respect. I can speak fairly well and am a relatively witty guy. I put forth effort when I talk to someone and I expect the same in return.

The ironic part is that after making these statements, I am still a very mellow and easy going guy. I don't mind when someone does those things, it doesn't make me upset or angry and most times I won't even comment on them. But it certainly accounts heavily in my weighing of a person in regards to spending time with them. I suppose it all boils down to one idea. If you cannot muster enough respect for the communication we share to do it well and properly, why bother in the first place?

[FelixG]

You use abbreviations in every other part of your life, whether you notice it or not.

As far as your WoW example (yeah, WoW) it sounds like you just need to learn the game. Five years and you don't know what DM stands for? Also, with Dead Mines and Dire Maul being the only two instances with those letters it should have been obvious that the second person meant Dead Mines if you knew the game better.

We shouldn't have to spell the way we type and talk because you aren't willing to put the effort into learning a thing or two about your hobbies.

QFE!

@OP

Almost everyone uses abbreviations every single day. Do you say "Cell, Phone" or any combination of those two? or do you say "Cellular Telephone?"

Do you say "TV" or "Television?"

I could go on like this but you get the point. Really what is disliked is not abbreviations but the select use of abbreviations you have yet to, or refused to learn in context to things outside of your normal every day life. :smallbiggrin:

[Myth]

I find your lack of abbreviations disturbing.

The BBEG is the common trope I think, a giant guy in black armour with a gianter sword and the giantest... well you get the point. Or the dark wizard in the dark robes who casts dark spells and is generally eeeeebiiiillll.

What I had trouble learning are the abbreviations for all the 3.5 books. Especially since people sometimes don't use the offical WOTC abbreviations and make their own. For example "Player's Guide to Faerun" is PG in the WOTC site but many spell it PGtF.

[kamikasei]

Saying LOL instead of laughing is simply the height of laziness and just in bad taste.
...What on earth does laziness have to do with it? I would have thought laughter was generally an involuntary, reflexive thing that you do without particularly thinking about it. I don't generally think to myself "better laugh now" such that I'd have the opportunity to decide "...but I can't be bothered, I'll say LOL instead".

On the other hand, I do sometimes deliberately laugh for effect, generally just saying "ha!" or the like when I want to acknowledge something as amusing even though it didn't actually make me laugh outright. Saying "LOL" in such a situation wouldn't save me any time, so it'd be entirely a matter of convention rather than laziness. (It might also be a question of politeness. The friend I can think of offhand who's ever said "LOL" in conversation has a loud laugh. It makes sense for him to say it rather than startle people with a sharp guffaw, in many contexts.)

This line in particular reads as though you're chalking up differences in taste and custom, things other people do that annoy you, to moral failings on their part.

[Kansaschaser]

We shouldn't have to spell the way we type and talk because you aren't willing to put the effort into learning a thing or two about your hobbies.

That's interesting, because I type exactly like I talk. I may not be the best speller and I sometimes forget to use proper sentence structure and what not, but this is how I speak in real life.


@OP

Almost everyone uses abbreviations every single day. Do you say "Cell, Phone" or any combination of those two? or do you say "Cellular Telephone?"

Do you say "TV" or "Television?"

I could go on like this but you get the point. Really what is disliked is not abbreviations but the select use of abbreviations you have yet to, or refused to learn in context to things outside of your normal every day life. :smallbiggrin:

The most common abbreviations have been added to the dictionary as words.

"E-mail" was added as a word a few years ago and it was shortened to just "email" without the dash. It used to stand for "Electronic Mail". They did the same with "TV". These abbreviations have been turned into words, so they have a specific entry into a dictionary. I have no problem when an abbreviation has been used so much that it is now a word. But I doubt 90% of the abbreviations on my list (now that I have it printed out) will show up in a dictionary.

[Sipex]

Agreed with you there, it's different when the abbrieviation itself is a word to the point where it's even more common than what it abbrieviates.

[Shhalahr Windrider]

The most common abbreviations have been added to the dictionary as words.
Being in the dictionary doesn’t make it any less of an abbreviation. Indeed, most dictionaries will even say “abbreviation”.

How does a word or term wind up in the dictionary, anyway? Why, through common use. Then the folks that compile dictionaries take notice of what words are being used and how offen, and then they add them to their lists. Dictionaries don’t define Language. Language defines Dictionaries.

And, for what it’s worth, “LOL” is in a number of dictionaries. Even ones that aren’t specialized in Internet terms. Such as good ol’ Merriam-Webster (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lol).

[true_shinken]

If you hate abreviations so much, why do you play an RPG called D&D? Do you always say 'a roleplaying game called Dungeond & Dragons"? :smallconfused:

[Kansaschaser]

And, for what it’s worth, “LOL” is in a number of dictionaries. Even ones that aren’t specialized in Internet terms. Such as good ol’ Merriam-Webster (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lol).

I guess I should remove "LOL" from my list of commonly used abbreviations. So I think that leaves me with "AFK".


If you hate abreviations so much, why do you play an RPG called D&D? Do you always say 'a roleplaying game called Dungeond & Dragons"? :smallconfused:

Actually, yes. I don't say "RPG", "FPS", or "MMOLRPG" either. When I'm speaking in a conversation, I say "role playing game" or "Dungeons & Dragons". For people that don't know what "FPS" or "MMOLRPG" stands for, here is the key.

FPS = First Person Shooter
MMOLRPG = Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game

:smallwink:


Wait WHAT? When I worked for the government (and when my dad was in the military) there were METRIC TONS of TLAs. It was madness. The worst was talking to people and they would say them as TLAs in conversation rather than the full name.

Ok, my abbreviation list does not contain the "TLA" abbreviation. What does "TLA" stand for?

Also, in state government where I work, we work directly with the public, so we try to make things as easy to read as possible. Abbreviations would just confuse people. There isn't a single abbreviation on any letter or form that we use here. Especially since we have a large population of Spanish speaking individuals who would just get confused if abbreviations were used on our forms and letters.

[FelixG]

I guess I should remove "LOL" from my list of commonly used abbreviations. So I think that leaves me with "AFK".



Actually, yes. I don't say "RPG", "FPS", or "MMOLRPG" either. When I'm speaking in a conversation, I say "role playing game" or "Dungeons & Dragons". For people that don't know what "FPS" or "MMOLRPG" stands for, here is the key.

FPG = First Person Shooter
MMOLRPG = Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game

:smallwink:

I have to wonder about the G and the L in those ones :smallyuk:

[Kansaschaser]

I have to wonder about the G and the L in those ones :smallyuk:

Sorry about that. It's fixed now. With my version of Dyslexia, I don't change the location of two letters in a word, I just change specific letters and numbers for other specific letters and numbers.

I'll switch A and S around, my 3, 6, and 9's sometimes get interchanged.

I think that's another reason I don't like abbreviations. Spellcheckers don't catch when you type the wrong letter for an abbreviation.

[AtomicKitKat]

Ok, my abbreviation list does not contain the "TLA" abbreviation. What does "TLA" stand for?

In the post that the one you quoted was replying to, they mentioned "Three Letter Acronyms/Abbreviations". I guess I might put it as 3LA, but then people would start asking "What Level Adjustments?:smallconfused:" :smalltongue:

[Kansaschaser]

In the post that the one you quoted was replying to, they mentioned "Three Letter Acronyms/Abbreviations". I guess I might put it as 3LA, but then people would start asking "What Level Adjustments?:smallconfused:" :smalltongue:

Ah, okay. I'll pencil in "TLA" into my abbreviation list. Maybe it should be added to the Giant in the Playground abbreviation list. Or is that not a common abbreviation?

Edit: Wait a second, just so I'm clear here. "TLA" was used to abbreviate the word abbreviation? :smallconfused:

[kamikasei]

TLA is a widespread acronym. I'd say it can be found in most places where people run in to a lot of TLAs - which means a whole lot of places indeed.

[Kansaschaser]

TLA is a widespread acronym. I'd say it can be found in most places where people run in to a lot of TLAs - which means a whole lot of places indeed.

If that's true, then it should be added to the list on here.

[Gullintanni]

TLA is a widespread acronym. I'd say it can be found in most places where people run in to a lot of TLAs - which means a whole lot of places indeed.


If that's true, then it should be added to the list on here.

For what it's worth, I work in the Federal government and I've never come across the term TLA. Granted I don't work in the U.S., but I also don't operate under the assumption that what is widespread in some places is widespread everywhere.

[kamikasei]

If that's true, then it should be added to the list on here.
I don't believe the list is supposed to be an exhaustive catalogue of every single acronym or abbreviation you might encounter here. Most of the items on it are gaming-related. There's a short section for "netspeak" in the local dialect. "TLA" isn't even a net-specific term.

[Kansaschaser]

I don't believe the list is supposed to be an exhaustive catalogue of every single acronym or abbreviation you might encounter here. Most of the items on it are gaming-related. There's a short section for "netspeak" in the local dialect. "TLA" isn't even a net-specific term.

I've never seen or heard of "TLA" until I saw it in this post. No one I know uses that term.

I didn't see a sticky about "netspeak" on here.

[Gullintanni]

I didn't see a sticky about "netspeak" on here.

That one you may have to google. There are some pretty decent lists on there. The stickied list is really just a summary of all the gaming related acronyms that get thrown around often here. Given that, you should be pretty well covered, but there are still the occasional ones you'll have to look up.

[kamikasei]

I've never seen or heard of "TLA" until I saw it in this post. No one I know uses that term.
And nothing I said relies on you or your acquaintances knowing the term. What I'm saying is that it's a general (not gaming- or net-specific) term that people can reasonably be expected to either already know or be able to look up for themselves. Seriously, this (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three-letter_acronym) is the first result I get for it. I'm sure there'd have been no particular harm in adding it to the list, but you're treating the list as having a much wider scope than it was designed for.

I didn't see a sticky about "netspeak" on here.
I'm referring to the section "Giant in the Playground Forum & General Internet" here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18512). It's been unstickied due to a reorganization a while back, but it's linked from a sticky here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=124685). I thought this was the list you were talking about...?

[Kansaschaser]

That one you may have to google. There are some pretty decent lists on there. The stickied list is really just a summary of all the gaming related acronyms that get thrown around often here. Given that, you should be pretty well covered, but there are still the occasional ones you'll have to look up.

Even though I know what it means now, I decided to Google "TLA".

Link 1 = TLAVideos.com
Link 2 = Theatre of Living Arts
Link 3 = Texas Library Association
Link 4 = Three Letter Acronym - Wikipedia page

I guess it takes a fair bit of common sense to figure out what "TLA" stands for.

And thanks again Gullintanni for sending me a personal message with the abbreviations. It's helped a lot.


I'm referring to the section "Giant in the Playground Forum & General Internet" here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18512). It's been unstickied due to a reorganization a while back, but it's linked from a sticky here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=124685). I thought this was the list you were talking about...?

I have no idea if that's the abbreviation list I received in a personal message. But the links arn't working for me, so they might be the same thing.

[Sipex]

The trick to TLAs is taking it in context. You have an acronym which could mean several things so you look at it in context 'Okay, we're talking about three letter acronyms so TLA must mean that in this context.' or 'We're in the area with the Dead Mines so those people aren't likely talking about Dire Maul and they'll forgive me (or won't because they're jerks) for not assuming Dire Maul first'.

[Gullintanni]

Even though I know what it means now, I decided to Google "TLA"

I have no idea if that's the abbreviation list I received in a personal message. But the links arn't working for me, so they might be the same thing.

Sorry, I was unclear, I meant you may have to google "Common internet acronyms" to get a decent list.

But yes, the linked list and the list i sent you are one and the same.


EDIT:

(or won't because they're jerks)

And this is how the internets usually function.

[Shhalahr Windrider]

Spellcheckers don't catch when you type the wrong letter for an abbreviation.
A lot of spellcheckers will let you add word to their dictionaries. If you have a full word-processor, chances are, it will even let you manage multiple dictionaries. So you can have one for business documents (mostly default, but probably including a few proper names so you don’t see red lines popping up when writing letters to Mr. Flaversheim), one for documents discussing netspeak (adding extra Internet-specific abbreviations), and one for your up and coming fantasy novel (including all those weird names and magic terms).


Link 1 = TLAVideos.com
Link 2 = Theatre of Living Arts
Link 3 = Texas Library Association
Link 4 = Three Letter Acronym - Wikipedia page

I guess it takes a fair bit of common sense to figure out what "TLA" stands for.
Well, one would expect the context to indicate that it is not one of the top three results.

[Kansaschaser]

LOL (Yes, I really laughed out loud)

I was going over the list of abbreviations and acronyms and I saw...

"PP: Power points"

My 6 year old nephew uses "PP" all the time but it doesn't stand for power points.

Also, I keep thinking of someone using that in a post.

<RandomPoster1> Damn fool, my Psion is so OP, he's got a ton of PP!

:smallbiggrin:

[grimbold]

This. Replacing short things with unnecessary abbreviations is stupid. Replacing something like 'big bad evil guy' with 'BBEG' when you have to use the term several times is common sense.

agreed
this is just the terminology you have to know to play D&D, you need terminology for other things too
im sure that somewhere out there there are people who wrote a D&D slang dictionary

[Kansaschaser]

agreed
this is just the terminology you have to know to play D&D, you need terminology for other things too
im sure that somewhere out there there are people who wrote a D&D slang dictionary

Are you saying that you actually use the abbrevation of "BBEG" in your Dungeons and Dragons game? Or any other table top game for that matter?

I've been playing Dungeons and Dragons for 14 years and there are several acronyms and abbrevations on these forums that I've never heard of. I'm terrible with abbrevations, but most of my friends are not. And, some of them haven't even heard or used "BBEG".

My friends are the ones that use abbrevations in World of Warcraft all the time and I have to keep asking them to spell it out for me. One of my friends is a Dungeons and Dragons player as well as a World of Warcraft player. He's the one that said "LOL" instead of laughing.


<RandomPoster1> Damn fool, my Psion is so OP, he's got a ton of PP!

Oh, and I did use "OP" as an example of a poster using an abbreviation. In this case, it was meant as "Over Powered". I thought that would be in the abbreviation list but it's not. "OP" on here stands for "Original Poster". I wonder how many people I confused by doing that?

[Greenish]

Oh, and I did use "OP" as an example of a poster using an abbreviation. In this case, it was meant as "Over Powered". I thought that would be in the abbreviation list but it's not. "OP" on here stands for "Original Poster". I wonder how many people I confused by doing that?None, for it is obvious from the context.

[Worira]

None, because it's really obvious in context.

EDIT: Gorshdurn ninja.

[AtomicKitKat]

Just sort of struck me(again. Every now and then I remember the true horror which is...) that my country uses a ton of abbreviations. Just for expressways alone, we have: AYE, BKE, CTE, ECP, KJE, PIE. Then if you're not driving or cabbing, you take the bus from SBS or TIBS(now absorbed by...), the subway SMRT system. You do this because you wish to go to the CBD or maybe you want to gamble at the MBS casino, without paying the ERP for driving(or cabbing). But be sure you have enough money left to live, you don't want to exhaust your DBS/UOB/OUB/CIMB/OCBC account, and you can't live off your CPF forever. :smalltongue:

[Fhaolan]

I've never seen or heard of "TLA" until I saw it in this post. No one I know uses that term.

I didn't see a sticky about "netspeak" on here.

I work for Microsoft. That is a common term thrown around here, and only a very small percentage of people here are *aware* of the internet, believe it or not.

[Shhalahr Windrider]

Are you saying that you actually use the abbrevation of "BBEG" in your Dungeons and Dragons game? Or any other table top game for that matter?
Yeah, he is. And I do to. So?


I've been playing Dungeons and Dragons for 14 years and there are several acronyms and abbrevations on these forums that I've never heard of. I'm terrible with abbrevations, but most of my friends are not. And, some of them haven't even heard or used "BBEG".
So? Just because you don’t use a term doesn’t mean there aren’t a lot of people that do. And by “a lot” I mean “enough people that it is considered a common term by most gamers.” Note the most as opposed to all in that sentence. I don’t believe anyone has claimed you obviously use that particular abbreviation just because you are a gamer.

[huttj509]

Multi meaning acronyms are not unique to video games (the DM thing).

For example, well, if you're in a national laboratory, DOE more likely refers to the Department of Energy as opposed to Education.

I didn't read the wiki for it, but I strongly suspect the term TLA for three letter arconym originated sarcastically in response to the general Washington D.C. (or government in general) alphabet soup (FBI CIA DOE DOE DOD etc.)

Edit: I've never used BBEG in a game, or even talking with players, just as a shorthand on forums.

And while I do know people who LOL IRL, they're doing it sarcastically, when they say LOL they actually mean "that's not really funny".

[Kansaschaser]

Just sort of struck me(again. Every now and then I remember the true horror which is...) that my country uses a ton of abbreviations. Just for expressways alone, we have: AYE, BKE, CTE, ECP, KJE, PIE. Then if you're not driving or cabbing, you take the bus from SBS or TIBS(now absorbed by...), the subway SMRT system. You do this because you wish to go to the CBD or maybe you want to gamble at the MBS casino, without paying the ERP for driving(or cabbing). But be sure you have enough money left to live, you don't want to exhaust your DBS/UOB/OUB/CIMB/OCBC account, and you can't live off your CPF forever. :smalltongue:

Um, what?! :smalleek:

[Dvil]

Oh, "Big Bad Evil Guy"? I though it meant "Big Boss End Game", you know, that one boss at the end of the campaign. What if he's not evil? :smallconfused:.

I think this a key post in the discussion here. It doesn't matter what the letters stand for. If you see an acronym used in a sentence/post, it only take a minute (maximum) to analyse it and get the gist of what it means. If you're really curious, you can come up with some words that fit the letters and the meaning, or just Google it. But the point is, the words in the acronym don't matter.
Let's say that everyone on this forum used the word "yxgrf" to mean the clichéd quest-giver fellow in the adventure. Those words don't have to stand for anything. And if you can analyse the context and figure out what yxgrf means, then it doesn't really matter which letters are used.

Anyhoozle, I've rambled on and repeated myself long enough now. I hope I made some sense :smalltongue:

[Kansaschaser]

I think this a key post in the discussion here. It doesn't matter what the letters stand for. If you see an acronym used in a sentence/post, it only take a minute (maximum) to analyse it and get the gist of what it means. If you're really curious, you can come up with some words that fit the letters and the meaning, or just Google it. But the point is, the words in the acronym don't matter.
Let's say that everyone on this forum used the word "yxgrf" to mean the clichéd quest-giver fellow in the adventure. Those words don't have to stand for anything. And if you can analyse the context and figure out what yxgrf means, then it doesn't really matter which letters are used.

Anyhoozle, I've rambled on and repeated myself long enough now. I hope I made some sense :smalltongue:

When I see abbreviatioins and acronyms used that I don't understand, the sentenc and/or paragraph looks like one of thoes Mad Libs I used to do when I wa little. I fill in the abbreviations with things I think would fit, but I get them wrong about half the time.

People say they use the abbreviations because they want to save time, but I end up spending my time trying to decifer their post.

I wonder if Google Goggles would be able to translate a post that was heavy on abbreviation into Spanish? Or vice versa? Do Spanish speaking people use abbreviations and if so, would they translate into English with Google Goggles?

[true_shinken]

Do Spanish speaking people use abbreviations and if so, would they translate into English with Google Goggles?
Of course they use abreviations. :smallannoyed:
Why wouldn't they? Every language has those.

[Sipex]

And while I do know people who LOL IRL, they're doing it sarcastically, when they say LOL they actually mean "that's not really funny".

Just for informations sake (not saying you're wrong or anything) but in our circle "LOL" tends to be used as "I find that funny but not funny enough to make me actually laugh."

edit: I find the evolution of this interesting and I'm wondering how long it'll stick around before it gets phased out.

[drakir_nosslin]

When I see abbreviatioins and acronyms used that I don't understand, the sentenc and/or paragraph looks like one of thoes Mad Libs I used to do when I wa little. I fill in the abbreviations with things I think would fit, but I get them wrong about half the time.

People say they use the abbreviations because they want to save time, but I end up spending my time trying to decifer their post.

The first time (or two perhaps, if it isn't used often) you might need to take some time to figure out what it means, but it really saves a lot of time in the big run for those who are typing it.

Example:
Once I ran a campaign with a big bad evil guy who was a chaotic evil warblade/binder (from the Tome of Battle and Tome of Magic, respectively). Anyway, he had a huge armor class, good base attack bonus and high strength, so he was a good melee combatant, but had a bad fortitude save, so the arcane caster took him down easily with the rest of the party unable to do anything. My point being that save-or-dies is something to consider when designing a good encounter with a big bad evil guy.

vs.

Once I ran a campaign with a BBEG who was a CE warblade/binder (from the ToB and ToM, respectively). Anyway, he had a huge AC, good BAB and high STR, so he was a good melee combatant, but had a bad Fort save, so the arcane caster took him down easily with the rest of the party unable to do anything. My point being that SoD:s is something to consider when designing a good encounter with a BBEG.

The second one, while containing a lot of abbreviations, is not harder for me to read while taking a lot less time to write. Which I find a good thing.

[Shhalahr Windrider]

Just for informations sake (not saying you're wrong or anything) but in our circle "LOL" tends to be used as "I find that funny but not funny enough to make me actually laugh."
And note how much breath/how many keystrokes you can save.

If it’s not funny enough to laugh, it’s not funny enough to be anything but terse. Unless perhaps you are a master at insulting rants.

[Sipex]

And note how much breath/how many keystrokes you can save.

If it’s not funny enough to laugh, it’s not funny enough to be anything but terse. Unless perhaps you are a master at insulting rants.

I'm confused what you're implying or stating through this post and if or not you're being sarcastic. Could you clarify?

[kamikasei]

People say they use the abbreviations because they want to save time, but I end up spending my time trying to decifer their post.
Okay, I'll be blunt. That's your problem. You've explained that you have reasons for finding it much more difficult to pick up and remember acronyms and abbreviations than do most people. That's a shame, and I sympathize, and of course people speaking to you should be obliging if you ask them to take it in to account when communicating with you. But it doesn't mean that most of the people on the planet/Internet/whatever are bad, wrong, lazy, horrible ne'er-do-wells because they use language in a natural and obvious way that happens to be unusually inconvenient for you.

And note how much breath/how many keystrokes you can save.

If it’s not funny enough to laugh, it’s not funny enough to be anything but terse. Unless perhaps you are a master at insulting rants.
Of course, the same function can be served by saying something like "heh". Which was the point I was trying to make in an earlier post: we already have things we use for similar purposes as saying "lol" in conversation, and they're not considered "lazy". Saying "lol" instead of "heh" is just a matter of culture and pretending it's a question of right and wrong is... I'm not sure what; snobbery? Saying "lol" instead of "why, that almost but not quite makes me laugh out loud" could be called laziness, if it weren't far better described as just not being weird and kind of creepy.

[Kansaschaser]

Ok, I read the Wikipedia section on Acronyms and initialism. It had this to say about acronyms:

"Typically the expansion is given at the first occurrence of the acronym within a given text, for the benefit of those readers who don't know what it stands for."

So when someone used the acronym BBEG (Big Bad Evil Guy), the first occurrence of BBEG should be accompanied by an explination so that the following instances of BBEG would be understood by the readers.

I would be okay with this. It still saves time for the writer and it also saves time for the reader. Legal documents are written this way (and I do see a lot of legal documents at my job).

[Tyndmyr]

It's nice, but I'm happy if posters on the internet make a decent attempt to use proper spelling and grammar. I hardly expect it to measure up to professional legal standards.

[kamikasei]

That's an absurd standard to apply to informal discussions.

[Kansaschaser]

That's an absurd standard to apply to informal discussions.

It probably is, but I can hope can't I?

[JonestheSpy]

My point being that SoD:s is something to consider when designing a good encounter with a BBEG.


I agree. Start of Darkness is an excellent meditation on the nature of evil to consider when creating your villain.

[Sipex]

It probably is, but I can hope can't I?

What you need (and I have no idea if this exists) is a tool which will take all TLAs on a page, highlight them and allow you to mouse over for a list of definitions.

[Dvil]

I've seen something similar on a few Warhammer forums. Just check this (http://www.vampirecounts.net/Thread-2800-Points-of-pure-suck-it?pid=187071#pid187071) post on CN (Carpe Noctem :smallwink:).

[Kansaschaser]

What you need (and I have no idea if this exists) is a tool which will take all TLAs on a page, highlight them and allow you to mouse over for a list of definitions.

Oh, that would be cool. If I could get a browser addon that does that, it would be perfect. Now I gotta see if there is something like that out there.

[Knaight]

Ok, I read the Wikipedia section on Acronyms and initialism. It had this to say about acronyms:

"Typically the expansion is given at the first occurrence of the acronym within a given text, for the benefit of those readers who don't know what it stands for."

So when someone used the acronym BBEG (Big Bad Evil Guy), the first occurrence of BBEG should be accompanied by an explination so that the following instances of BBEG would be understood by the readers.

I would be okay with this. It still saves time for the writer and it also saves time for the reader. Legal documents are written this way (and I do see a lot of legal documents at my job).

I would agree more if there was a more significant danger of people not knowing these already, and being unable to look them up easily. That's where the parallel to legal documents fails, legal documents need to be within the capacity of a large group of people to understand and need to remain that way, furthermore the ramifications of being unable to understand a legal document are significantly more drastic than those associated with imperfect understanding on an internet forum.

Furthermore, there is the value inherent in specific terms. BBEG is not just an initialism of big bad evil guy, the condensed form provides it with a degree of mockery. Using it is an admission of a specific tone; villain is a dramatically different one, with the much longer big bad evil guy appearing awkward when fully written out. The pet peeve is understandable, but not worth making a big deal over. Its a minor point, which doesn't make a post unreadable. Its much like a single, unwarranted capitalization of acronym midway through a sentence, or the use of an incorrect spelling along the terms of explination, if not more minor.

That isn't to say that there are no standards within which to write. Merely that one should expect some degree of conversational shorthand and error in the context of a forum conversation. Instances where more than a few hundred words are used in a single paragraph, posts devoid of capitalization or punctuation, and spelling errors prevalent enough to make a minority out of properly spelled words are all far more objectionable.

[Bayar]

LOL (Yes, I really laughed out loud)

I was going over the list of abbreviations and acronyms and I saw...

"PP: Power points"

My 6 year old nephew uses "PP" all the time but it doesn't stand for power points.

Also, I keep thinking of someone using that in a post.

<RandomPoster1> Damn fool, my Psion is so OP, he's got a ton of PP!

:smallbiggrin:

That is spelled Pee Pee, not PP.



MMOLRPG = Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game


No one abreviates Online OL in Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game. It's MMORPG. Else, it would be MaMuOlRoPaGe or something. And that would make for a poor abreviation.

[Shhalahr Windrider]

I'm confused what you're implying or stating through this post and if or not you're being sarcastic. Could you clarify?
Just pointing out that “LOL” does a remarkable job of encapsulating what could otherwise be a rather wordy idea.


Of course, the same function can be served by saying something like "heh". Which was the point I was trying to make in an earlier post: we already have things we use for similar purposes as saying "lol" in conversation, and they're not considered "lazy". Saying "lol" instead of "heh" is just a matter of culture and pretending it's a question of right and wrong is... I'm not sure what; snobbery?
Indeed.


Saying "lol" instead of "why, that almost but not quite makes me laugh out loud" could be called laziness, if it weren't far better described as just not being weird and kind of creepy.
No, it’s just a matter of the Internet leaking (http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/internet-is-leaking).

More generally: terms have a tendency to cross media. It’s part of how language evolves. For example, you really don’t use carbon paper when you add a CC (carbon copy) or BCC (blind carbon copy) to your e-mail messages, do you? That’s a matter of transference from handwritten media to electronic media right there. Words move and their use changes.

[drakir_nosslin]

That is spelled Pee Pee, not PP.



No one abreviates Online OL in Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game. It's MMORPG. Else, it would be MaMuOlRoPaGe or something. And that would make for a poor abreviation.

Or, as Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw (http://www.escapistmagazine.com/profiles/articles/Yahtzee%20Croshaw) likes to call it: momorpheger.

[Knaight]

That said, when I come to an internet forum, I know right out of the box things are not going to be pretty and generally I just don't even bother commenting on it. It doesn't bother me, just confirms my outlook. However, I can freely admit that I have a habit of judging people by the way they post. If someone is too lazy to even make any attempt at punctuation, capitalization and the like then I am likely to dismiss them as lazy, uninterested and/or some high school aged punk not worth the time. It's not fair, it's not right, but if you can't bother putting forth the effort to make a post that is well written and obviously has a bit of concern for the format and verbiage, I can't be troubled to have much respect for your post, I mean, why would I? You obviously didn't have much respect for it.

On a more tangential point, this is a bit extreme. I refer to the part that has been set in a bold font in particular, the willingness to dismiss someone completely unknown with an assumption that they are high school aged is a symptom of a cultural flaw that has run rampant. The immature acts of any one teenager are seen as representative of all under the classification, while anything that seems at all exceptional is taken as signs of capability beyond average that must be left to the individual. There is a stereotype that teenagers are untrustworthy hooligans, the sort of person that you pass with great berth if you walk by them. Its not uncommon for stores to have teenager specific rules, frequently demanding that teenagers who are coming from a school deposit their backpacks near the front of the store, because obviously the lot are thieves, while others can walk through the store with a titanic purse or handbag capable of holding far more than the backpack can covertly. This is how it is.

Even little statements along the lines of assuming that someone who appears to be stupid is a teenager encourages this. It becomes one more tiny piece of data to support the preconceived notions, and as such these statements need to be pointed out and argued with on occasion. Given that they are personally hurtful to those who are teenagers, and have an effect of making the venue they are spoken in seem that much more inapproachable, if not outright hostile, a voice in support is also necessary.

I will admit that there is a good possibility I am taking this too seriously. As it happens, I am a teenager of high school age, and my patience for statements implying inferiority among youth, the younger generation, or any of the other terms for those who simply were born relatively recently exists in a state of perpetual thinness.

[CockroachTeaParty]

At the restaurant where I have the misfortune of currently working, I see the letters 'SOD' on the board all the time. What this means is that the Soup of the Day needs to be made. But I always think 'Save or Die.'

[drakir_nosslin]

At the restaurant where I have the misfortune of currently working, I see the letters 'SOD' on the board all the time. What this means is that the Soup of the Day needs to be made. But I always think 'Save or Die.'

SoD: Roasted Sweet Potato & Garlic.
I'd hesitate to order that :smallbiggrin:

[Kansaschaser]

That is spelled Pee Pee, not PP.



No one abreviates Online OL in Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game. It's MMORPG. Else, it would be MaMuOlRoPaGe or something. And that would make for a poor abreviation.

That might also be a regional thing. When I abbreviate Massive Mulitplyaer Online Role Playing Game, I use MMOLRPG.

Just like most people in my area use "Pop" for a carbonated beverage with flavored syrup in it. I use "Soda". To me, "Pop" is a verb and it always will be.

[AtomicKitKat]

Um, what?! :smalleek:

Exactly!:smalltongue:

Okay, just to break it down for you. The first set are all "E"xpressways or "P"arkways(ie: Highways). The next 2 are bus companies(the latter being absorbed by the "M"ass "R"apid "T"ransit subway system). The next is Central Business District, followed by the Marina Bay Sands hotel and casino. "E"lectronic "R"oad "P"ricing is a cashless way to charge road tax for using specific roads, the next set are all Banks(hence the Bs in their names). CPF is roughly similar to a 401(k) plan; you work, your employer pays part of your salary into this Central Providence Fund(which is kind of reinvested at a higher rate than bank interest), which you get back after age 60+.


Just sort of struck me(again. Every now and then I remember the true horror which is...) that my country uses a ton of abbreviations. Just for expressways alone, we have: AYE, BKE, CTE, ECP, KJE, PIE. Then if you're not driving or cabbing, you take the bus from SBS or TIBS(now absorbed by...), the subway SMRT system. You do this because you wish to go to the CBD or maybe you want to gamble at the MBS casino, without paying the ERP for driving(or cabbing). But be sure you have enough money left to live, you don't want to exhaust your DBS/UOB/OUB/CIMB/OCBC account, and you can't live off your CPF forever.

[MeeposFire]

The military, census, and educators use a ton of three letter acronyms. From personal experience it is so bad that calling them TLAs is used as a joke (except in education they do not seem to get the joke. Way too serious).

[FelixG]

That might also be a regional thing. When I abbreviate Massive Mulitplyaer Online Role Playing Game, I use MMOLRPG.

Just like most people in my area use "Pop" for a carbonated beverage with flavored syrup in it. I use "Soda". To me, "Pop" is a verb and it always will be.

On the MMORPG thing...you are willing to use an abbreviated form that no one else would be able to figure out without a key to your personal abbreviations but you dislike it when other people use a generalized form specific to the site?

IE you will use MMOLRPG while everywhere else it is just MMORPG but here where almost everyone knows what BBEG is you get annoyed that we shorten it thusly? :smallbiggrin:

Also it is a pet peeve of mine when people say pop referring to soda as well :smallwink:

[Kansaschaser]

On the MMORPG thing...you are willing to use an abbreviated form that no one else would be able to figure out without a key to your personal abbreviations but you dislike it when other people use a generalized form specific to the site?

IE you will use MMOLRPG while everywhere else it is just MMORPG but here where almost everyone knows what BBEG is you get annoyed that we shorten it thusly? :smallbiggrin:

I don't actually use the term "MMORPG" or "MMOLRPG", I was just using it as an example. If I were to shorten it, then I would probably try to pick up the version that is most common. If "MMORPG" is the most common acronym, then I would probably use that one.

When I want to talk about a "MMORPG", I just use the name of the game, (Example: World of Warcraft, Everquest, Dark Age of Camelot,...).