Let's Talk About Using Acronyms

Posted by Sue, Volunteer Mentor @sueinmn, Feb 16 6:32pm

Hello members, some of us are accustomed to texting, and using a lot of "shortcut" abbreviations. I even find myself doing it on Connect from time to time, even though I try not to do it.

Please remember that every single day we have new visitors and members in our great MAC & Bronchiectasis group. Imagine a new visitor reading the following sentence:
"Hello and welcome to MC, I'm the VM for the MAC &BE group. Here you can learn about saline nebs, AC, NTM, MABC, SOB, whether to go to NJH, or if you need an ID doc. People share their experiences with the Big 3, PEPs, Smart Vests, Bololos and Life Straws."
Do you feel like you need a translator? Do you think a newcomer might feel as if they have dropped in on a private conversation?
Please, let's try to use the full word/term/title the first time in any post. Then it's usually OK to abbreviate with the acronym.

Feel free to flag me if I start doing this.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the MAC & Bronchiectasis Support Group.

Jake | @jakedduck1 | Feb 16 7:13pm

@sueinmn
Thank you Sue. Sometimes the abbreviation is easy to find other times. I haven't been able to find what the person meant.
Thank you much,
Jake

Scott R L | @scottrl | Feb 16 8:07pm

YMBRMM!

(You must be reading my mind! )

rashida | @rashida | Feb 16 10:03pm

@sueinmn thank you!! I for one feel very frustrated with acronyms being used in messages, posts, etc. and have wished people would not use them! If one must use an acronym, one should do so like @scottrl has done above! 😊

Scott R L | @scottrl | Feb 16 11:18pm

Next, if people would use paragraph breaks...

Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Feb 17 2:23pm

In reply to @scottrl "Next, if people would use paragraph breaks..." + (show)

@scottrl 🫤One thing at a time Scott!

sarahlynn1960 | @sarahlynn1960 | Feb 18 12:25pm

How timely! I tried to look up LMP this morning and the result I got was totally unrelated to lungs!

churlgurl | @churlgurl | Feb 19 7:28am

Thank you so much. You read my mind.

Armando | @bolso1 | Feb 19 7:46am

Another option would be to create a section in the blog where all acronyms are listed.

We can use that list when we come across an acronym that we don’t know.

Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Feb 19 11:01am

In reply to @bolso1 "Another option would be to create a section in the blog where all acronyms are listed...." + (show)

@bolso1 I would love that - IF someone has the time to do it and to maintain it. I contemplated creating a list for the MAC & Bronchiectasis Group specifically - but currently there is no good way in the system to do that in an accessible and manageable way.
I'll bring it up in the next Moderator/Mentor meeting as a request.