ARCONYMS – “Just a load of CARP”

The modern world of social media and electronic communications has led to a vast increase in the use of Acronyms. These have been popular in construction for many years, H&S; PPE; DWG and some Acronyms are now, suitably engrained in our language and way of life.

TBH where would we be without ASAP, FOMO, or LOL, this site more than any should utilise its acronym, who wants to keep writing The World According To Spiel and its symmetrical Tag Line That’s What I Was Thinking.

You may think these posts are just thrown together between walking Oscar and my lunch time Nap, and while that is often the case, I do like to consider what is put out on the Blog and some thought has gone into its name.

There are many acronyms where we all understand the meaning and use, so we therefore don’t need to know what they actually stand for, but we often don’t; NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) is a good example, also the one which we all may have to call upon if we are potentially dying, CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation).

Therefore clearly there is a place in our modern society for them, these and the increase use of Emojis are essential when looking to fire off a WhatsApp when trying to feed the kids, make his lordships tea and attempting to not kick the dog all at the same time.

TV shows are now often known by their Acronyms, that celebrity dance show SCD, the one with the amateur bakers, you know GBBO and the football one on a Saturday MOTD…..all now rooted in our psyche.

Where they aren’t a good thing is when you are in a meeting where some Smart Alec notes that a DTM is  required. Those in the know nod approvingly, those unsure squirm and look down at their notes, while contemplating their blushing complexion and the stupid architect looking at his phone laughs at his latest tweet message.

Now did SA mean; Dual Transfer Mode; Directly to Metal (paint); Days to Maturity; or more likely Design Team Meeting, you probably will never know as the meeting progresses leaving the unknowing the unenviable task of Googling DTM at the earliest convenience.

So are acronyms really good for us, what’s wrong with using the Queens, oops sorry Kings English properly as it should be. An old colleague of mine BM once related the following to me;

It was when businesses were striving to embrace all things new and QA was in its infancy a former CEO of HSH had a desire that the companies employee review procedure had a standard form, this being the Continuous Review Procedure CRP. However, during a Management Meeting, it became obvious that there was a need to allow for changes to the procedure so an Alternative Review Procedure ARP was considered.

However, the CEO believed that a combined form was all that was required. Now BM was old school, a little like me and rolled his eyes during the meeting at the prospect of having to implement all the new procedures and forms, which seemed a little OTT, so it was quite ironic when the CEO’s memo came out where the new ‘Continuous Alternative Review Procedure’ form was launched, unfortunately for him, his memo didn’t quite identify the form correctly, but due to predictive text on his computer it stated that the new procedure would adopt the CRAP form. So, from that day on whenever the CEO was issuing something it was more than often considered to be carp.

So I suggest you are careful when using acronyms, for when you really mean CARP you are often actually talking CRAP, or vice a versa…..