Language of the Day: Common Acronyms
Acronyms are used in every aspect of communication and correspondence from the workplace to text message exchanges between friends. Let’s look at some of the most common English acronyms and abbreviations.
Abbreviations are a shortened form of a word or phrase and have always been around as a natural step in the evolution of language and reflect a colloquial way of communicating.
An acronym is a type of abbreviation formed from the initial letters of other words and may be pronounced as a word. For example, NASA is an acronym for National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and we pronounce it “nasa” rather than pronouncing each letter separately.
Shortening long words can be an effective way of communication in the workplace and especially in written communication. For example, in business its much easier to refer to the head of the company as the CEO rather than the Chief Executive Officer. In fact, people are likely to be more familiar with the abbreviation than the full job title in this case!
*Bonus tip: It’s usually not appropriate to use abbreviations in formal writing including resumés and cover letters. For example rather than writing B.Sc. for your education credentials, you should write Bachelors of Science.
Some acronyms like ASAP or as soon as possible are very well-known, and today we’ll look at other common abbreviations including newer abbreviations that have become popularized by text messaging and social media, such as typing LOL (laugh out loud) when something is funny :)
FAQ = frequently asked questions
“We added the cancellation form to the FAQ section of the website because it’s a common question that our clients have.”
DIY = do it yourself
“My mom started a DIY renovation project at our house that has been on-going for over a year!”
FYI = for your information
“I know if your day off but just fyi a package was delivered to the office for you today.”
BTW = by the way
“Btw, I have an extra beach chair if you want to borrow it for the barbecue.”
LMK = let me know
“I’m free this Saturday if you want to meet up, lmk soon.”
IRL = in real life
“Omg! I was at the airport and saw Brad Pitt IRL!”