G
Guest
Is there any quick and easy way to find and create a list of acronyms and
abbreviations from a report?
abbreviations from a report?
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J
Jezebel
For total least effort on the part of you and your readers, by far the best
approach is to eliminate them: replace them with the full text. The time
saving of acronyms and abbreviations is entirely illusory.
approach is to eliminate them: replace them with the full text. The time
saving of acronyms and abbreviations is entirely illusory.
G
Greg Maxey
Isn't this just an opinion? I know that you group the military with other
dull tools, dim bulbs, etc.
Your words - "They are device relied on by the incompetent and illiterate
(ie Microsoft and the military."
However, I don't consider acronyms in speech or written text a burden or
waste of time. I would much rather write and say "DIRSSP" (Dur Sip) than
Directory Strategic Systems Progams. Which is a term used scads of times
each day in my work. I also work with manuals that would literally be 25%
larger if every technical acronym was spelled out each time. I agree that
seeing an acronym that you don't recognize is frustrating, but hardly as
much as seeing them all banished in accordance with your views.
dull tools, dim bulbs, etc.
Your words - "They are device relied on by the incompetent and illiterate
(ie Microsoft and the military."
However, I don't consider acronyms in speech or written text a burden or
waste of time. I would much rather write and say "DIRSSP" (Dur Sip) than
Directory Strategic Systems Progams. Which is a term used scads of times
each day in my work. I also work with manuals that would literally be 25%
larger if every technical acronym was spelled out each time. I agree that
seeing an acronym that you don't recognize is frustrating, but hardly as
much as seeing them all banished in accordance with your views.
J
Jezebel
Not just an opinion. It is easily measured, and has been frequently. We're
talking about writing, not speech, and specifically acronyms and
abbreviations that need explaining.
It might be easier for you, as writer, to use DIRSSP, but for the reader
"Directory Strategic Systems Progams" is obviously simpler. And indeed, the
saving for you is likely a fiction anyway: the extra effort for you to spell
it out is minimal, and a great deal less than the extra effort to maintain
and cross-reference an accurate glossary. Worse, most people won't refer to
your glossary, so you've now introduced a significant source of error and
ambiguity.
There's a whole website somewhere of sanfus (some of them fatal) resulting
from people guessing wrongly what an acronym meant.
talking about writing, not speech, and specifically acronyms and
abbreviations that need explaining.
It might be easier for you, as writer, to use DIRSSP, but for the reader
"Directory Strategic Systems Progams" is obviously simpler. And indeed, the
saving for you is likely a fiction anyway: the extra effort for you to spell
it out is minimal, and a great deal less than the extra effort to maintain
and cross-reference an accurate glossary. Worse, most people won't refer to
your glossary, so you've now introduced a significant source of error and
ambiguity.
There's a whole website somewhere of sanfus (some of them fatal) resulting
from people guessing wrongly what an acronym meant.
G
Greg Maxey
Jezebel,
While you have passion, you are still only offering opinions. I will not
be surprised if you offer links to exhaustive studies explaining your
position. But it is still just a position or as I prefer to call it, an
opinion. It is refreashing to see that you have backed off your absolute.
Likely for you might be unlikely for others. While I agree with you that
acronyms can be over used, I am not ready to bannish them entirely.
While you have passion, you are still only offering opinions. I will not
be surprised if you offer links to exhaustive studies explaining your
position. But it is still just a position or as I prefer to call it, an
opinion. It is refreashing to see that you have backed off your absolute.
Likely for you might be unlikely for others. While I agree with you that
acronyms can be over used, I am not ready to bannish them entirely.
J
Jezebel
You have a strange notion of opinion. Measurements and empricial studies are
rather more than that. But each to theirown. I note that you don't even try
to justify your own opinions on the matter. Guess you prefer to go on
writing the FMs that no-one will R.
rather more than that. But each to theirown. I note that you don't even try
to justify your own opinions on the matter. Guess you prefer to go on
writing the FMs that no-one will R.
G
Greg Maxey
Jezebel,
I did try to justify my opinion. I mentioned technical manuals and
directives hundreds of pages in length that would be much longer (and more
expensive to produce) if every acronym where spelled out. IMU Inertial
Measurement Unit, FCEP Flight Conrol Electronics Package, FSMD First Stage
Motor Dome, FCET Follow on Commander's Evaluation Test. The quantity of
acyronyms in some techinical fields can boggle the mind, but it is the
spoken and written language in the field. Like any langauge, once you learn
the terms the fog is cleared and it becomes intelligeable.
My opinion stated again, is that while acronyms can be over used, they still
have some merit.
I reviewed a few of your recent post on Google. I have noticed a few
departures from your position of always spelling it out fully:
i.e. Isn't that from Latin "id est" with meaning: that is (to say).
e.g. Aagain from Latin "exempli gratia" with meaning: for example; for the
sake of example.
Stange notions? Since you don't like acronyms nobody else should use them
either. Or worse still, those that do are illiterate or incompetent.
I did try to justify my opinion. I mentioned technical manuals and
directives hundreds of pages in length that would be much longer (and more
expensive to produce) if every acronym where spelled out. IMU Inertial
Measurement Unit, FCEP Flight Conrol Electronics Package, FSMD First Stage
Motor Dome, FCET Follow on Commander's Evaluation Test. The quantity of
acyronyms in some techinical fields can boggle the mind, but it is the
spoken and written language in the field. Like any langauge, once you learn
the terms the fog is cleared and it becomes intelligeable.
My opinion stated again, is that while acronyms can be over used, they still
have some merit.
I reviewed a few of your recent post on Google. I have noticed a few
departures from your position of always spelling it out fully:
i.e. Isn't that from Latin "id est" with meaning: that is (to say).
e.g. Aagain from Latin "exempli gratia" with meaning: for example; for the
sake of example.
Stange notions? Since you don't like acronyms nobody else should use them
either. Or worse still, those that do are illiterate or incompetent.
J
Jay Freedman
Is there any quick and easy way to find and create a list of acronyms and
abbreviations from a report?
Hi Nancy,
If you define an acronym as a "word" consisting of three or more upper
case letters, you can find them with a wildcard search (see
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/General/UsingWildcards.htm) using the Find
expression
<[A-Z]@>
Making a list of them would take a macro, which would be more or less
complicated depending on how automated you want to make it -- for
example, whether you want the list alphabetized and duplicates
removed.
Abbreviations are a whole different story. Trying to define an
abbreviation in terms of mechanical rules is a hard problem.
G
Greg Maxey
Jezebel,
I sheath my sword. Would you consider taking this joust offline?
Considering your position on the scale, you can reach me by e-mail if you
desire.
Cheers, friend.
I sheath my sword. Would you consider taking this joust offline?
Considering your position on the scale, you can reach me by e-mail if you
desire.
Cheers, friend.