I've been at my current job about a year and a half now, and among other things, it has taken that long to catch up on some - not all - of the acronyms and jargon associated with a health nonprofit.
Among them:
DHS
OHP
SSI and SSD
DMAP
AMH
etc.
I wish people would just choose a language - any language! - to speak when sending out information and information requests. Take this real sentence from an e-mail from a government agency we partner with:
This RFI enables COPR to help the NIH obtain broader public input on the overall need for health information as well as on information-seeking behaviors of the various NIH consumer audiences.
Um, what?
I realized last night, when I took a friend who also works for our organization out for her b.day, that I'm already becoming guilty of doing this myself, if only in conversation.
I said, "So the good thing is now that he'll have a case worker, he'll hopefully get on OHP and SSI or SSD..."
Blah. If I ever write like that, just shoot me.
TTFN! (Ta ta for now!)
15 comments:
OMG! TGIF tomorrow!
Seriously, I know what you mean, and I do it all the time at work myself. The OC (Opposing Counsel) faxed the MSA (Marriage Settlement Agreement)...and I'm going to need the TPR (Termination of Parental rights) form signed, etc.
I think we all do it!
Oh, I know what you mean...today I went to PSD to complete the forms for FSA and FSGLI (but I didn't get my CAC validated 'cause there was a 3 hour wait) then I went to a SAVI brief and tomorrow I get to pick up my FRACUs...no shit!
Omg, if I ever talk like that, please tell me to STFU, asap!
Every job seems to have it's own set of jargon. When I was a graphic designer the crap that we used to talk to one another about was amazing. I miss it! :D
The service industry always use a lot of jargon and I don't know why? I remember working with an international call centre for three months and felt that everyone around me was talking in Greek. I mean, I'm not a jargon person and my colleagues never spoke in any normal language!
You think you got it bad young lady? Well listen to this.
I've been working in state government for about 13 1/2 years, and I've had to learn a multitude of alphabet languages.
Not only does the state have an overall alphabet language (1), but ever state agency I've worked at has their own particular alphabet language.
State Libary (2)
Attorney General (3)
State Library again (4)
Corrctions (5)
Children and Families (6)
and one facility language (7)
There you go: seven different languages in 13 1/2 years, and well versed in all of them.
Just one q...what is a "b.day"? :-)
Almost all industries have these and I've had to learn new ones everywhere I've worked.
When I refer to PMS colors (Pantone Matching System) people sometimes think I am referring to that other PMS. :)
LOL and TGIF!
I know what you mean. I come home and do the same thing abbreviating meds and medical conditions like my husband will know. Now after 9 years he sometimes does. I get lost with the text and computer typing stuff. Since I seem to be the last person on the earth who does not text I have NO idea what some of those abbreviations are!! There is a new show on TV called Modern Family and one of the dads in it is trying to be really hip and he assumes WTF means "Why the Face"...I laughed out loud...I mean LOL!
Huh?
Same goes for Sidhe. What the hell did you just say?
And for fun, the WV on this comment is cootypik. No lie!
Yikes!
G, you should get an honorary translation certificate...
Bwahahaha! Exactly the same in education. Drives me loopy!
Cxx
Yo RK, if you come to Singapore, you'll see that we are a country of acronyms.
PIE - Pan Island Expressway
MOM - Ministry of Manpower
Plus many many more :D
I like the way your mind works Kitty...:D
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