WFOA

We live in a World Full of Acronyms (aka WFOA). What is an acronym??

An acronym (Greek ακρον, akron, "tip" + ονυμα, onyma, "name") is an abbreviation formed from the initial letters of words. Depending on how many of the constituent words begin with vowels and the phonotactics of the language an acronym exists in, acronyms can be pronounced as a word, as a series of the names of the letters, or some combination of the two. Sometimes acronyms have idiosyncratic pronunciations, like NAACP, which is pronounced "N double A C P".

There are acronyms every where I look. In the world of Emergency Medicine, we have acronyms to describe many different words. Some of them are used to communicate with each other and still have some humor:

SPS= stupid parent syndrome

UKS= ugly kid syndrome

DQ= drama queen

PIA= pain in the ass

CTD= circling the drain

LOLFDGB= little old lady, fall down go boom

TOTL= too old to live (sorry folks, sometimes its true)

OMH= old man with hat

GOMER= get out of my emergency room! (this term is used for people who really dont need to be in the ER)

and there are clinical acronyms:

PVC= premature ventricular contraction

MI= myocardial infarction

ACS= acute coronary syndrome

HTN= hypertension

MVP= mitral valve prolapse

Not only does the medical industry depend on acronyms so does the military, here are a few from Navy boot camp (or BC):

PIR= pass in review (graduation from boot camp)

RTC= recruit training command (boot camp training location)

RDC= recruit division commander (training instructor)

BC glasses= black framed glasses issued at boot camp (aka "birth control glasses")

RPO= recruit petty officer

UCMJ= uniform code of military justice

OBA= oxygen breathing apparatus

These are just a few of the important acronyms used just in Navy boot camp, there are many many more.

How have we ever lived without acronyms?? Even in everyday life.. recognize these???

DUI

IBM

DOS

MAC

IPOD

ATM

this list could go on and on. I am completely amazed. Tomorrow check and see how many acronyms that you use.

Before I finish I have to leave you guys with some pictures of some pretty interesting vegetables that came my way today... enjoy!! (yep, they are real... ;-) )