Those Annoying Acronyms

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Hey gang!

Just to let you know, I've given some thought to those acronyms some find so annoying.  I get it, really.  It's just that when I'm writing it would be totally untenable to write things out every time.   Even if I could, writing out "non-esterified fatty acids" rather than NEFA every time would unnecessarily lengthen my posts.  Most are long enough already!  Also, the acronym is ultimately easier for readability and speed.  However you sound it out in your head, NEFA is a heckuvalot shorter than non-esterified fatty acids.

So ... I've been working on a solution today, using an auto-type utility and a little HTML magic.  I think I have it!  Check out the sentence below.  You can mouse over NEFA and see what the acronym means.  It shows as a link.  (Don't click though ... I'm going to have to make a "go back" link but for now it takes you to the Asylum home.)
Elevated levels of NEFA  can be deleterious.
It will take me time to  put the acronyms in the auto-typing utility, but I think this should help.  Feedback greatly appreciated!

Comments

Anonymous said…
Love it!
September 18, 2011 at 2:23 PM
LeonRover said…
What a good idea.

TWICHAROO is becoming a bore & as for TWICHAROAROO - it sounds like an Irish lament.

Slainte
September 18, 2011 at 5:11 PM
Anonymous said…
Very elegant solution.
September 18, 2011 at 5:38 PM
Duffy Pratt said…
This is one solution. It wouldn't be that hard to implement a simple search and replace. I don't think anyone objects to acronyms like NEFA, for all the reasons you state. But you also will use IR for insulin resistance (when any NFL fan knows that IR stands for Injured Reserve). And then, on its second usage, you will pull out something like LCIKC, and at that point it simply sounds like self-parody.
September 18, 2011 at 6:30 PM
CarbSane said…
Duffy, I compose my posts in Blogger. If it has a simple search and replace let me know. The LCIKC? Ummmm ... I defined it in the post ...

This effort was for TWGACBA
September 18, 2011 at 7:17 PM
CarbSane said…
Thanks Oliver, and Welcome to the Asylum!
September 18, 2011 at 7:19 PM
Sue said…
I'm reading this on my iPod and no mouse so can't mouse over. But its a really good idea and works when I go on my computer. Alternatively you could just write the words in full the first time mentioned and then acronyms every other time mentioned in post.
September 19, 2011 at 12:52 AM
CarbSane said…
Hi Sue, Yeah, I could write it out the first time but there's the rub. I too often forget to :) Once I have the acronyms in the auto-type it will be like nothing ever happened on my end.
September 19, 2011 at 5:40 AM
Tonus said…
One option is to have them link to the page with all of the acronyms listed.
September 19, 2011 at 5:54 AM
Diana said…
I like this solution.

TWICHOO always made me reach for my kleenex. (Or, if I was out of tissues, TP.)
September 19, 2011 at 10:12 AM
Sanjeev said…
> TWICHAROO is becoming a bore & as for
> TWICHAROAROO - it sounds like an Irish lament.

I thought it was Australian - a viral, contagious dystonia that started with kangaroos, like swine flu.
September 19, 2011 at 8:10 PM
Tom said…
I like it, problem solved! I like Tonus' idea to have the link go to a page with a list of acronyms. Perhaps you could even add a pronunciation key in the list. I always wonder if it's "knee-fah" or "neff-aye" or some other variation, but I digress :-)
September 20, 2011 at 12:41 PM

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