Excess of abbreviations

[SilverGreen]

Aren't people exceeding in the use of abbreviated card names? I totally agree in abbreviate the names of very well-known staples when their names are too long, as with FoW, StP, SotF, CotV and others, but there's people abbreviating things like Vedalken Shackles (VS), Gastly Demise (GD) or Eternal Witness (EW), that play in dedicated decks and aren't universally adopted. Some days ago I had to read about 25 posts in a topic to figure out the DB someone wrote meant Dragon's Breath!

I think people could use a little more good sense when posting things not so obvious for other people here realize. In special when refering to not so obvious cards, like suggesting GDs in a topic about 4 Colors Landstill with no Gastly Demises in the original post.

[zulander]

I got one for ya.

QQ

You figure it out.


On topic, I concur. Someone used some weird abbreviations once for some card that really sucked. I hated it.

[KillemallCFH]

If people have been discussing a card without a known abbreviation, I usually find it acceptable, as it is a pain to write out a card name 5 times if you could just abbreviate it and make it obvious to which card you are referring. However, if you go in and post something about a card that no one else is discussing and use abbreviations, then it can get rather annoying, as no one will have any idea what the fuck you're talking about.

[Shtriga]

they're lazy and it makes them look smart :P more than once have I also read an abbreviation of a card that had nowhere been discussed in that topic and wasn't well known

[GreenOne]

I find generic abbreviations more irritating. Before discovering there's an acronym dictionary available I had some problems with OMFG, BTW, IMHO, BR, AFAIK, pwn, etc. And with abbreviations of the game too (CIP...).

I just discovered what FYI means.

I got one for ya.

QQ



I really don't have a clue.

EDIT: Found. That acronym dictionary is savage.

[Zuriya]

FYI means for you idiots , right ?
You can always solve this problem by looking for a card that has the same abbreviations and start discussing it. /thread

[VsTheWorld]

But if you have to look up cards to figure out what the abbreviation means, it defeats the purpose of abbreviating the name in the first place because it takes longer for you to process it. For example, I was reading a thread on SCG about vintage Shop Aggro and out of nowhere someone started talking about CoW and it took me probably 30 seconds to figure out he meant Crucible of Worlds. By that point I was just annoyed and didn't want to read his post anymore.

[Solpugid]

Eh, I'm used to CoW now, having seen it so many times. I think the trick is using abbreviations that are quite unique, like LftL or FTK. If I started calling cabal therapy CT, that would be confusing because CT doesn't immediately stand out as a single card name.

And FYI, FYI means 'for your information'.

[Pinder]

Eh, I'm used to CoW now, having seen it so many times.

But why not just say 'Crucible'? Are there other playable Crucibles? Do we really need to specifically point out that this one is 'of Worlds'? Especially with an acronym that no one understands? Same thing with Chalice. CotV saves you like half a second over just typing Chalice (unless you have one arm, or 43 chromasomes, or something). So why? When you say 'Chalice', people know what you're talking about. Same with Force. Usually the only abbreviations I use most are FoW, SofI and StP. The rest I can just say the one word and people know what I'm talking about.

Kavu. You thought Flametongue, didn't you?
Confidant. Are there any others besides the Dark one?
Survival. Of the Weakest? Of course not.

You see what I'm getting at here?

edit - best is when people abbreviate the 'Words' enchanments from Onslaught. 'So wait, which WoW were you talking about?'

[Nihil Credo]

To me, it's as much a question of style as of convenience. If you're discussing a card and you have to name it six times in a single paragraph, it sounds terrible if you use its proper name every time - so, unless the card has an accepted nickname, you can use an abbreviation for variety.

[Bovinious]

I basically agree with Pinder, the only abbreviations that I use and think other should use are like FoW, StP, SofI, DoJ, and maybe a few more I forgot, but I also like to use FTK, TFK and always say Bob for Confidant which isnt really an abbreviation per se but it kinda is. Oh and CB and BS are ok acronyms too b/c their names are one word but kind of long words.

[freakish777]

If I'm not mistaken abbrievating in Vintage is a little more acceptable because 45%+ of all decks over lap.

So, DT/VT 99% of the time means Demonic Tutor/Vampiric Tutor. AR? Oh Ancestral. Etc.

For the most part, I don't have a problem with people's abbreviations.

[SilverGreen]

To me, it's as much a question of style as of convenience. If you're discussing a card and you have to name it six times in a single paragraph, it sounds terrible if you use its proper name every time - so, unless the card has an accepted nickname, you can use an abbreviation for variety.I agree, use abbreviations for style is ok. But it's much different write "you should play at least two Decrees of Justice, because DoJ wins games by itself" than write a random "did you try some ITs in your deck already?".

[Tacosnape]

People are stupid and lazy. This problem will never be fixed. The end. or TE, rather.

[MattH]

What I consider to be Best Practice: the first time a card name appears in your post, spell it out. Feel free to abbreviate (or use slang like "Pikula" for Meddling Mage) after that, but make sure it's spelled out at least once.

Exceptions can be made but only for the most-popular acronyms: T1.5, P9, probably STP and FoW. Maybe SotF, but maybe not.

True abbreviations like "Trop" and "Volc" are pretty much fine any time.

[Lego]

Kavu. You thought Flametongue, didn't you?

I have to be honest, I thought of Raging Kavu. I agreed with everything else in your post :smile: I just think of FTK as FTK so much that I forget he's a Kavu :tongue:

[AngryTroll]

What I consider to be Best Practice: the first time a card name appears in your post, spell it out. Feel free to abbreviate (or use slang like "Pikula" for Meddling Mage) after that, but make sure it's spelled out at least once.

Exceptions can be made but only for the most-popular acronyms: T1.5, P9, probably STP and FoW. Maybe SotF, but maybe not.

True abbreviations like "Trop" and "Volc" are pretty much fine any time.

First time I use a card in a long post: Spelled out completely, or in some cases shortened (In RGBSA, Survival instead of Survival of the Fittest, Birds instead of Birds of Paradise, Witness or EWitness instead of Eternal Witness).

After that, shortened versions of the card, or abbreviations like FTK or StP. But again, does FTK really save much over Kavu? Or StP over Swords? Not really.

[Ebinsugewa]

You really just have to read for context. I assume that Dragon Breath was discussed in a Breakfast thread, so just think about it. I myself do not abbreviate much except in speech, and I wish that people would just write/type correctly. However, this isn't really that big of a problem.

[mikekelley]

What the hell is SotF?

[Getsickanddie]

What the hell is SotF?

Survival of the Fittest

[Di]

Idgas

[Lego]

Idgas

QFMFT

[caiomarcos]

I got QFMFT, but what the hell is Idgas???

[Bardo]

I got QFMFT, but what the hell is Idgas???
I don't give a shit.

[Cait_Sith]

What the hell is SotF?

That one threw me for a loop. I kept thinking it was "SoFI."

As for abbreviations, it annoys me when people try to force them (like people kept giving Tarmogoyf totally nonsensical nicknames) because that does nothing to make the conversation easier (which is the typical purpose of abbreviations/nicknames).

You can be more flexible with nicknames given the context of the thread (like FTK and Kavu both tend to be fairly apparent in the Burning Tog thread, as well as in the RGBSA thread), but there need to be limits.

[Bovinious]

IDIFTL - I did it for the lulz.

[blitz]

Abbreviations are really unnecessary... I mean, all it does is make sure anyone who isn't in on the lingo doesn't get informed. You get posts that are off-topic which ask "what does such and such stand for?" which just makes already annoyingly large threads even harder to glean specific information from. It's just a hassle that can be easily avoided, but never will because too many people on the site LOVE their silly abbreviations (they probably think it makes them look like they "know their shit" or something equally idiotic).

I really don't mind it SO much when it's being used in context in an explanation of sorts, but it absolutely pisses me off when some nancy posts a DECK LIST filled completely with esoteric abbreviations.

Like so...

OMG! CHECK OUT MY FAERIE STOMPY DECK! DIS TECH IS HAWT!

Main Deck
4 Stifle
4 TB
4 FoW

3 CoF
4 Drake
4 Efreet
4 Nought
3 Mage

2 Greaves
3 Jitte
1 Needle
1 Crypt
1 Zorb
1 CotV

4 Mox
4 Tomb
4 City
9 Island
1 Seat

Sideboard
3 CotV
3 Weatherseed Faeries
3 In the Eye of Chaos
4 Propoganda / Watchdog
1 EE
1 AEther Spellbomb


...and a person not familiar with the deck wouldn't know that mox would be chrome and not diamond (which it would be in any Smokestack list), or which efreet/drake/mage/etc. is being referenced, or that TB is trickbind and Zorb is just zuran orb... it should be obvious that it's just bad practice to not spell out the full card names IN A FRIGGIN DECKLIST with no explanation given other than "dis ma deck. i playz it onlinez. Iz betta dan yourz. THE END!" and such. It's just silly. You people are silly.

[Cait_Sith]

4 TB

Takenuma Bleeder. That was my first thought.


3 CoF

Stumped me.


and a person not familiar with the deck wouldn't know... which efreet

There is only 1 playable Efreet in Legacy.


/drake/

And only 1 playable drake.


mage/

And only 1 playable blue mage.


it should be obvious that it's just bad practice to not spell out the full card names IN A FRIGGIN DECKLIST

If it is obvious, then why would it need saying at all? Ever?

Honestly, there are accepted abbreviations and those are fine, the problem only comes when people do odd (CoW for Crucible of Worlds, as opposed to just Crucible) or plain stupid (CoF? Cone of Flame) ones that the problem occurs.

[ApokalypseKid9]

CoF=cloud of faeries.

[The Rack]

Mage = Meddling Mage which is the best blue mage actually.

[blitz]

stuff

Thank you for calling my abbreviations stupid.

One thing: I didn't come up with the abbreviations.

Those are the abbreviations that I've spotted people using IN THAT TOPIC.

And why would you imply that everyone who plays in the format has been playing the format long enough to know that the only competitive blue mage is trinket mage, or that sea drake is the only playable drake?

Some Food for Thought (FFT for short, durrrrrrr)

[MattH]

And only 1 playable blue mage.
I don't know, I consider both Meddling and Trinket Mage playable.

[TheInfamousBearAssassin]

I was talking to my BB about just this subject the other week. We had just got out of BCT- this was AIT- and our PsyOp DS was going BSC at our PG because some BF forgot their ACH. I'm like, WTF? The CA guys have it easy. You know who I blame? Commo. Can I get a HUA on that? FRR.

[Pinder]

Can I get a HUA on that? FRR.

More like FTW.

[scrumdogg]

It does illustrate the importance of context, a newcomer to Legacy seeing a list (or conversation) similar to that would have difficulty comprehending. However, using an abbreviation after first using the whole name should be fine, it seems to be an accepted conversational shorthand in our game & on forums. Without proper referencing, though, abbreviations are lazy & counter-productive. Don't be that guy...

[Arctic_Slicer]

Honestly I don't see any need to abbreviate anything ever. The only cause for abbreviation is laziness. If I'm going to take my time to write something it means I want someone to read it, and if I want someone to read it I want them to be able to understand it. The few seconds I save abbreviating a card name are lost when I have to write a follow up post clarifying what the hell I was talking about. Also when I am posting on the forums at Wizards.com or Mtgsalvation.com I use the autocard feature as it adds further clarity to my posts and saves the reader time by not having to go look the card up in gatherer. Besides it really doesn't take much time to add to card names.

Much like using proper grammar; not using abbreviations adds greater clarity to your writing and garners more respect from the reader.

[Bryant Cook]

QQ moar.

[blitz]

Honestly I don't see any need to abbreviate anything ever. The only cause for abbreviation is laziness. If I'm going to take my time to write something it means I want someone to read it, and if I want someone to read it I want them to be able to understand it. The few seconds I save abbreviating a card name are lost when I have to write a follow up post clarifying what the hell I was talking about. Also when I am posting on the forums at Wizards.com or Mtgsalvation.com I use the autocard feature as it adds further clarity to my posts and saves the reader time by not having to go look the card up in gatherer. Besides it really doesn't take much time to add to card names.

Much like using proper grammar; not using abbreviations adds greater clarity to your writing and garners more respect from the reader.

And clarity for NEW players is a priority if you want a healthy format, and a healthy forum. If the forum gets too cluttered, it becomes a liability when trying to get new blood to be willing to stick around and contribute. Maybe, just maybe, this site should implement a tag, and just let it run a search on gatherer (the card name clicked on becomes the search criteria) if a seperate database isn't possible.