Comments on: Acronymity http://crookedtimber.org/2005/07/17/acronymity/ Out of the crooked timber of humanity, no straight thing was ever made Sun, 21 Mar 2010 23:54:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Edd http://crookedtimber.org/2005/07/17/acronymity/comment-page-1/#comment-82344 Edd Tue, 19 Jul 2005 19:14:26 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2005/07/17/acronymity/#comment-82344 Shome mishtake, shurely? Shome mishtake, shurely?

]]> By: paul lawson http://crookedtimber.org/2005/07/17/acronymity/comment-page-1/#comment-82185 paul lawson Tue, 19 Jul 2005 07:35:03 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2005/07/17/acronymity/#comment-82185 Shurely (or more correctly, "Shurely, Ed.") is courtesy of Lunchtime O'Booze and Lord Gnome of 'Private Eye', as I recall. Shurely may have been coined by a number of people at the 'Eye'. Rushton? Ingrams? Wells? The word may be pronounced in either the English, or Irish, manner-- depending on whom you were drinking with at the 'Nag's Head', or elsewhere. In dire circumstance, calling in and requesting the "[...] is unwell" slug, would shurely be countenanced by editors, themselves, by now, 'unwell'. Jeffrey Bernard was deft at this. Lord Gnome was the successor to Rothermere--the Lord Copper of 'Scoop'. The accent is, of course, on the shlurred sibilant. Shurely. Shurely (or more correctly, “Shurely, Ed.”) is courtesy of Lunchtime O’Booze and Lord Gnome of ‘Private Eye’, as I recall.

Shurely may have been coined by a number of people at the ‘Eye’. Rushton? Ingrams? Wells?

The word may be pronounced in either the English, or Irish, manner—depending on whom you were drinking with at the ‘Nag’s Head’, or elsewhere.

In dire circumstance, calling in and requesting the “[...] is unwell” slug, would shurely be countenanced by editors, themselves, by now, ‘unwell’.

Jeffrey Bernard was deft at this.

Lord Gnome was the successor to Rothermere—the Lord Copper of ‘Scoop’.

The accent is, of course, on the shlurred sibilant. Shurely.

]]> By: ogmb http://crookedtimber.org/2005/07/17/acronymity/comment-page-1/#comment-82086 ogmb Tue, 19 Jul 2005 04:15:42 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2005/07/17/acronymity/#comment-82086 That's ACT 0200, <i>OZ</i> That’s

ACT 0200, OZ

]]> By: engels http://crookedtimber.org/2005/07/17/acronymity/comment-page-1/#comment-82085 engels Tue, 19 Jul 2005 03:27:48 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2005/07/17/acronymity/#comment-82085 Another CT thread descends into acronymy... Another CT thread descends into acronymy…

]]> By: snuh http://crookedtimber.org/2005/07/17/acronymity/comment-page-1/#comment-82066 snuh Mon, 18 Jul 2005 23:53:10 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2005/07/17/acronymity/#comment-82066 "shurley"? “shurley”?

]]> By: DGF http://crookedtimber.org/2005/07/17/acronymity/comment-page-1/#comment-82025 DGF Mon, 18 Jul 2005 19:56:49 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2005/07/17/acronymity/#comment-82025 If you don't pronounce the letters as a word, it's an initialism, not an acronym. If you don’t pronounce the letters as a word, it’s an initialism, not an acronym.

]]> By: Elliot Essman http://crookedtimber.org/2005/07/17/acronymity/comment-page-1/#comment-81887 Elliot Essman Mon, 18 Jul 2005 15:50:55 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2005/07/17/acronymity/#comment-81887 You can get into some trouble with acronyms. I am a food writer. I recently offended someone by saying I wanted to take a course at the CIA (Culinary Institute of America). This august institute actually has an FBI (Food and Beverage Institute). But there is more confusion. My organization, the IACP (International Association of Culinary Professionals) is often mistaken for the other IACP (International Association of Chiefs of Police). One is dot com, the other dot org. You can get into some trouble with acronyms. I am a food writer. I recently offended someone by saying I wanted to take a course at the CIA (Culinary Institute of America). This august institute actually has an FBI (Food and Beverage Institute). But there is more confusion. My organization, the IACP (International Association of Culinary Professionals) is often mistaken for the other IACP (International Association of Chiefs of Police). One is dot com, the other dot org.

]]> By: jlw http://crookedtimber.org/2005/07/17/acronymity/comment-page-1/#comment-81883 jlw Mon, 18 Jul 2005 15:22:41 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2005/07/17/acronymity/#comment-81883 Back in the day, I informed Glenn Seaborg that his entire address was composed entirely of elements: Sg (seaborgium) Lr (lawrencium) Bk (berkelium) Cf (californium) Am (americium) I never tried mailing anything to that address, but Seaborg was tickled to find out about it. Back in the day, I informed Glenn Seaborg that his entire address was composed entirely of elements:

Sg (seaborgium)
Lr (lawrencium)
Bk (berkelium)
Cf (californium)
Am (americium)

I never tried mailing anything to that address, but Seaborg was tickled to find out about it.

]]> By: jacob http://crookedtimber.org/2005/07/17/acronymity/comment-page-1/#comment-81874 jacob Mon, 18 Jul 2005 14:35:14 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2005/07/17/acronymity/#comment-81874 Re #3: In theory, you could still do that for Yale undergraduates, where addressing something to 06520-4288 would send mail to Box 204288 Yale Station. I don't know anyone who tried that though; Yale students are more apt to try to adress mail the old fashioned way (4288 Yale Station) than some new-fangled way with zip codes. There's also a story about a letter addressed to Mr. Hot Dog, Washington, which was correctly delivered to Felix Frankfurter. Re #3: In theory, you could still do that for Yale undergraduates, where addressing something to 06520-4288 would send mail to Box 204288 Yale Station. I don’t know anyone who tried that though; Yale students are more apt to try to adress mail the old fashioned way (4288 Yale Station) than some new-fangled way with zip codes.

There’s also a story about a letter addressed to Mr. Hot Dog, Washington, which was correctly delivered to Felix Frankfurter.

]]> By: Peter http://crookedtimber.org/2005/07/17/acronymity/comment-page-1/#comment-81868 Peter Mon, 18 Jul 2005 13:49:31 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2005/07/17/acronymity/#comment-81868 An English friend of mine (let's call him "John Smith") working in Lesotho once received a letter sent from England addressed to: "John Smith Lesotho" It was delivered because of one of his former students happened to be working at the time in the dead-letter office of Lesotho Postal service, and knew where he currently was living. An English friend of mine (let’s call him “John Smith”) working in Lesotho once received a letter sent from England addressed to:

“John Smith
Lesotho”

It was delivered because of one of his former students happened to be working at the time in the dead-letter office of Lesotho Postal service, and knew where he currently was living.

]]> By: Harry http://crookedtimber.org/2005/07/17/acronymity/comment-page-1/#comment-81773 Harry Mon, 18 Jul 2005 12:11:31 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2005/07/17/acronymity/#comment-81773 I was once delivered a letter addressed to Harry Rose Hill Oxford which since I didn't even live in Rose Hill made me feel extremely famous. I was once delivered a letter addressed to

Harry
Rose Hill
Oxford

which since I didn’t even live in Rose Hill made me feel extremely famous.

]]> By: Michael H. http://crookedtimber.org/2005/07/17/acronymity/comment-page-1/#comment-81769 Michael H. Mon, 18 Jul 2005 11:30:50 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2005/07/17/acronymity/#comment-81769 I was told by by someone who once worked for USPS that all you need to put on an envelope for delivery is the 9 digit zip plus the last 2 digits of you home address plus apt number (if applicable). So a letter addressed to 22206999999 will go to some home in Arlington VA. The USPS doesn't advertise this fact because if you happen to get one digit wrong, there will be no hope of getting the letter to the right address. I was told by by someone who once worked for USPS that all you need to put on an envelope for delivery is the 9 digit zip plus the last 2 digits of you home address plus apt number (if applicable). So a letter addressed to 22206999999 will go to some home in Arlington VA.

The USPS doesn’t advertise this fact because if you happen to get one digit wrong, there will be no hope of getting the letter to the right address.

]]> By: Chris http://crookedtimber.org/2005/07/17/acronymity/comment-page-1/#comment-81758 Chris Mon, 18 Jul 2005 06:25:33 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2005/07/17/acronymity/#comment-81758 While I was at college in Cambridge, a postcard was delivered to: XY (the initials of the recipient, which I have forgotten!) Q CB UK While I was at college in Cambridge, a postcard was delivered to:

XY (the initials of the recipient, which I have forgotten!)
Q

CB
UK

]]> By: Craig http://crookedtimber.org/2005/07/17/acronymity/comment-page-1/#comment-81757 Craig Mon, 18 Jul 2005 06:21:23 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2005/07/17/acronymity/#comment-81757 For some time, you could write to students at William and Mary by writing just their zip code on an envelope (the zip code being the five digits for the student mail room and the four of the student's mailbox). Nine characters, it seems to me, is pretty impressive addressing parsimony. For some time, you could write to students at William and Mary by writing just their zip code on an envelope (the zip code being the five digits for the student mail room and the four of the student’s mailbox).

Nine characters, it seems to me, is pretty impressive addressing parsimony.

]]> By: MollyMooly http://crookedtimber.org/2005/07/17/acronymity/comment-page-1/#comment-81756 MollyMooly Mon, 18 Jul 2005 05:16:54 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2005/07/17/acronymity/#comment-81756 prior to 9/11 you could write to: WCBS WTC NYC NY USA prior to 9/11 you could write to:
WCBS
WTC
NYC
NY
USA

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