There’s something that’s really been getting my goat lately. Well, there are lots of things, but this thing in particular is really making me steam: the use of the acronym AIBU. (If you don’t know what that means, lucky you – it stands for ‘am I being unreasonable?’)
AIBU is everywhere – permeating social media, clogging up my inbox in the subject line of blog posts and Mumsnet Daily updates and basically driving me insane.
At the risk of alienating my entire readership, I blame the early Mumsnetters with their DSs and DDs (darling sons and darling daughters). Slowly but surely two letter acronyms have become three, four and even five letters, to the point that you spend your whole time googling what they mean in order to understand what on earth someone is talking about.
These are just a few acronyms I’ve found myself googling lately:
IRL – in real life
AFAIK – as far as I know
FWIW – for what it’s worth
IIRC – if I remember correctly
JFGI – just f**king google it
I realise being as concise as possible is the name of the game, particularly when you only have 140 characters or less in order to say what you want to say, but is this really what the world is coming to?
The reason AIBU particularly winds me up is that in almost every case I’ve seen it used the person isn’t, in fact, being unreasonable – or not in their eyes anyway. So why ask if they’re so certain they’re right?
For example:
‘AIBU to think that a potty in a trolley is a step too far’. No, you’re not being unreasonable. That’s disgusting.
‘AIBU to think that you don’t make a phone call after 9pm just for a chat?’ No, you’re not being unreasonable. Unless someone is dead or dying.
‘AIBU to leave my drunk, vomiting husband to it?’ No, you’re absolutely not being unreasonable. It serves him right.
You see the theme. Obviously I’m being a tad hypocritical, as I have used AIBU not once but twice in the title of this post…
What do you think? Do you use the term AIBU, or do you, like me, hate it? AIBU?!
If you liked this you may also enjoy reading:
‘AIBU to ask for a short term loan that doesn’t cost a fortune?’ No you’re not! Try NowLoan.co.uk!
This is a collaborative post.
Linking up with these fabulous blogs!
Hate acronyms with a passion drive me mad. I have to resort to google too to work out what they mean. Feels ‘old’ like someone’s trying to be down with the kids. Yes Twitter limitations are hard but aren’t we writers, surely we can find another way to say stuff without this!!! Thank you on behalf of all acronym haters. Just realised I do TY will stop now!
Acronyms wind me up, I am always googling what they are! I haven’t come across this one thankfully, but I will add it to my list that annoy me!! x #TheList
I didn’t actually know what the term meant til I read this post. I’ve always wondered but not wanted to look utterly ignorant by asking! Thanks for clearing that up! Yes, it’s totally overused! #effitfriday
If I’m honest, I clicked because I didn’t know what it meant! AIBU if that makes me feel old?
I hate acronyms – I *almost* never use ‘lol’, unless I’m being incredibly dry and write ‘lols’. Which is rare. I generally prefer ‘ha’, because it’s a word.
FWIW I’m with you. X
#TheList
I had never heard of this term before I read this but I do hate these terms. I hate lol. No, not lol, just write it. I mean how many seconds does it really save? Although I can understand why you would use it in text etc but I know people in real life who say it to me, they say “oh that was just lol”. Whilst I stand there looking all stony face, thinking I hate lol, there is nothing lol about lol. I’m going to stop now as a I feel a rant coming on! #fridayfrolics
Hah Hah Emma you just made me LOL!!!! Brilliant, I’m with you on this!
I have to say I am glad you put what this stands for, I had no idea 🙂 I am not a huge fan of acronyms I spend a lot of time googling things because I have no idea what it all means ha ha! xx #effitfriday
I have never heard of this one, thanks for letting me know what it means! I don’t like acronyms at all, Mumsnet always confuses the hell out of me! I actually didn’t know what the D in DS and DD stand for until I just read it now in your post. I don’t think you’re being unreasonably at all xx #TheList
I had no idea what this meant at all. But I pretty much hate all acronyms. I remember joining MumsNet and had to spend most of the time Googling what the hell DS and DD meant. You’re right,it seems some people just like using them even as you point out when they actually don’t need to use them because they’re clearly not being unreasonable! Whatever next I wonder! #TheList
Can’t say I’m a huge fan of acronyms! I learnt quite a few though, before I fell pregnant with my son, as I spent a lot of time reading forums that used all sorts of random ones, mainly to do with trying to conceive (TTC!). I had to google a lot to work out what people were on about! x #TheList
OMG I’m so not with the lingo hun, never heard of any of these expressions! Yes it does sound a bit annoyed. I remember having to goodle AF and BFP when trying for a baby. They are a minefield xx #justanotherlinky
I have to admit to using them a fair bit – I spend too much time on Tumblr! 🙂 #KCACOLS
The AIBU lark is on Babycentre too, which I used to frequent when pregnant. I don’t mind it, but some people ask some very stupid questions. I’m more concerned about the cattiness of some people in the community. It’s why I spend more time on parenting Facebook groups nowadays. Not so much drama. #KCACOLS
I had no idea what AIBU meant. I do use lol a lot, but I try not to use acronyms in my blog posts if I can help it, they can be annoying.
#KCACOLS
The only ones I like are the rude ones – FFS, WTF and WTAF. Is it ironic that this is linked to #KCACOLS?? Hahhahaha xx Thank you for linking with #KCACOLS and hope to see you again next week. #tribe
I didn’t realise that AIBU had escaped the confines of Mumsnet! It’s my favourite section on there as it’s usually very funny and a good read, but anywhere else it’s a bit of a naff acronym! #KCACOLS
Ha ha! I half saw those mumsnet emails and hadn’t put two and two together, Yes it is very annoying! Thanks for linking up to #TheList x
Oh I completely didn’t know what AIBU was. I hate acronyms. Hate them. ROFL, LOL in particular. They make me feel like everyone is in a cool club that I’m not invited too!!!x
Hahaha! YANBU 😉 I completely agree! #effitfriday x
I had never heard of that but that would annoy me and all letter abbreviations annoy me when I don’t understand haha. Thanks for linking up to #justanotherlinky xx
I swear Mumsnet is sometimes like another world with all the acronyms! I think you’ve put your finger on why this one is particularly irritating – the person rarely thinks that there is any possibility that they’re being unreasonable! YANBU! #KCACOLS
YANBU. Mumset is full of in jokey stuff like this – don’t get me started on the emoji that all have hidden meanings! And my DS and DD are definitely not always correctly referred to as D, either!
x Alice
#kcacols
YANBU! That is the first time I have ever got to use that! It annoys me too. I wouldn’t know any of these if it was not for Mumsnet. I don’t join in mumsnet threads (hence never having used YANBU before), but I do sometimes voyeuristically peruse them as it’s funny to see how crazy people are. Sadly I have to spend half my time googling obscure & far too long acronyms just to know what’s going on! #thelist
Ok, I knew what AIBU was, but thank-you thank-you for clearing up DD and DS. I always wondered what they were! Yes they do my head in too. Although always worth a read for some entertainment. People be crazy! Thanks for linking up to #FridayFrolics
It’s funny how we can’t resist reading something that starts with AIBU!!
Okay so the past few weeks I have been getting emails from Munster with the use of AIBU in the title, I didn’t have the faintest idea what the he’ll it was going on about, thank you for clearing up what AIBU stands for! #fartglitter
Argggh I had never heard of AIBU before but now it is driving me insane too. PSWTAA – Please Stop With The Acronyms Already #fartglitter
Hurrah! So it isn’t just me that doesn’t speak “Mumsnet”. The first few feeds I tried to follow were a nightmare as I tried to work out who the fudge DD and MIL and DH were. I found it much more fun just to make up my own meanings instead: MIL : Monkey in leotard. Need I go on… 😉
Great post – thanks for linking with #fartglitter x
I clicked on this post to find out what AIBU meant lol! Oops sorry, how do we stand with LOL?
I have to agree that I cannot fecking stand the use of DD, DS, OH – back in the days when I was TTC (sorry – another one) I had to google every acronym in those streams and nearly vomited when I found out how wet half of them were…
#fartglitter
Oh I’ve lost many’s an afternoon at work on an AIBU thread !
It’s a new one on me, mind you I’ve only just learnt FYI ! Am loving JFGI though! #fartglitter
AIBU is my fave thread! The thing that makes me giggle most is that you are not actually allowed to tell anyone they’re BU 😀 #FartGlitter
Oh I love this! laughing out loud! I’ve never googled them but my form favourite from today is definitely JFGI – love it! Thank you for sharing – I knew none of them and just made my own version up! #ablogginggoodtime
I actually hadn’t heard of this!! It does drive me a bit mad on mumsnet and the like with all the acronyms, I have to figure out what they mean! This one sounds pointless indeed- although I thought you were going to say it’s like when people say ‘No offence but…’ And go on to say something entirely offensive. #ablogginggoodtime
Hi Natalie, at least you Google the acronyms, I never do, so if my children don’t know them I won’t either. It appears to me that AIBU is used as a way of opening up a conversation, or why else would a person use it?
I don’t use acronyms, I’d rather use two tweets!
xx
AIBU that I don’t use it and had never even heard of it?!? AIBU that I will never use it again and actually it annoys me just a bloody little?!? Thanks for enlightening me
Thanks for linking to #ablogginggoodtime
As a member of Gransnet (!!) I have been bemused by the daft acronyms and ended up giving in and Googling. Hence, I found this blog.
Writing acronyms is one thing, speaking them is another ……
Teacher: You were reminded yesterday that you would need your PE kit today.
Child: FYI my mum put it in the wash.