In the age of text and instant messaging, acronyms and initialism have become very popular. It’s usually easy to spot an initialism such as LOL or BRB because the letters don’t make much sense unless you know what they stand for. Acronyms, however, are words made up of initial letters, which can make them confusing at times. Here are just a few that might pop up in your child’s conversations.
TIME
This acronym is short for Tears In My Eyes, a common reaction to observing sad stories or hearing extremely funny jokes.
GOAT
If you saw an article titled “Goat Water Filtration System Pensacola FL,” you might wonder if those spunky animals actually care about having clean water. It turns out that GOAT actually stands for Greatest Of All Time, and while that is useful if you’re looking for an excellent tap water, you might not need it if you’re hydrating farm animals.
BAE
There’s some dispute over whether this acronym is short for Babe or if it stands for Before Anyone Else. Either way, it’s a sweet endearment that often refers to a romantic partner but can also be used to refer to an important friend or relative.
GRAS
Although the parties thrown as part of fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras aren’t always safe, most things with the acronym GRAS are acceptable. That’s because this acronym stands for Generally Recognized As Safe.
BUMP
Sometimes you’ve made an excellent point on one of your social media pages, and you need someone to read it. You can tell them to BUMP, Bring Up My Post. Just make sure you don’t tell them to “bump it,” or you risk being redundant.
There are hundreds of shorthand ways to communicate online. Finding out what they mean isn’t a requirement for becoming a cool parent, but it can make texting with your family more fun.
