TMI

I am sure you have noticed that over the past several decades our mother tongue has suffered an infestation of acronyms that sometimes seems to threaten the fundamental vocabulary of all Americans -- or else it's a new vocabulary sort of like no punctuation is becoming a trend and confusing everyone.  Anyway -- I am not sure where it officially started, but I recall the use of LOL in the 80's. Then again AWOL probably came before that .. as well as SOS.  Who knows? Does it matter? Is this happening in other languages? 

The thing is that acronyms seem to have become a little on the out of control side with their use on social media and in texting. Did you know that internet acronyms are also called "universal strings"? TMI? I bought a little dictionary of acronyms a few years ago so I could figure out what people were talking about, but ...  it appears to be hiding somewhere in my book room. I sometimes struggle to know what people are talking about, but I do try to figure it out.  I also use punctuation as I think it is helpful. Call me OF (old fashioned? old fart?)

ASAP, LOL, FYI, TTYL, OMG, BFF are pretty well known.  BRB (be right back), GMTA (great minds think alike), IMHO (in my humble opinion), and MTFBWY (may the force be with you) are somewhat less popular, but I have run into them more than once. Current in the political arena are MAGA (Make America Great Again) which triggers those with TDS (Trump Derangement Syndrome). SMH (shaking my head).  Do you have a favorite? ROTFL (rolling on the floor laughing)? POS (parent over shoulder)? What is your point of view (POV)?

The thing is acronyms are getting longer and longer and harder and harder to decipher.  Received a meme in a text a bit ago. JOGAYOP If it had not had an explanation with it, I don't think I would have "gotten it"  I will share.  The joy of going at your own pace.  I like JOGAYOP.  It's what I do. IWID. (I just made up that last one. I think I like it. (ITILI). Actually it probably already exists. (AIPAE).  Like I said -- an infestation.