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Chat => General Discussion => Topic started by: Quixoticish on September 17, 2009, 17:05:41 PM

Title: People pronouncing technology related acronyms
Post by: Quixoticish on September 17, 2009, 17:05:41 PM
Does anyone find it strange when people pronounce acronyms as though they are a word?

Ive just had a conversation with someone about computer hardware. IDE was as you might expect it. I.D.E. PCI was exactly the same, P.C.I. They threw me for a minute talking about "sass" drives (SAS) and I didnt have a clue what they were on about when they were talking about "sartar" drives (Ive heard it pronounced "saytah" as well, meaning SATA). Strangely though SLI was just "S.L.I" even though they could probably get away with a cheeky and sort of acceptable sounding "sly", even though "Ive got two graphics cards in sly" still sounds weird.

Pronouncing acronyms as words only sounds correct if they actually do make a genuine word. The only computing one I can think of that really works is RAID, but if it doesnt actually make a genuine word then pronouncing it as one just sounds totally bizarre to my ears, sticking with saying the letters is so much easier.

Has anyone else ever pondered this, or is it just me over thinking things?
Title: People pronouncing technology related acronyms
Post by: Binary Shadow on September 17, 2009, 17:28:56 PM
sata pissed me off to begin with, everyone does it now though so meh!, and scsi, scuzzi or however they say it??? whatever!
Title: Re:People pronouncing technology related acronyms
Post by: mr_roll on September 17, 2009, 17:36:55 PM
oshba = USB - I say this.
Title: Re:People pronouncing technology related acronyms
Post by: zpyder on September 17, 2009, 17:43:51 PM
The ones I say that I can think of are:

SATA = sar-tar (damn southern accent)
RAID = RAID (not that I ever use that one)
IDE = eyed
SCSI = scuzzi

Not being too techy I cant think of any others I may use/have used though Im sure in due time Ill be reminded.
Title: People pronouncing technology related acronyms
Post by: bear on September 17, 2009, 18:00:29 PM
It is common in swedish to make words of acronyms, well
the ones which can be read as a word, like SAAB which is an acronym for "Swedish Aeroplane limited (AktieBolag)"
but not for acronyms which does not make a word like
LKAB "Lossuvara Kiruna limited).
For foreign ones like SCSI I say scuzzi beacause that is what people say and I think that is imported anyway.
So I say SATA and RAID as words but not IDE (even if ide is a word but has the meaning "winter lair" so it would be wrong to use)
Title: People pronouncing technology related acronyms
Post by: White Giant on September 17, 2009, 18:07:38 PM
I only say Sly and Scuzzi.
Title: Re:People pronouncing technology related acronyms
Post by: zpyder on September 17, 2009, 18:25:00 PM
What about shortening words that arent acronyms?

IE, do you ever say mobo instead of motherboard...?
Title: Re:People pronouncing technology related acronyms
Post by: Clock'd 0Ne on September 17, 2009, 18:43:10 PM
As far as I can tell, these conventions come from the industry and the length of the word. Anything of 4+ letters seems to be an automatic qualifier, and anything thats generally non-consumer like SCSI, RAID and so forth are.

I always say S.C.S.I. despite the number of people I hear saying "scuzzy" simply because the IT professionals saying it have now, for me personally, made the word a synonym for twat.

I always said S.L.I. and I.D.E, but of course say raid. I used to say A.T.A, and started saying S.A.T.A but now so many people say "sarta" that ive had to adopt it.
Title: Re:People pronouncing technology related acronyms
Post by: Pete on September 17, 2009, 19:36:20 PM
Sequel reaaly pisses me off. Its S.Q.L.
Title: Re:People pronouncing technology related acronyms
Post by: Clock'd 0Ne on September 17, 2009, 20:32:28 PM
Ive never heard that, but if I ever heard someone actually say sequal I think I would be tempted to tell them they sound like a tool calling it that.
Title: People pronouncing technology related acronyms
Post by: Russell on September 17, 2009, 21:00:10 PM
Everyones guilty of some of them but sarta for SATA is really annoying, whats wrong with saying Serial A.T.A., after all thats what it is, a serial version of A.T.A, you can then also use it for Parallel A.T.A. although its usually easier to say I.D.E.
Title: Re:People pronouncing technology related acronyms
Post by: Eggtastico on September 17, 2009, 21:20:47 PM
I bet everyone of you c**ts call it a cdrom drive
Title: People pronouncing technology related acronyms
Post by: Binary Shadow on September 17, 2009, 21:25:53 PM
nah its an optical drive
Title: Re:People pronouncing technology related acronyms
Post by: mr_roll on September 17, 2009, 21:27:08 PM
Quote from: EggtasticoI bet everyone of you c**ts call it a cdrom drive

I call my optical a doovde drive :p

tbh I say D.V.D.R.W or C.D.R.W.

From time to time I say cdrom drive, just for you Egg
Title: People pronouncing technology related acronyms
Post by: knighty on September 17, 2009, 22:18:18 PM
how the hell did SATA become sartar ?

I always say... sat-a
Title: Re:People pronouncing technology related acronyms
Post by: Clock'd 0Ne on September 17, 2009, 22:21:40 PM
Quote from: EggtasticoI bet everyone of you c**ts call it a cdrom drive

What do you call it, a cudrom?
Title: Re:People pronouncing technology related acronyms
Post by: zpyder on September 17, 2009, 22:53:33 PM
I call my monitor the Visual Display Unit :|


Ive just remembered about something back at college. The IT course I was doing had a unit on "The internet" (yeah, I know), and the guy presenting it kept refering to ZDNet. However it seemed every other week he changed how he pronounced it, sometimes itd be zed-net, and other times zee-dee-net. Once or twice I think he also used a hybrid zed-dee-net. Ultimately in our boredom I emailed them and asked them how the people at their offices pronounced it. The response was that it seemed the staff all used a different mix!
Title: Re:People pronouncing technology related acronyms
Post by: Smugs on September 17, 2009, 22:54:33 PM
Yeh I say Sat-Ah as well also Scuzzi and Raid, not that I use the last two much though.
Title: Re:People pronouncing technology related acronyms
Post by: XEntity on September 17, 2009, 23:25:51 PM
How it should all be pronounced:

(http://www.maniacworld.com/guy-wants-doovde-player.jpg)

DVD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjH9cEoEup8

VCR
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bwg0QzWVXto&feature=related

HMV
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfy2daZLOvY&feature=related

DHL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xryxmx0tWYY&feature=related
Title: Re:People pronouncing technology related acronyms
Post by: BigSoy on September 17, 2009, 23:42:08 PM
All the cool kids are doing it, get over it.

Listen to this and and STFU or shutfu eh :)

http://www.stephenfry.com/2008/12/22/series-2-episode-3-language/

Title: Re:People pronouncing technology related acronyms
Post by: zpyder on September 18, 2009, 09:15:46 AM
stfu = stuff-ooo

Who says lol and who says L.O.L?

Tbh if anyone says it IRL (erl) they deserve to be shot...
Title: People pronouncing technology related acronyms
Post by: Edd on September 18, 2009, 10:28:16 AM
ive recently gone back to college and all the kids actually say "lol"
no sh*t

i remember when if u said sh*t like that u got a dirty look for being a computer geek
Title: People pronouncing technology related acronyms
Post by: Quixoticish on September 18, 2009, 10:31:07 AM
Quote from: Eddive recently gone back to college and all the kids actually say "lol"
no sh*t

i remember when if u said sh*t like that u got a dirty look for being a computer geek

Ive noticed a lot of people saying "OMG" as well, rather than just saying "oh my god".

Very strange, makes you sound like a tool.
Title: People pronouncing technology related acronyms
Post by: skidzilla on September 18, 2009, 11:46:58 AM
SWF = Swiffs.
Title: Re:People pronouncing technology related acronyms
Post by: Serious on September 19, 2009, 02:35:21 AM
Quote from: EggtasticoI bet everyone of you c**ts call it a cdrom drive

Mines a DVD drive, you are obviously so last century.
Title: Re:People pronouncing technology related acronyms
Post by: mr_roll on September 19, 2009, 17:07:34 PM
We could get t shirts with "I said OMG before it was cool" or "I started the thing of saying OMG"
Title: People pronouncing technology related acronyms
Post by: Edd on September 19, 2009, 17:11:35 PM
No, we couldnt
Title: People pronouncing technology related acronyms
Post by: bear on September 19, 2009, 17:29:52 PM
About scuzzi  I remember that use from early 90s so much easier to say than S.C.S.I (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SCSI)
Title: People pronouncing technology related acronyms
Post by: DEViANCE on September 19, 2009, 17:58:24 PM
Quote from: Eddive recently gone back to college and all the kids actually say "lol"
no sh*t

i remember when if u said sh*t like that u got a dirty look for being a computer geek

I remember the first time I heard someone say LOL out loud when someone made a joke, it was at LAN Party and a really geeky lad, I felt so embarrassed for him but I made a point of avoiding him forever, not seen him since  :mutley:

Quite a few people seem to do it now though.
Title: People pronouncing technology related acronyms
Post by: Sam on September 19, 2009, 19:29:03 PM
I say

sat-a
scuzzi
s.l.i

I too think its daft when people say sequel.

And my mate has the best. For www. he says
dub dub dub dot
Title: Re:People pronouncing technology related acronyms
Post by: zpyder on September 19, 2009, 20:03:00 PM
I think next time I have to say a website Im going to say whir-dot-xxx-dot-com :D
Title: Re:People pronouncing technology related acronyms
Post by: soopahfly on September 20, 2009, 11:30:33 AM
I say :

Sar-ta
RAID
Scuzzi ( I have this in my rig, so Im aloud)

And for some bizzare reason : S.Q.L = Squirrel.

Rest of my kit is too old to have newfangles acronyms.
Title: Re:People pronouncing technology related acronyms
Post by: zpyder on September 20, 2009, 11:48:24 AM
One day we may hear someone call DDR Ram Dance Dance Revolution memory...
Title: Re:People pronouncing technology related acronyms
Post by: Mark on September 20, 2009, 13:05:10 PM
SQL is often completely incorrectly pronounced sequel. It isnt sequel. Its S-Q-L

Sequel is a patent held by another company.

Id only ever refer to SCSI drives by their interface types, and speed - never SCSI.
Title: Re:People pronouncing technology related acronyms
Post by: zpyder on September 20, 2009, 15:47:16 PM
I must admit that there have been a few times where someone has mentioned sequel when talking about databases and the likes, to start with I didnt know what they were talking about. Knowing this is sure to not get me a few jobs now as Im almost guaranteed to correct someone should they ask if I know sequel or could learn it... ><
Title: Re:People pronouncing technology related acronyms
Post by: Cypher on September 20, 2009, 19:27:20 PM
Scuzzi and Seequel I hear all the time from IT Professional and Web developers.  It makes sense anyway.

SATAR is just gay.
Title: Re:People pronouncing technology related acronyms
Post by: Dave on September 20, 2009, 23:09:50 PM
Quote from: PeteSequel reaaly pisses me off. Its S.Q.L.

^^^

this

had it said like this in a job interview question and it left me blank for a second - "oh you mean S.Q.L......"

turned out the hiring manager didnt know much SQL anyway and was just interested if I did.

Quotehow the hell did SATA become sartar ?

I always say... sat-a

northern/southern thing I guess - i.e. longer a:    s-ah-ta

Id say it with a short-northern-ish a too - sat-a

though I mix up northern/southern ways of saying things as I was raised in the Midlands..... I think saying something like Bath northern style with a short a just makes people sound thick tbh...
Title: Re:People pronouncing technology related acronyms
Post by: Pete on September 20, 2009, 23:12:09 PM
Its not satar its satta.
Optical drive is a rom.
SQL is S.Q.L.
Scuzzi is fine.
Whurrrrrrr is fine for www.