IMO: Do we need acronyms for official communication?



The usage of acronyms is not very recent or since the advent of the Internet age. We all know acronyms such as AM and PM and that, they have been used since the Roman era - and we continue to use them.

However in the past few years, we have been noticing an increase of using acronyms in official communications; in the corporate world (words such as FYI, ASAP, IMO, BTW et. al.). I want to ask readers a question here: Are we setting the right example for the younger generation and is it fine to use acronyms in official communication? Are we not content in just restricting these acronyms to SMS (oh, yes this too is an acronym for Short message service) and to WhatsApp and other networking platforms? How much time would it take to write 'for your information' instead of FYI? Hope IMO to everyone means In my Opinion but could that not also mean "In memory of" to someone from the old generation (no offence but it could mean that too).

Recently, I received a chat that stated "OTOH" and I literally had to decode it to find out that it meant 'on the other hand'. I wonder how many would have known that. I can also say that atleast 90% of online users who have been using acronyms and short message service or sending chats would not know what LMGTFY means. Well, I leave that for you to Google (this is the best hint I can ever give).


Possibly, millennial was one generation that was at the cusp of seeing the fading of one way of life and the onset of another. We saw the emergence of new devices and others getting obsolete. (such as audio cassettes, VCR; another acronym etc.)

Typewriters may sound alien to the current generation. Belonging to that generation, I feel we were more exposed to the physical world than the virtual world and we must have consumed thousands of pens and pencils in our life as compared to the current generation. The way teachers used to explain to us, writing in cursive and ensure we do not use short forms has certainly helped us (in geography class, we used to write ante-meridian and post meridian with AM and PM respectively in brackets). Words such as LOL, ROFLMAO will sound alien to our parents. Does the current generation not have that much time to write the full forms in corporate communication (email in particular)? What has changed then?

Are we setting a wrong example to the new generation who are going to enter a corporate world? Is there a way out we can educate the employees in using full forms instead of acronyms? Is proper written communication in corporate world still relevant or are we heading to a new normal?

Have you faced similar experiences at the work space? Do share your thoughts.

In my opinion (IMO), we do not need acronyms in official communication

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