Using the NFL as a prank – SCN Encourager 4/26/13

Is the NFL now a “UA?” For some, it may be …

In yesterday’s Encourager, I made light of our use (over-use?) of school-related acronyms.  Somehow my discovery that “the NFL” can also mean “the National Forensics League” now seems like a dirty trick played on me by our high school’s performing arts department.

I probably enjoyed writing about this a-ha moment far too much. But, as my wife frequently says to me, “I love you because you possess such an amazing capacity for entertaining yourself.” (This is a compliment, right?)

Anyway, my personal wackiness isn’t the issue here.

What surprised me was how our daily battle with acronyms struck a common chord with school leaders and communicators. I received a fair amount of feedback.

Apparently, many of us would agree with the notion that the evolution of communications will recycle from the predicted Web 4.0 reality way back to the Neanderthal days – where we return to pointing and grunting out quick letter formations to each other.

And we’re likely already inching down this path. (Ooh. Urg.) When we jump up out of our seats and perform Y-M-C-A at a sporting event, this shouldn’t be considered a mere “break in the action” entertainment. It’s not. We professionals know it to be the future of communications.

One college professor who read yesterday’s Encourager sent back this interesting observation:

“I am grading graduate student grants from GVSU and the use of UA (Unidentified Acronyms) is astonishing.”

Good thing she told us what UA meant. I never would’ve guessed it.

Good thing she also knew she could count on me to amuse myself and fill you in on the rest: GVSU = Grand Valley State University.

Tom Page, SCN