Got Acronyms?

I read an AP article on acronyms today, sort of a "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader" fodder type article. So, being Independence Day and determined to kick back and think about something other than the ba-gillion things I could be doing, I tested my knowledge.

Hmm. Surprising.

Did you know the word NOPE was originally an acronym? I didn't. Apparently, it's one of those words whose usefulness transcended fad and became a word on its own merit. Originally, it was intended to mean "not on this planet". Appropriate, to say the least.

How about WWILF? It began as "what was I looking for" but has morphed into the British slang WILFING, which means aimless internet searching (esp. at work).

Here's one with a negative connotation: BSO. It's stands for "bright, shiny object" and is commonly used to imply a distraction. I'm sooo going to use that one :)

My favorite for the day was BIMBO. Yes, it's been around for a long time. We all know what it means because, like NOPE, it's transcended its original purpose to become a word of its own. But did you know it originated from the Italian word for baby: bambino? From there, it morphed into the acronym BIMBO. It's meaning: "body impressive. Brain optional." Appropo
These acronyms have so much more meaning for me, now.

If you'd like to learn more about this fascinating subject, check out the article at http://www.att.net/s/editorial.dll?eetype=Article&eeid=5946005&render=y&ck=&Table=&_lid=332&_lnm=yahoo+todayslink+acronyms
Happy Writing,
Sherry