| Shortened forms of short words (6) | Thursday, Mar 13, 2008 2:25 pm |
My sister likes to use "ck" as a shortened form of the word "check", as in, "I'll ck on that as soon as I can." It's annoying. Please stop.
For one, the word "check" is already short enough. It's five letters long. Did we really need to invent a word to shorten a five-letter word? I don't think so.
Second of all, you're the only person in the universe who uses this shortened form. It's not common among the general population like "IRS" or "CNN". It's not even common with the young kids with their "lol" and their "cya". Nobody knows what "ck" means. Every time we read it in one of your emails, we have to stop and analyze the context clues in the sentence to determine the word's meaning.
Third, it's the only word you chose to shorten. It's not like you made up this whole shortened language where every word longer than four letters has a shortened form. Nope. You write everything normal, and then spring a "ck" out of nowhere. This is unacceptable. Please stop.
Since I assume I am the afore-mentioned "sister," I had to respond:
(1) I do not consider myself to be part of the "text messaging" generation - it is a new feature of life to me. In fact, I just got a text message on my lan line today (if that's even what you call the phone sitting on my desk) and I was shocked to discover you could do that. So, I'm not "up" on all the "hip" new shortened words that you young wipper-snappers use. I did not realize "ck" was not in that list.
2) I've used "ck" all my life. You of all people, having received countless book and school-note hand-me-downs from me over the years, should know what I mean by it.
3)I am my own, independent person, and I can use shortened words that I've made up if I want to. Our other sister got to make up her own words and hang them on her door . . . can't I get one little measily abbreviation that makes perfect sense in my own little universe?
4) Geesh.
It's a slightly different abbreviations of check but we routinely use "chk by" as an abbreviated form of "Checked By" as we have to put this on top of every calculation and drawing that we produce.
"Checked By" is ten characters, so shortening it makes sense, especially when you have to write it six bazillian times a day.
I've been thinking about it all day, and the best comeback I can come up with is this: Ck is dumb.
wow...i have to assume that there is a special sibling bond/inside joke thing going on, otherwise you kind of sound like a jerk....
course i forgot the 'hedge' that with 1) i'm biased as i'm friends with dana & 2) i'm weird b/c i read regularly & comment on a total strangers blog.
No special bond, I'm just a jerk.