Acronyms across WikiTree

Question

I have been hanging out here for 3 years and know, or can figure out, most the of acronyms fellow wiki tree folks use.

A couple of times I have mentioned in G2G that acronyms really confuse new members and we should try not to use so many like PPP, PGM, LNAB etc. I know it does take longer to spell out the phrase and do agree that quicker is better. It would also help  to know the acronyms if I was wondering about Last Name at Birth issues and wanted to search G2G - I could search LNAB, or if I really didn't care about PPP and knew  what it meant so I did not need to look at those in G2G.

DOD and DOB are examples that could be added to the list and used efficiently. I love acronyms - but I need to know what they mean before they have any value.

So, my solution is a page where the common acronyms are listed. The page would be open so that new ones could be added, but some how restricted to those most commonly used (so the list is not 10 pages long).

I really think such a list would help with some of the confusion and frustration I read in G2G from new members.

edited to add the tags leaders & improvements

Comments

I swear I do more typos on here than anywhere ;-)

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Hi Liz,

I like your idea of  2 free-space pages entitled for "Abbreviations & Acronyms that are linked to the Glossary in the Help Pages.  So it can be edited/added by anyone who has signed the honor code.  Good plan.

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I just saw a post for NPE -- still don't know what it means, yet

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Please see the new page [WikiTree Abbreviations & Acronyms]. It has a link to the Glossary at the top and two sections: "WikiTree Acronyms & Abbreviations" and "External Links". It has the acronyms/abbreviations included in this thread* that aren't listed in the Glossary or in one of the external links. (Notice I just did the one page, that includes an "External Links" section instead of a second page for those.)

Thanks for the suggestion!

* except NPE - I don't know that one either.

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Dennis - I found it! from http://acronyms.thefreedictionary.com/NPE

NPE  Non-Paternity Event (genetic genealogy)

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Liz,

What about adding the acronyms that are used for sources?  The following are used a lot in g2g and in previous months I would spend lots of time in perplexity over them....   And there are probably many additional...

NEHGS

NYGBR

TAG

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I can do that... I was thinking about that when I did the page (I won't tell you how long it took me to figure out what Bartrum was referring to with "DWB").

What do they stand for?

edit: added section/entries & found NEHGS

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I love the oft played TV (television) commercial with two women talking...

1: what does idk mean?

2: "I don't know"

1: I don't either

2: no, it means "I don't know"

1 & 2: [laugh]

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LOL Dennis

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Thank you all for the comments and additions!  And thank you for the new page [WikiTree Abbreviations & Acronyms].  It will clear up a lot of questions.

Answer 1

 

Well said Kristina, 

I am in agreement and the use on this site does confuse if the reader is not accustomed to terms used in Genealogy.  For one thing, the acronyms scream out from the screen in full font, so any improvement would be helpful in my opinion.

A look at the accepted standard on Geni is good for all genealogists to refer to when in doubt of abbreviations found on records.

https://www.geni.com/projects/Abbreviations-Acronyms-for-Genealogy-The-Accepted/3096

 

 

Answer 2

WikiTree does have a Glossary that was started a couple of years ago. Apparently not updated since then. Maybe that could be added to?

Comments

Hi Shirley,

Additionally, perhaps after new members of our community sign the honor code, the glossary could be mentioned in the welcome letter, or a few communications later.  Or maybe when they introduce themselves or the first time they use g2g?

I have to admit that I didn't consider looking for a glossary the first time I became frustrated at not understanding all the acronyms on WikiTree, so could we draw new folks attention to it in so could we draw new folks' attention to it in some way?

Answer 3

I came across another Genealogy Abbreviations site. My question would be, what is an acceptable standard in Genealogy?http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~rigenweb/abbrev.html

Answer 4

I agree with Kristina that acronyms are atrocious for new members of the WikiTree community.

It seems the place to help them would be as Shirley mentions, the "glossary."

I searched the glossary and found only LNAB and PM in the list?

Kristina, I would suggest that you add "wikitree team" to your list of tags, since we are unable to edit the list.

Comments

Hi! I added the tags Leaders & Improvements,

Cheers, Liz

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PM is a particularly problematic abbreviation, since within WikiTree it means both Profile Manager and Private Message.

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thanks Ellen - I added Private Message to PM in the Glossary.

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thanks, Liz

Answer 5

I think this is a wonderful idea, I'm sure I would use it!

Answer 6

NYGBR = New York Genealogical and Biographical Record FamilySearch.org

Comments

yes, you're right Henry.

I found that out about November 2016  --  by asking the question here at g2g.  :-)