On Sun, 30 Apr 2000, MaryK wrote:

> I'm a relatively new birder and am definitely new to Tweeters. Will
> someone kindly tell me where to find a list/dictionary of all those
> four-letter bird name abbreviations? Thanks in advance!

Well, I'm an old birder and a longtime Tweeter, and I find the use of
these four-letter abbreviations distinctly distasteful. I wish people
would stop using the damn things. I wish they were outlawed. (Dan?!) Our
society has some kind of time-saving craze (though I don't think most
people have any good reason to be saving their time), and presumably these
abbreviations are supposed to save time in typing. Nonsense, I say.
Nonsense! I'll bet it takes longer to think of the proper abbreviation
and type it than to just, simply type the ordinary English name of the
bird. Then consider the time-saving of the rest of us who have to spend
time puzzling over the meaning of your little abbreviation. I often skip
messages containing these things just because it's not worth the effort to
figure them out. So I say fie on ye, fie on ye all! I say, "Ordinary
names now and forever!" All those who agree with me, meet under yonder
great cedar, and we will make our battle plans. Onward, brave comrades,
onward!

Burt Guttman guttmanb at elwha.evergreen.edu
The Evergreen State College Voice: 360-866-6000, x. 6755
Olympia, WA 98505 FAX: 360-866-6794

Reunite Gondwana!