Is it better to keep quiet and pretend rather than ask ?

Question

Say you are in a meeting or conversation and someone is speaking and throwing out acronyms like CMR bla bla...should you just pretend you know what the heck he is talking about or just plain out ask--what the **** is ----??

Answer 1

Ask.....It's better to know in the end then not to know.

Answer 2

Ask!
...unless the conversation is taking place in a setting (such as work or school) where the acronym is in common use and the reason you don't know it is you haven't been doing your job or your homework.

In general conversation, it is the speaker's responsibility to communicate clearly, and that includes defining acronyms that wouldn't be known to everyone in the group. The same rule applies in print - spell out the meaning of an acronym the first time it is used in a document. After that, using the abbreviation alone is acceptable.

A couple other things to consider...you should not feel shy or embarrassed to ask about something you don't understand, and instead you should look at asking a question as an opportunity to learn something. People that fear asking a question will make them look bad or reveal their ignorance should remember that it is impossible to know everything, and consider the fact that by asking a question you are letting the speaker know that you are listening and interested enough in what they are saying to ask a question.

It could also be that the speaker does not realize they are using lingo/acronyms that are not understood by all, and your question will provide feedback that will help them better gear their conversation to the audience.

Answer 3

Depends on your balls I suppose? If it's something you should know then that person may try and make you look stupid...so if that's the case I'd find out another way. If that person is just trying to look cool then use ur nads ask that person what they are blathering about and end the misery lol b/c it could just be that everyone else in the room is wondering what the hell it stands for as well. All depends on the situation really. If you just end up not giving a crap just nod your head and smile at the idiot and think to yourself what can CMR stand for Crazy Mutant Rat.
Correlation of Molecular Revolution. lol it could mean anything you want it to.

Answer 4

It is far better to ask and know what you are suppose to know than pretend and risk making a fool out of yourself later. Acronyms are tricky things because one can have several meanings depending on if it's business or pleasure or whatever. The thing to do is ask, but ask in a way as to not sound ignorant of the subject. Do not ask what the acronym means, ask if it means one thing or another. That way you get the answer without the fear of looking like a dolt.

Answer 5

At work I'm going to say FAKE IT! When the meeting is over haul your a** back to your desk and look up the acronym or abbreviation you didn't understand. No way would I ask in front of everyone, especially if you're a woman.

Answer 6

If you are at this meeting it would be assumed that you have a modicum of intelligence. Therefore, if you do not know, others might also be in the same predicament. As one famous Australian once said, "Please Explain" and was ridiculed , now there is almost a universal understanding of the word Xenophobia in Australia. So by asking a supposed "dumb question" the whole group is educated. And this is a possitive thing.

Answer 7

It depends if you are friendly with the person or if this person is an authority figure. If it is a friend, they will probably know by just looking at you that you don't understand what he or she just said. A friend would then explain it. If it is an authority figure, act as though you know what it is but make a mental or written note to yourself if possible to research the acronym.

Answer 8

Just ask. My experience is that if the person talking really wants you to listen to what they have to say they will fill you in and use less acronyms. Plus your standard trying to impress everyone jerk probably doesn't even know what those acronyms are and will then probably shut up.

Answer 9

I'd ask. He's being rude by using code words that not everyone in the conversation knows. Besides you'll look stupid trying to talk about "CMR" and being clueless what it is.

Answer 10

Many times i have to tell those deaf person this not what we are where for. We are here for this. and Many time same deaf person doing the same thing ran off the point. and I have to get up and tell that person, don't you have people skills to know how to ask the right question and answer the right question, or just being bord or think you have the best questions that can solve it. Hell you don't have all that.

Many time I have to stand up and say something than not saying nothing. I am not going to sit and go though listen to one person make no sense and I want person make sense and know what they saying and understand how you get people see understand with you not looking like Jack ***

Answer 11

Living in ignorance is a wasted life. Is it really that intimidating to let others know what you don't? That's what learning is all about - when you don't understand, you ask! Isn't that what this entire forum is about? People asking questions and getting answers. I guess in truth, if most of the people who participate in this forum had to go in front of hundreds of people with their questions, they would never ask, out of embarrassment or fear of being ridiculed.

When you can finally get over the fear of asking, you'll have advanced to the next level of wisdom, and leave the idiots behind.