8 ms·

What is the “TFA” mummy?

by mr3martinis 4mo ago

deleted 4mo ago
[deleted]
Induane 4mo ago
That Fucking Asshole mummy from Bubba Ho Tep.
- voidfunc 4mo ago
  Great movie
cfiggers 4mo ago
The mummy that is the subject of The Friendly Article (the post that we're all commenting under right now).
deleted 4mo ago
[deleted]
maksimur 4mo ago
TFA originally meant "The Fucking Article" but on HN seems to have morphed its meaning to "The Fine Article" or "The Featured Article". I can't stop reading it as the former every time I come across it.
- adastra22 4mo ago
  Those multiple readings date back to Slashdot and have stayed consistent. It just means in plain speech the linked article in the original post. Now get off my lawn!
- latexr 4mo ago
  To expand on this: It started as “RTFA”, which is a riff on RTFM. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RTFM#List_of_similar_initialisms https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RTFM#List_of_similar_initialis... Doesn’t really work as OP used it, though, as it gets confusing. They wrote “the TFA mummy” every time, so it becomes “the the fucking article mummy”. Like saying you’re a fan of the The Beatles.
  - withinboredom 4mo ago
    I am a fan of the Beatles. What’s wrong with that?
    - caminanteblanco 4mo ago
      It's about the article doubling, being a fan of the THE Beatles
  - brudgers 4mo ago
    They wrote “the TFA mummy” every time I had it both ways when it was first posted, about twenty minutes later after reading the “what is TFA?” comment I edited it to be consistent. Only first line was the only “TFA” without the article…or with only one article? or is that two articles? Anyway, the three article phrase “the TFA mummy” is equivalent to the three article phrase “the mummy in TFA” which is what I started to write. And while “the TFA mummy” does not expand as cleanly as even I would wish, it has a better rhythm than “TFA mummy.” Or to put it another way, my poetic license removes “the TFA mummy” from grammar police jurisdiction.
    - NetMageSCW 4mo ago
      But you missed a chance to call it the new mummy!
    - latexr 4mo ago
      > “the mummy in TFA” Personally, I would’ve found that clearer. I know what TFA means but still found “the TFA mummy” awkward to read and parse every time. But maybe “TFA” itself was the biggest problem there. Since you were editing anyway, “the article’s mummy” was an option too. Sometimes we all forget how acronyms aren’t universal and can impede rather than assist communication. > my poetic license removes “the TFA mummy” from grammar police jurisdiction. It was a lighthearted comment on how I personally found the phrasing awkward to read, I haven’t insulted your mother. We’re writing random inconsequential comments on an internet forum about a subject which has no practical effect on any of our lives, not redefining dramaturgy. There’s no poetry to your comment and no one is “policing” your words. The comment wasn’t even directed at you. You can relax.

What is the “TFA” mummy?

deleted 4mo ago

[deleted]

Induane 4mo ago

That Fucking Asshole mummy from Bubba Ho Tep.

voidfunc 4mo ago
Great movie

cfiggers 4mo ago

The mummy that is the subject of The Friendly Article (the post that we're all commenting under right now).

deleted 4mo ago

[deleted]

maksimur 4mo ago

TFA originally meant "The Fucking Article" but on HN seems to have morphed its meaning to "The Fine Article" or "The Featured Article". I can't stop reading it as the former every time I come across it.

adastra22 4mo ago
Those multiple readings date back to Slashdot and have stayed consistent. It just means in plain speech the linked article in the original post. Now get off my lawn!
latexr 4mo ago
To expand on this: It started as “RTFA”, which is a riff on RTFM. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RTFM#List_of_similar_initialisms https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RTFM#List_of_similar_initialis... Doesn’t really work as OP used it, though, as it gets confusing. They wrote “the TFA mummy” every time, so it becomes “the the fucking article mummy”. Like saying you’re a fan of the The Beatles.
- withinboredom 4mo ago
  I am a fan of the Beatles. What’s wrong with that?
  - caminanteblanco 4mo ago
    It's about the article doubling, being a fan of the THE Beatles
- brudgers 4mo ago
  They wrote “the TFA mummy” every time I had it both ways when it was first posted, about twenty minutes later after reading the “what is TFA?” comment I edited it to be consistent. Only first line was the only “TFA” without the article…or with only one article? or is that two articles? Anyway, the three article phrase “the TFA mummy” is equivalent to the three article phrase “the mummy in TFA” which is what I started to write. And while “the TFA mummy” does not expand as cleanly as even I would wish, it has a better rhythm than “TFA mummy.” Or to put it another way, my poetic license removes “the TFA mummy” from grammar police jurisdiction.
  - NetMageSCW 4mo ago
    But you missed a chance to call it the new mummy!
  - latexr 4mo ago
    > “the mummy in TFA” Personally, I would’ve found that clearer. I know what TFA means but still found “the TFA mummy” awkward to read and parse every time. But maybe “TFA” itself was the biggest problem there. Since you were editing anyway, “the article’s mummy” was an option too. Sometimes we all forget how acronyms aren’t universal and can impede rather than assist communication. > my poetic license removes “the TFA mummy” from grammar police jurisdiction. It was a lighthearted comment on how I personally found the phrasing awkward to read, I haven’t insulted your mother. We’re writing random inconsequential comments on an internet forum about a subject which has no practical effect on any of our lives, not redefining dramaturgy. There’s no poetry to your comment and no one is “policing” your words. The comment wasn’t even directed at you. You can relax.