Acronyms!

[Departed Member]

When I fist arrived here there were no sites which I visited which used the acronym MUG for a skirt.
For those newer members who don't realise what a MUG is then I have found a pedantic site which includes this in their list of pedantic things;

MUG Macintosh Users Group
MUG Microsoft User Group
MUG Multi-User Game
MUG 4-Methylumbelliferyl-ß-D-Glucuronide
MUG Male Unbifurcated Garment
MUG Mobiele Urgentiegroep
MUG Mechanics, Usage, Grammar
MUG Multi-User Group
MUG Midshipman Under Guidance
MUG Make-Up Gas
MUG Minimum Usage Guarantee (voice and data plans)
MUG Manning Unit Group
MUG MATE Users Group
MUG Microcomputer User's Group
MUG Motorcycle User Group
MUG Manhattan User's Guide

You decide.
Personally, I'd call it a skirt! Preferably floral, but that's just me.
If there are any more acronyms, please add them.

[Milfmog]

The trouble with acronyms is that they are often ambiguous and need context to have any hope of being understood. Even then they can be misunderstood, for instance a group of computer engineers using the term could find several definitions in your list that would work with their context.

My favourite misunderstanding was some years ago when I was sitting on a dive boat in the Red Sea with a group from all over the UK just chewing the fat between dives. One of the guys worked for the Royal Ulster Constabulary and was telling the tale of how he had come under cross border sniper fire so got on the radio to ask for an "MSU". A nurse in the group looked very confused and asked how a Mid-Stream Urine sample would help. It was only then that the policeman expalined that, to him, an MSU was a Military Support Unit.

I guess, in the context of recent news stories from Afganistan, that an MSU might sometimes provide the enemy with an MSU

Back to topic; I agree a skirt is a skirt and I see little sense in calling it anything else. From where I stand, referring to it as a MUG tends to send the message that I am embarrassed or ashamed to wear a skirt. I'm not, so why send that subtext?

Have fun,


Ian.

PS Don't forget this is Skirtcafé, not MUG café

[skirtingtoday]

I agree a skirt is a skirt and I see little sense in calling it anything else. From where I stand, referring to it as a MUG tends to send the message that I am embarrassed or ashamed to wear a skirt. I'm not, so why send that subtext?

Not only embarrassed but the person wearing seems to be labelled an idiot. Personally I do not like that acronym - a skirt is a skirt, nothing else! Such women's garments aren't FUG's are they?

Fug in Scotland is also reminiscent of very smoky bars when smoking was still permitted within their walls - but thankfully that use of the word is disappearing fast!

[Departed Member]

I didn't mean to provoke a violent backlash against the word, but merely to inform new members of its meaning in a lighthearted way.
I hope that those with MUG in their online name don't take this too seriously.

I do like calling a skirt a skirt, though, as there few other things which I can explain in a descriptive & accurate way any more.

"Political correctness gone mad" as they say!

[Grok]

Of course, the word "unbifurcated" can apply to garments that hang from the shoulders, as well as those that hang from the waist.

[janrok]

The Dutch word mug means mosquito or gnat. (Plural = muggen). Nobody wants these bloodsucking creeps in the bedroom so MUG also means
Much Unwanted Guest............

Jan.

[Milfmog]

Of course, the word "unbifurcated" can apply to garments that hang from the shoulders, as well as those that hang from the waist.

Indeed. I have yet to buy a "mancoat", but every coat I have ever owned was unbifurcated... (unless you count the sleeves I suppose )

I didn't mean to provoke a violent backlash against the word...

There's no sign of that yet and I'd be very surprised to see violence on this forum; folks here are far too erudite for violence to be needed.

Have fun,


Ian.

[Maverick]

This thread reminds me of an article I heard on BBC Radio 2 Jeremy Vine Show a good 2 years ago (Is it OK for men to wear skirts?) unfortunatly I was driving at the time so could not Phone in. The guy who had prompted the discussion attempted to explain the term MUG but stumbled I think due to nerves on the word unbifurcated ,it is a mouthful.
The fearsome agony aunt guesting with Vine ,cut across him saying "Love'ie if you want to wear a skirt wear a skirt but don't pretend its anything else .Vine chiped in ,in enthusiastic agreement and so ended the debate .I often wondered if it was one of our own who rang in to inspire the article .

Regards Martin

[crfriend]

The fearsome agony aunt guesting with Vine ,cut across him saying "Love'ie if you want to wear a skirt wear a skirt but don't pretend its anything else .Vine chiped in ,in enthusiastic agreement and so ended the debate .

I have to agree with the "agony aunt" in this case. Personally, I find the term "MUG" forced at best and disingenuous at worst. If one wants to wear skirts, I rather suspect it's best to just call them "skirts" and be done with; everybody else will know they're skirts (save for kilts), so why cause confusion.

[Milfmog]

...If one wants to wear skirts, I rather suspect it's best to just call them "skirts" and be done with; everybody else will know they're skirts (save for kilts), so why cause confusion.

I have no qualms with people referring to my kilts as skirts. I either agree with them (often they look disappointed if they wanted a good natured barney) or gently correct them with something like "It is a skirt, but the manufacturers would probably prefer you to call it a kilt". I never deny that a kilt is a skirt and while I would refer to it as a kilt I'm not the least bit fussed if others do.

Call a spade a spade I say

Have fun,


Ian.

[skirtyscot]

Of course, the word "unbifurcated" can apply to garments that hang from the shoulders, as well as those that hang from the waist.

Indeed. I have yet to buy a "mancoat", but every coat I have ever owned was unbifurcated... (unless you count the sleeves I suppose )

Bifurcated garment that hangs from the shoulders - dungarees?

[Mugs-n-such]

I didn't mean to provoke a violent backlash against the word, but merely to inform new members of its meaning in a lighthearted way.
I hope that those with MUG in their online name don't take this too seriously.

I do like calling a skirt a skirt, though, as there few other things which I can explain in a descriptive & accurate way any more.

"Political correctness gone mad" as they say!

Thanks for the proviso, since of course my on-line name is Mugs-n-such. I wasn't really giving it much thought when I chose my user name, could have chosen 'skirtsnsuch' I suppose. I don't even remember where I first heard the the term 'mug' but I adopted it uncritically. Ciao!