Snafu

Don D

Speaking of threads that have gone into the toilet, who among you knows the definition of the word SNAFU? Have you a dictionary? I just happened upon it quite by accident and am wondering if Webster's has an alert button. The next time one of your dainty friends uses that term, ask them what it means, literally. I'm aghast personally. x:o

sonny

This may not last long, but it was a term my Dad often used and he attributed it to his Navy days but used fouled when I asked him what it meant. .

Whatever

And if there is a SNAFU, your thread will still be here in the morning.

mcmel

Umm, like, I don't understand. Care to elaborate?

x;)

Dutch2

My Webster's says, "Slang. Confused; snarled; chaotic. To render confused, chaotic or disordered. Aything in a state of confusion or chaos."
Have a great day,
Dutch2

sonny

Situation Normal, All Fouled Up.

marc

Agree with Sonny, but there was an F word in there besies fouled.

rad

I heard it with the "F word" too...

mcmel

Oh, thanks for clarifying! x:D

Similar to a heavy night of drinking leading you to be FUBAR.

ray a

Don, I am aghast that at your superannuated age, you are just now learning the meaning of that acronym. I'm in a funk.

Leslie

Everyone used it around me, so I just came to learn it meant chaotic, out of control. Several years back a co-worker used the actual words, and when I looked at him x:o he said, you know, snafu. Until then, I never knew it was an acronym. Now I may not say it out loud, but when a situation goes crazy, the words prance across my brain like a mantra.

Don D

Leslie: It's terrible bad luck to tell a falsehood on one's birthday. "I never say it outloud".....right. You have until midnight to repent.

Shadowfax

Born and raised on a farm with guys who could cuss with the best of em' and never heard fubar nor snafu until got in the military. We had some others which40 years of absence has dulled the memory, but snafu and fubar have remained in my personal lexicon. My 23 year old daughter used it (snafu) the other day, and it never occurred to me that a) she probably doesn't know what it means, and b) she probably learned it at my knee. Of course, being a med student, I understand they have all manner of raunchy acronyms for various systems and stuff they need to remember. I am curious though of its origin. Is it a military term, or from some other speciality? Anyone know?

sonny

You made me curious, Shadow.. all I could find was "dates to WWII, commonly used by US forces"

ritaanz

Ok, I'll bite. What's fubar?

Don D

Up Beyond All Reason, I think. The F is silent.

RLCD

"Fouled" up beyond all recognition x:D

mcmel

There you go, that's how I know it, anyway.

I looked up snafu at [url]www.websters.com[/url] and was very surprised that it is translated there in the "modern-day" version.

Whatever

Fouled Up By American Republicans

ray a

See what you started, Don.

Leslie

Missed midnight by 12 hours Don but, I have to admit, in certain company the actual words have been used. However, I certainly pick the times and places.

HRQ

Until this very moment, I didn't know snafu was an acronym. I use it all the time to describe mess-ups.

And, until now, I'd never heard of fubar. Will use that one regularly in the future. x:D

Don D

You will likely be called upon to explain the meaning of FUBAR. But snafu is totally ingrained in the English vocabulary.

neveradull

In my Navy many years ago SNAFU was Situation Normal all F-----up
FUBAR F----- up beyond all repair.

Parabeagle

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 01-16-04 AT 10:53AM (CST)[/font][br][br]Boy, looking at this thread was like a stroll down memory lane. I think anyone who's had any military exposure is intimately familiar with SNAFU and FUBAR and Tango Uniform... Expressions I cannot use here at the office without drawing blank stares. x;-)

EDIT: Here's one I forgot - wonder how many of you can figure it out (or know what it means from personal experience): FIIGMO (pronounced, "figmo")

mcmel

I'm so glad the forum has snapped back to what it once was. Whew! You folks are entertaining, to say the least!

I sure had a snafu day! Did I use that correctly?

Don D

No. A snafu is an event or something that happened, as in: Boy, that was a snafu. You had a BAD day that might have included one or more snafus.

HRQ

I see nobody is even taking a shot at this. I am at a loss too. Normally I'd try, but the creative juices just aren't flowing today!

Tango Uniform? FIIGMO? Help us out here, Parabeagle!

Parabeagle

FIIGMO is an acronym normally uttered, proudly and gladly, by someone who is a few days away from getting discharged from the service or is being transferred to another duty station. Usually it is a response to a request to do something, like work. It translates to, "(expletive deleted) it. I got my orders."

Tango uniform is a closely held secret. x;-)

mwild31

Dang it Parabeagle! You're giving away all of our secrets - now coded messages said by present and former military types will be easily decoded. x;-)

Parabeagle

Okay, okay, sorry, Sarge! x;-)