sparc said:Much of the shorthand and abbreviations that are in common use today originated with the advent of the telegraph and then not long afterward with transmissions of messages via radio. It was due to the high cost of sending a telegram where you paid by the letter. So if you could get three characters to convey the same message as three words well you just saved a bunch of money. The military was/is probably the biggest generator of acronyms.
GPintheMitten said:Ship High In Transit... S.H.I.T.
Manure used to be shipped on sailing vessels. If it got damp in the hold, it could grow mold and eventually build up enough heat to start a fire. So it was labelled S.H.I.T.
LeadPoison said:This one actually is an urban legend. The word dates back almost 1000 years.
FUBAR = F***ed Up Beyond All Repair/Reason