[This is not to divert your attention, Tom
, but to reply to Tchocolatl ~ the last time you'll see me write that all the way out
.]
First let me stress, before I begin my response, that this is serious and nothing here to take offense at. I didn't see "Lz" as being "cute" and not 'uncute,' either, but as being easy. I took it as simply a shortcut. There are many lengthy names here... some quicker/easier to type than others because of how the letters in them align. "Tchocolatl" takes more time and awkwardness than I want to deal with each time, so when I saw you compress Lizzytysh/Lizzy into Lz, I thought, okay that works for me... Tc is sure much easier... even than "Tchoc" [which I started using on my own] ~ not only that, it is literally simply the first two letters of Tchocolatl... so very legit in terms of a shortening.
I've never mind-pronounced, or even considered the possibility of pronouncing your full moniker at "thick a lot uhl" ~ never would. With regard to the "t" being enough to evoke the rest, as I read that, it would actually end up "tic" ~ as in the involuntary muscle movements of the face or body; or "tick" ~ the bloodsucking, infecting creature of the bug world. However, in reality, I've seen it as merely the first two letters of your name here, which presumably [on my part], if you felt it was okay to shorten my name to two letters [not even the first two], then surely you wouldn't mind my doing the same with yours.
"Tctl" is easier, well quicker anyway by one letter, to type than "Tchoc" ~ so I'll try that. Could you live with Tct? Or, even T? I've felt that as long as the abbreviation makes it clear that you're speaking the person's name, it works for me. Sometimes, I'll use a person's full name and my full name to indicate its being a very serious post, PM, or email, though.
I see Bable-Fish translations as all coming through as "It"
. Just dehumanized us and everyone else when it came to names, at least as far as I've been able to figure. So "Lz" is sure a step up from that! However, I've never liked "Liz" as a nickname in my real life, as it's always sounded rather harsh to me, and it hearkens to that... the same as "Lizz" directly does with Laurie's writing of my name. Still, it's simply, literally, the first four letters of Lizzy. I've learned to accept and even like it [Liz] with a
very few people in my real life [the way they bend it or have a lift in their voice ~ each softens its sound]... Lizzy sounds much softer, regardless, however, and it's my preference. There was one time when I shortened a person's name to make a point, but that person wasn't you. As I recall, that was the only person with whom I've ever done that here.
However, when it comes to shortening of names here, it's just an easier way to go. For correcting you or Laurie on how you 'speak' my name, I've felt there are much 'bigger fish [for us] to fry' than that, so it didn't bear mentioning.
I wouldn't have dreamed that "Tc" offended you and I've been using it for a very long time. I was very surprized to see you bring it up now, particularly when I had just agreed with something you'd said. Yet, when you think about it, maybe that's the 'best' time to broach it and, hence, the reason why.
I've always mind-pronounced Tchocolatl as "Tee ~ chock ~ uh ~ lot ~ uhl," with the initial emphasis on "T." When I've written "Tc," I've mind-pronounced it "Tee see."
~ Lizzy
May I suggest that you use "Tctl" or "Tchoc" if you absolutely want to use a "short cut" to name me?
.
