Amy Guskin wrote:
>>> On Fri, 11 Jul 2008 17:13:54 -0400, thus spake Andrew Swallow
(in article 
> ):
> 
>> Amy Guskin wrote:
>>>>> On Fri, 11 Jul 2008 09:58:30 -0400, thus spake Duggy
(in article 
>>>
):
>>>
>>>> I saw a doco once that had child of immigrants <<
>>> Okay, I've got to ask: I have seen English and Australian
people do this, 
>>> and 
>>> I want to know if there is any reason for it.  By
"this" I mean the 
>>> shortening of words using a final letter that _doesn't belong_.  You're 
>>> saying "doco" for "documentary"; I
recently saw an Australian person write 
>>> "ambo" for "ambulance" and
"relo" for "relative."  Who set the precedent 
>>> for 
>>> this kind of nonsensical abbreviation?  When did it come into popular 
>>> usage, 
>>> and do you have any idea whose fault it is?
>>>
>>> If you must shorten words, why isn't is "docu,"
"ambu," and "rela"?
>>>
>>> Amy
>> Modern English words do not end in "u"; <<
> 
> You, flu, tofu?

"You" is very, very old.  The u in "flu" is in the full word.
I am not even certain "tofu" is English.

> 
>>> so docu would have to be
>> pronounced as the two words Dock-you, which is not a verbal
>> abbreviation. <<
> 
> I don't see "dock-you" as any longer or more cumbersome than
"dock-oh."
> 
> Amy

Andrew Swallow
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