Why do GLO's abbreviate their names?

[agzg]

I was thinking the Gamma Phi thing maybe had something to do with the other sororities founded at Syracuse? There's Alpha Phi, Alpha Gam, and Gamma Phi.

Not that I know anything about this, because I don't.

Nicknames are regional, too. On my campus they didn't call us Alpha Gams, they called us AGDs.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

You all actually tried to answer the question.

Yikes.

Some days feel more generous and willing to indulge the . . . less enlightened.

[Titchou]

Originally Posted by phimusam

I have heard Alpha Chi Omega called both A Chi O and Alpha Chi. Is this a time-frame or location thing?

I think it's probably both...same for Delta Gamma being Delta G or DG except that DG is probably the most common...when I was in school, Alpha Chi Omega was called Alpha Chi on my campus. Now they are called A Chi O there.

[axoalum]

When I was an active, we were taught that the preferred choice was Alpha Chi so we would not be confused with Chi O but we always answered to both. Even now, I will tell you I am an Alpha Chi but will write "AXO" in a letter, email, etc.

[angels&angles]

Not to mention, it changes from campus to campus. For instance, I believe Pi Kappa Alphas are normally known as Pikes, but for some reason on my campus they're known as PIKA (almost always all caps too). Similarly, I've usually heard Lambda Chi Alpha shortened to Lambda Chi, whereas we called them just the Lambdas. Both of these would sound weird on a different campus, but anything else would sound weird on my campus. Last year a bunch of freshmen on campus started a movement to shorten Sigma Chi (always known by the full name) to Sig Chi. It may even catch on.

To sum up, it just is. It doesn't really make any sense if you sit and think about it. Why did Phi Kappa Sigma get "Phi Kapp" and not Phi Kappa Psi? And the KKG/KAT question in interesting. I would guess the "A Chi O" vs "Alpha Chi" question has something to do with the presence of Chi O on the campus, and also what they're trying to rhyme it with for songs

That's all.

[littleowl33]

Originally Posted by angels&angles

Last year a bunch of freshmen on campus started a movement to shorten Sigma Chi (always known by the full name) to Sig Chi. It may even catch on.

They're Sig Chi on my campus. Someone who was here from headquarters found that really strange, but it's just what everyone says here. A lot of them don't like the nickname and would rather be "Sigs", but with Sig Ep that gets confusing.

The only really weird nickname we have here is "WaWa" for Alpha Delta Phi. A long time ago (like, 5 or 6 years ago) before they moved to their current house, they were in a house that had a WaWa convenience store on the first floor... and they became synonomous. Honestly, people look at you strange if you call them by their letters. Most people don't even know what their letters are!

[ComradesTrue]

Originally Posted by littleowl33

A long time ago (like, 5 or 6 years ago)

Anyone else feel really old by this comment?

(so Earpish of me to use 2 smilies!)

[angels&angles]

It's "a long time ago" if no one currently on campus can remember the origin. I.E. anything more than four years.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by angels&angles

Last year a bunch of freshmen on campus started a movement to shorten Sigma Chi (always known by the full name) to Sig Chi. It may even catch on.

I've always just heard them use "Sig."

Originally Posted by littleowl33

They're Sig Chi on my campus. Someone who was here from headquarters found that really strange, but it's just what everyone says here. A lot of them don't like the nickname and would rather be "Sigs", but with Sig Ep that gets confusing.

One would think the presence or absence of the "Ep" would eliminate the confusion.

A long time ago (like, 5 or 6 years ago) before they moved to their current house . . . .

Originally Posted by Blondie93

Anyone else feel really old by this comment?

(so Earpish of me to use 2 smilies!)

Raises hand.

[honeychile]

Originally Posted by littleowl33

A long time ago (like, 5 or 6 years ago)

Originally Posted by Blondie93

Anyone else feel really old by this comment?

I think I just aged 5-6 years!

In a lot of our truly old songbooks (like 60-80 years ago!!!), Alpha Delta Pis are called "Alpha Delts" - too easily confused with Alpha Gamma Delta or Alpha Xi Delta.

Another is Pi Kappa Alpha - PiKAs on some campuses, Pikes on others.

I'll never get the FIJI bit, though - I've just accepted it as a given.

[littleowl33]

Originally Posted by angels&angles

It's "a long time ago" if no one currently on campus can remember the origin. I.E. anything more than four years.

This.

[Au2maticPrncess]

See?? U guys are as confused as I am! ;p ---Glad I could start this nice long discussion...

[AOEforme]

Originally Posted by angels&angles

Last year a bunch of freshmen on campus started a movement to shorten Sigma Chi (always known by the full name) to Sig Chi. It may even catch on.

Sigma Chi here has been called Sig Chi here for a while... so it's a nickname I've heard before.

Just proves it's a regional thing.

[Psi U MC Vito]

Another example of a regional difference is Alpha Sigma Phi. I know them as Alpha Sig, but went to visit another chapter and they were known as A Sig Phi on that campus.

[tld221]

i really dont know why we got stuck with "SGRho." many sorors i know call members of Phi Beta Sigma "Phi Betas" vs the more common "Sigmas." I guess they get dibs since they were founded first, but i often wonder why other nicknames (including being referred to by our first letter, which seems to be the norm for all except AKA) didnt stick.