{"id":7119,"date":"2022-08-17T18:16:15","date_gmt":"2022-08-17T18:16:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/?p=7119"},"modified":"2022-08-17T18:16:15","modified_gmt":"2022-08-17T18:16:15","slug":"ftr-meaning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/ftr-meaning\/","title":{"rendered":"FTR \u2013 Meaning, Origin and Usage"},"content":{"rendered":"

Did a friend just type \u2018ftr<\/em>\u2019 in a text message? If so, they\u2019re telling you that they\u2019re on the record.<\/p>\n

This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression.<\/p>\n

Meaning<\/h2>\n

The abbreviation \u2018ftr<\/em>\u2019 is a text-based acronym for \u2018for the record<\/em>.\u2019 If you\u2019re using \u2018ftr<\/em>\u2019 in a text message, it means you\u2019re trying to tell the other person you\u2019re about to say something noteworthy or memorable. <\/strong><\/p>\n

You can also drop it when you want to impress that you\u2019re being honest about something and willing to stake your reputation on it.<\/p>\n

Using \u2018ftr<\/em>\u2019 can mean you don\u2019t agree with another person\u2019s viewpoint, and you\u2019re distancing yourself from them and the forthcoming action against them. Using \u2018ftr<\/em>\u2019 in this sense means you want nothing to do with the other person's viewpoints, suggestions, or opinions.<\/p>\n

You can also use \u2018ftr<\/em>\u2019 when you want to emphasize your role in something so you can take credit for the result.<\/p>\n

Example Usage<\/h2>\n

\"FTR, I told them we had to go back to get you. They would have kept driving if it weren't for me, and you would have been walking home.\"<\/p>\n

\"You know that's not true. FTR, I told her she was making a mistake, and she chose to ignore me. I can't control what she does with her life.\"<\/p>\n

\"Look, FTR, I know it was Martha, and I'm willing to tell carol if you can't handle the truth. I know she was your best friend, and you don't want to feel like you're betraying her.\"<\/p>\n

\"FTR, for real, I feel like I could have done more to be supportive of her. She didn't deserve to end up like that.\"<\/p>\n

\"FTR, I'm not with these guys on that. I don't have the same opinion as them, and don't paint me with the same brush as them.\"<\/p>\n

\"\" \"\"<\/p>\n

Origin<\/h2>\n

The acronym 'ftr' is one of the first generations of text-based acronyms developed in the early 2000s. During the early years of texting, people would have to use the number keypad on their cellphone to type out a message. This task involved pressing a number key several times to realize the character you wanted to add to the text.<\/p>\n

It was frustrating, and people started using abbreviations for popular terms, such as 'rolling on the floor laughing = ROFL.' The first entry of 'ftr' into the Urban Dictionary was in 2003, and it's still in use today.<\/p>\n

The expression 'for the record' has much older origins. The phrase's first appearance was in the book 'Prelude to Space' by Arthur Clarke in 1953.<\/p>\n