{"id":8931,"date":"2022-10-10T17:50:58","date_gmt":"2022-10-10T17:50:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/?p=8931"},"modified":"2022-10-10T17:54:59","modified_gmt":"2022-10-10T17:54:59","slug":"iirc-meaning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/iirc-meaning\/","title":{"rendered":"IIRC \u2013 Meaning, Origin and Usage"},"content":{"rendered":"

Did you ask a friend a question online, and they start their reply with 'IIRC<\/em><\/strong>'? What does it mean? This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this acronym.<\/p>\n

Meaning<\/h2>\n

The acronym 'IIRC' <\/em>stands for<\/u> 'If I can recall correctly'<\/em> or 'if I remember correctly.'<\/em> IIRC <\/em>means that you have a faint memory of something someone is asking you about, but you don't know if your memory is accurate.<\/u><\/p>\n

The phrase also has sarcastic use when you want to correct others<\/u>. In most cases, people will use 'IIRC' <\/em>even when they clearly recall the details requested.<\/u> However, they tack the saying on at the end as emphasis that they do remember the information and they are accurate with their assumptions.<\/u><\/p>\n

Some people use the term to 'talk down'<\/em> to others, and it's common to see this behavior in chatrooms and message boards like 4Chan and Reddit<\/u>. When you use 'IIRC' <\/em>in a sarcastic connotation, you're letting the person know that you're not the individual they're looking for and need to find someone else.<\/p>\n

Example Usage<\/h2>\n

\u201cI think I know what you\u2019re talking about regarding the project. I remember Tom was the last person to leave the bus that day, and I remember him carrying a large bag with something heavy in it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think Angela was in charge of that project, IIRC. I\u2019m not sure, though. Go and ask Jim in HR. He\u2019ll know who you\u2019re looking for.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was no way he was getting away. IIRC, the cops had him pinned down at both ends of the alley, and there was no escape possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIIRC, weren\u2019t you responsible for bringing the kids to the event? So, that makes you accountable if anything happens to them under your care, right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIIRC, John told you to do that, not me. Stop trying to pass the buck and take responsibility for your actions.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere did I put that? IIRC, I left it in the garage, but I\u2019m not sure if it\u2019s still there or someone took it by mistake.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIIRC, it was the first place we went after the event. So, your wallet must be there. Let\u2019s hope the cashier kept it.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Origin<\/h2>\n

The acronym \u2018IIRC\u2019 is the evolution of the saying \u2018I, if I recall correctly.\u2019 Language experts cannot pinpoint when the full version entered the English lexicon. However, its acronym, \u2018IIRC,\u2019 appeared on the internet sometime in the 1990s.<\/p>\n

Typing out the full version of the phrase is tiresome, especially if you\u2019re using a mobile phone in the late 90s and early 2000s. The number keypad required users to press the key several times to land on the character they wanted.<\/p>\n

As a result, people started making abbreviations and acronyms for commonly used phrases online. It\u2019s similar to other acronyms like FWIW and TBH, where the users want to issue their opinion.<\/p>\n