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So what is the "official" meaning for the anacronym SNAFU. Is it "FU" or "fouled up". I got in a debate over this with my father.

Thanks for the history lesson from those in the know.

I'm fairly certain that "fouled up" is a later, PC'ified version. "F*cked up" being the original.

ORIGINAL: Terminus

I'm fairly certain that "fouled up" is a later, PC'ified version. "F*cked up" being the original.

Same goes for FUBAR. Pretty sure most people in the military would intend the stronger term rather than the weaker and that's probably true of it's origin. Raunchy language helps round off the edges of military life.

@sabre 1
So what did your Dad say?

I grew up with an old man who was in the AEF durring WWI - he was my fishing buddy for 15 years.  He would occasionally sing old marching songs to me, but he would substitute PC words  even when it ruined the rhyme.  An example:

You're in the army now
You're not behind a plow
You'll never get rich
You son of a bee
You're in the army now

Wish I could remember them all.  Some of the raunchier ones I only heard a few times, and always had to guess at the true words.  Most were pretty funny.  A couple were very sad/despairing.

Hi,

ORIGINAL: sabre1
So what is the "official" meaning for the anacronym SNAFU.

"Situation Normal: All F*cked Up"
Wikipedia is my friend : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SNAFU

Take care,

JeF.

Ah that explains it thank you Jef.

Regards,


Greg

My father who is a very devout and upright man, was horrified that SNAFU was a vulgar term.  The reason all this started was due to a local newspaper using the term.  I told him I was surprised that they would use SNAFU due to the definition.  He was adamant that the word did not imply what it meant.  He is just sulking now.  Thanks for all the responses.  I knew you guys here would know this one.
 
 

Or, if you want to find, among other useful things, what TARFUN is short for, the link below is a gold source:

http://www.urbandictionary.com/

But that urban dictionary doesn't even have GIFU - "Grand Imperial F**k Up".[;)]

SNAFU was even made into a cartoon charactor with Mel Blanc doing the voice over.




Meet Private Snafu![8D]

Inthe 80's we used the coarser variety of FU. [:-]

In late '60s and early '70s, it was FTA (F... The Army).  IIRC, notFondaJane actually made a movie w/ same title.