Read on Twitter
I get asked this at least once a month, so I'm going to answer it as a quoted tweet thread in case it is helpful to others who are wondering themselves or who also get asked this.
1/Thread https://twitter.com/chrismendis/status/1194357690170060800
1/Thread https://twitter.com/chrismendis/status/1194357690170060800
Let's start with facts:
#a11y is a hashtagged numeronym. Numeronyms include any abbreviation that uses numbers to shorten/to abbreviate words.
K9 == canine
101 == beginner subject
i18n == internationalisation
l10n == localisation
Here is a visualisation:
2/
#a11y is a hashtagged numeronym. Numeronyms include any abbreviation that uses numbers to shorten/to abbreviate words.K9 == canine
101 == beginner subject
i18n == internationalisation
l10n == localisation
Here is a visualisation:
2/
Screenreaders will tend to (settings/variations considered) read it in English as "hashtag a-eleven-y."You might notice that people in the accessibility space will mimic reading it like this IRL.
3/
Now that you have the context, to address the question "is the hashtag #a11y" accessible?
In short, I would say yes, if used carefully. (More on that later.)
And, I would say that this invites a really excellent lesson in accessibility of tech terms broadly speaking.
4/
In short, I would say yes, if used carefully. (More on that later.)
And, I would say that this invites a really excellent lesson in accessibility of tech terms broadly speaking.
4/
I'm not ignorant to the fact that a lot of techies rag on the #a11y hashtag for _not_ being accessible because they haven't encountered it before.
And many of these techies ask the question facetiously to prove a point and mock the "irony."
5/
And many of these techies ask the question facetiously to prove a point and mock the "irony."
5/
To address them, I ask my own facetious questions:
Do you ask with the same snark about blockchain? Cryptocurrency? WYSIWYG? Hooks?
Or, do you think you're clever and the first to point out that it's "ironic"?
Could you define irony?
Alt: Alanis Morissette sings "Ironic"
6/
Do you ask with the same snark about blockchain? Cryptocurrency? WYSIWYG? Hooks?
Or, do you think you're clever and the first to point out that it's "ironic"?
Could you define irony?
Alt: Alanis Morissette sings "Ironic"
6/
Do I think that the #a11y hashtag is immediately clear if you don't know what it is? No, I don't.
However, I think it's helpful to differentiate this sphere of accessibility with a searchable, shortened term. (If you search "accessibility," it's quite broad.)
7/
However, I think it's helpful to differentiate this sphere of accessibility with a searchable, shortened term. (If you search "accessibility," it's quite broad.)
7/
I also think that there's a common pattern we follow when we see something we don't understand: We look it up.
Searching " #a11y" yielded me 301,000 search results. The entire first search engine results page (SERP) is full of relevant answers.
8/
Searching " #a11y" yielded me 301,000 search results. The entire first search engine results page (SERP) is full of relevant answers.
8/
To make it as accessible as possible, we can borrow a common practice from journalistic && scientific writing:
We should reference its first instance in long form, then follow with its abbreviation. Here are some examples:
"Accessibility ( #a11y)"
"Accessibility ... #a11y"
9/
We should reference its first instance in long form, then follow with its abbreviation. Here are some examples:
"Accessibility ( #a11y)"
"Accessibility ... #a11y"
9/
tl;dr:
#a11y is very accessible when we include a reference to its full form when possible; its power is in its searchability and conciseness. When not clear, it is immediately defined with a search.
Lastly, I hope that we remain as critical and thoughtful of all words.
10/End
#a11y is very accessible when we include a reference to its full form when possible; its power is in its searchability and conciseness. When not clear, it is immediately defined with a search.
Lastly, I hope that we remain as critical and thoughtful of all words.
10/End
