DEAR MISS MANNERS: I'm beginning to despise the use of acronyms at my work.

We live in a society that has evolved into a culture of getting things done at an ultra-fast pace. Even in something as simple as a conversation, we search for ways to save time. Consequently the use of acronyms to abbreviate titles or phrases has become increasingly popular in business, social media and our everyday conversations.

Though acronyms can be very useful, they are only appropriate when the people you're addressing recognize and understand what the abbreviation stands for. To assume they do is not only impolite, but can make the conversation confusing and distract from the discussion.

Think about it: If you use an acronym that is unfamiliar to your addressees, they are forced to make a choice of interrupting the conversation for an explanation, making an assumption about its meaning, ignoring it, or making a mental note to look it up later.

A good rule to ensure the meaning of your acronym is communicated is to precede an acronym with its expanded name (e.g., "Occupational Safety and Health Administration, OSHA") the first time it's used in conversation or a letter.

The short time it takes to convey the meaning of an acronym when first used becomes insignificant compared to the problems and annoyance created when the meaning is not understood by the recipient.

GENTLE READER: Welcome to Washington. Oh, wait; you say it is everywhere.

A rule is already on the books against addressing people in a language they do not understand. It applies especially to tourists in foreign lands who believe that an increase in volume compensates for an absence of vocabulary.

But tourists are not the only people who should be making an effort to learn a new vocabulary. Eavesdroppers have no right to complain that they don't understand what others are saying. Those who marry into foreign families will find that mastering even a few phrases will engender appreciation.

Similarly, Miss Manners agrees that the informal use of acronyms, jargon and slang should be confined to those who can reasonably be expected to understand. When there is doubt, your suggestion of giving the full name first is a good one.

But you speak of the use of acronyms at your workplace. There it is up to you to learn the terms in common use. And if you really have moved to Washington, you should resign yourself to the fact that governmentese is the local language.

Now, if you want to get Miss Manners started on emoticons, she would not be so tolerant.

DEAR MISS MANNERS: Is it rude to introduce someone as an inherited friend of my fiancee's?

GENTLE READER: If your fiancee is dead, Miss Manners sends you her condolences, and yes, that would be an affectionate way of saying that you appreciate and honor her friendships.

If, however, your fiancee is alive, it sounds more like your being stuck with her friend. That may be the case, but it would not be nice to make that clear.

(Please send your questions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners.com; to her email, dearmissmanners@gmail.com; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)

DEAR MISS MANNERS: My boyfriend and I are in our 40s, and we have been dating for several years. While we officially maintain separate residences, we have an arrangement that I stay over at his place on the weekend.

My boyfriend's sister, who lives in a time zone a few hours earlier, tends to call after 11 p.m. a few times a week. I do not think there is anything wrong with this when I am not staying over, as the only person this would bother would be my boyfriend, and he doesn't mind the late calls.

However, when I am staying over, a late call does bother me -- I am either in bed already, or close to it, and trying to wind down. I have raised this with my boyfriend, trying to explain that late phone calls are typically for emergencies, and he just says that's the time that works for his sister and that's how it works in his family.

Because I am only a guest, are the late phone calls something that I need to just put up with, or as a regular (and somewhat important) guest, can I ask that he gently ask his sister not to call so late on weekends (or he should arrange that he will call her)?

GENTLE READER: It would not be unreasonable to suggest that your boyfriend initiate the call in another room -- or put his phone on vibrate. Or you could ask to say hello to her, which would alert them both to the necessity of finding a better time to talk privately.

However, Miss Manners would strongly advise you not to use this as an opportunity to assert your importance or otherwise get in the middle of what works between siblings.

DEAR MISS MANNERS: My mother-in-law is strongly curious about my jewelry. She is not content to leave the gems where they lie upon my bosom or earlobes.

She demands to inspect the gold, which is from a different part of the world than she is. I have some Thai gold that I enjoy wearing. She grew up in an area where gold takes a back seat to the stones seated therein.

I have tried discouraging her from putting her fingers near my eyes or anywhere on my body, telling her, "It's the same jewelry I always wear." She wants me to remove each piece and let her hold it, which has been disastrous, as her failing grip makes her unsteady during each visit.

What can I do to redirect her childlike demands to hold my jewelry? I'm tempted to tell her it's costume if that would get her fingers away from me!

GENTLE READER: It sounds as if that would hardly discourage her. You are wise not to wear pearls around her, as she might attempt to bite them to see if they are real.

If not wearing jewelry around your mother-in-law is not an option, then Miss Manners suggests practicing screaming in surprise as her fingers approach and then apologizing profusely at the mistake while you deftly change the subject -- and your proximity to her.

(Please send your questions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners.com; to her email, dearmissmanners@gmail.com; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I am curious to find out what would be the most acceptable and polite answer in this situation: A man (stranger) feels that a woman's dress is indecent and comes up to this woman inside a venue to tell her directly that she needs a change of clothes because she's not appropriately dressed for the event.

Since they haven't met before, how should she respond to such a brash and confrontational statement?

GENTLE READER: If you intend to be the critic in this situation, Miss Manners can assure you that the response will not be one of gratitude or contrition. It may even require a towel if the lady in question is holding a full glass. She urges you to rethink your plans.

If you are, instead, what can reasonably be termed the victim, she asks only for restraint -- while acknowledging that the behavior is a gross insult, which does not require a nuanced response. After a cold "Thank you for your opinion," the lady should walk away. What a woman who is not a lady might do, Miss Manners does not know.

DEAR MISS MANNERS: Two days after my town lost three teenagers to a tragic car accident, a community member began selling memorial T-shirts that were donated by a local family in the T-shirt business. All proceeds are to be given to the families to help with final expenses.

On the front of the T-shirt is an "inspirational" message, and the back has the names of the three children with their birth dates and the date of the accident.

I think their hearts are in the right places but, to me, it seems to trivialize and cheapen the memories of these children.

When I suggested that perhaps donations should be sought in order to provide a more lasting tribute than a T-shirt, I was accused of "starting drama." I was trying to think of how I would feel as a mother if next year someone is washing his car with that T-shirt or dropping it off to charity.

I suggested that a tree planting with a small plaque or a small monument at the school the three children attended would be more lasting, and was surprised by the nasty responses I received for not supporting the T-shirt sale.

Miss Manners, I don't want to further hurt an already grieving community, but am I wrong in thinking that a "T-shirt memorial" is cheap and tasteless?

GENTLE READER: No good comes of a competition over whose memorial is the most fitting or whose flower arrangement is the best. Funeral etiquette recognizes a hierarchy of grief, and while your community may be grieving for the loss, Miss Manners reminds you that it is the feelings of the principal mourners -- the immediate families -- that take precedence. How would you, as a mother, feel watching others argue over the tastefulness -- or tastelessness -- of the arrangements?

(Please send your questions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners.com; to her email, dearmissmanners@gmail.com; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)