Scribal abbreviation by "contraction" and was mostly a Christian usage for sacred words, Nomina Sacra; non-Christian sigla usage usually limited the number of letters the abbreviation comprised and omitted no intermediate letter. One practice was rendering an overused, formulaic phrase only as a siglum: DM for "Dis Manibus" ("Dedicated to the Manes"); IHS from the first three letters of "ΙΗΣΟΥΣ"; and RIP for "requiescat in pace" ("Rest in Peace") because the long-form written usage of the abbreviated phrase, by itself, was rare. According to Trabe, these abbreviations are not really meant to lighten the burden of the scribe but rather to shroud
A good day to die (phrase) an exclamation to draw attention, similar to a coach saying, "Let's do it!" It is likely neither Low Dog nor Crazy Horse ever said, "Today is a good day to die," which is the English bastardization of a common Sioux battle-cry, "Nake nula wauŋ welo!" ("nake nula waun"). This phrase means, "I am ready for whatever comes." It was meant to show the warriors were not afraid of the battle or dying in it. Another author describes it as the ending of a Lakota Sioux prayer. The 1993 film "Smoke Signals" plays with this concept: A good day to die