type option struct {
-       names       []string
+       longName    string
+       shortName   rune
        kind        reflect.Kind
        description string
 }

diff --git a/commands/option.go b/commands/option.go
index 3bb411a..e4a7b08 100644
--- a/commands/option.go
+++ b/commands/option.go
@@ -156,6 +156,7 @@ func (ov OptionValue) String() (value string, found bool, err error) {
 const (
        EncShort   = 'E'
        EncLong    = "encoding"
+       Enc2Long   = "enc"
        RecShort   = 'r'
        RecLong    = "recursive"
        ChanOpt    = "stream-channels"
@@ -164,6 +165,7 @@ const (

 // options that are used by this package
 var OptionEncodingType = StringOption(EncLong, EncShort, "The encoding type the output should be encoded with (json, xml, or text)")
+var OptionEncodingType2 = StringOption(Enc2Long, 0, "A synonym for " + EncLong)
 var OptionRecursivePath = BoolOption(RecLong, RecShort, "Add directory paths recursively")
 var OptionStreamChannels = BoolOption(ChanOpt, 0, "Stream channel output")
 var OptionTimeout = StringOption(TimeoutOpt, 0, "set a global timeout on the command")
@@ -171,6 +173,7 @@ var OptionTimeout = StringOption(TimeoutOpt, 0, "set a global timeout on the com
 // global options, added to every command
 var globalOptions = []Option{
        OptionEncodingType,
+       OptionEncodingType2,
        OptionStreamChannels,
        OptionTimeout,
 }