OMG, TOY... I’m LOL! CWC, TTYL, LUL ur , sista
IT’S ALL ABOUT
No wonder the kids can’t spell, don’t know how to use grammar, or honestly can even pass an English class! Almost everything today is written with abbreviated words (called acronyms), little pictures (called emoji’s) or misspelled words on purpose. Acronyms are the first letters of the words in a sequence, like… ”For your information” would be FYI. This drives me absolutely crazy. Back in the day (LOL) my mom was an English teacher and my grammar was spot on or it was corrected instantaneously. Have you older folks or baby boomers kept up with the new emojis? Are you staying ahead of your kids and grandkids? Do you know what your kiddos mean, or how to use acronyms? Can you talk in abbreviated letters? This is a quick study to introduce you to the world’s new slang.
Your emoji’s and abbreviations as well as their meanings will more than likely offend your BFF if you don’t get them right! You may think it has one meaning but it may have an entirely different meaning, especially using the smiley face emojis. There are so many from which to choose with insanely different meanings. However today, let’s just talk about a few common 3 letter abbreviations that I refer to as “CODE”.
My initial thought returned to my junior high school days. How much we would have loved a cell phone and to have been able to “text” our best friends in CODE as we were changing classes and only had a few seconds! Amazingly, some of these codes do actually make sense.
Frankly I was giving credit to the millennials as far as the abbreviated three letter codes. But, researching the “code” showed the oldest written record of “LOL” (which means “LAUGHING OUT LOUD”) was typed by Wayne Pearson, in Calgary, Canada. He wrote “LOL” replying to a gag by somebody called “Sprout”. LOL was really a geek phrase from around 1990 that was picked up by the general public! Initially the younger kids started using it then it was adopted by grandmas and grandpas. When grandma was feeling sassy and “with-it”, “LOL” and “OMG” (“OH MY GOD”) were the first abbreviations she used in her text message!
When we baby boomers first began using code, some of us mistakenly used LOL for “Lots of Love”. But that’s wrong! There is an infamous story of a mother who texted: “Your grandmother has just passed away. LOL.” …... Oops, that should have been LUL, for “Love you Lots”! So, as was said early, you better study this new-fangled slang, or you will soon be in the proverbial dog house for using insulting or stupid remarks!
The “LOL” abbreviation is used in two ways. “LOL” where all the letters are pronounced separately, or “lol” where it is actually said as a word. Although I write abbreviations in text messages, I have never spoken them as a word. However, recently in Walmart I heard a teenager say “lol”. It’s become a common word that most everyone understands. And, guess what, it has actually been added into the OED (Oxford English Dictionary)! Many English professors roll their eyes thinking that our proper English language is becoming corrupted; as adults copy teenager’s grammar, trying to be COOL and young, our language deteriorates with slang words being used and proper grammar being ignored.
Here’s a start to learning the 10 most common abbreviations (acronyms) used today:
BFF = Best friend forever
BTW = By the way
IDK = I don’t know
LMAO = Laughing my a.. off
NBD = No big deal
SWAG = Stuff we all get (give away items);
also: = Scientific wild a.. guess
TMI = Too much information
TY = Thank you
WTH = What the heck
WYD = What (are) you doing…or What’s up?
So, get with it!
Have you figured out the title??
*Oh my God…Thinking of You…I’m LAUGHING OUT LOUD! Call when can, talk to you later, Love you Lots, your COOL best friend forever, sister.