This is a serious request for enlightenment. I need help with cool cyber symbols. I'm so outside the nerd loop that I do not text message, nor have I activated the Instant Messenger feature offered by my ISP.
Hey! I didn't realize until now that I know what ISP stands for. There is hope for this aging teacher!
Context clues help. That is how I figured-out (((your name here))). Hugs. Please don't give me any.
I can also see the creative use of punctuation that creates side-ways expressions of either delight or disgust. Usually people who take the time to create these expressions confuse me by limiting their font to the lower case. Apparently this strategy saves them time so that they may then spend it on their emoticons. There I said something, I think. That is what they're called, right? Correct me if I'm wrong.
The LOMIVOR stuff--well! Some of it I've picked-up on the cyber street, but most of it remains a mystery to me. M2M
- Do you use them?
- Which ones do you use, and what in the hell do they mean?
- Which ones annoy you the most?
- Are there dirty ones? (I need to know so that I can be properly outraged if I ever come across any.)
Thank you in advance for your guidance, tips, and points.
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Comments: 93
I use a smiley-face emoticon :-) pretty often because it lets folks know I mean my words in a friendly, humorous, and/or peaceful way. I also discovered that there are places where emoticons are "enabled" so that you type in :-) and what appears on the screen is an actual yellow smiley-face picture.
LMAO is used a lot here, along with its variations: ROFLMAO... But it began with LOL: laughing out loud. Then you were "laughing my ass off", then "rolling on the floor laughin my ass off" and probably many other permutations have followed.
FWIW = for what it's worth
IMO = in my opinion, (sometimes with H = humble in there) or
IMNSHO = in my not-so-humble opinion
BTW = by the way
I actually bought the American Heritage Abbreviations Dictionary (ISBN 0618621237) so I could decipher some of the rest of them -- let me know if you spot one you can't untangle!
BTW: Do you think LOMIVOR is code for something inherently filthy? I'll name names if I have to.
Sometimes it backfires. When I'm writing chords over song lyrics, and I want to indicate for someone that a C chord is maintained, I like to write (C) -- but I get the copyright circled-C symbol instead!! argh!
I do not doubt for a microsecond that there are acronyms for dirty words/thoughts/phrases. SNAFU is a very old example: military acronym for "situation normal: all f--ed up" -- which my mother would have considered "dirty" but my sons have numbed me to it. (But I don't like typing out words like that, just out of respect for readers who might be offended.)
Was there any context for LOMIVOR?
L aughing
O n
M y
I nverted
Variation
O f a
Rectum
You adults are so not hip.
Did you know that emoticons are legitimate bits of folklore? The minute something becomes unofficially widespread in use such as these acronyms and emoticons, they are part of the folk culture. That puts those who use this folkie stuff right here with the rest of us -- we all be hippies. ;-p
We should contact Col. Possum!
M2M is kind of like B2B (business to business) the M is for Man so I don't think you'll need to use it that much WWNNKWIM (wink wink nudge nudge know what I mean). I guess on the internet you are still The NKOTB (new kid on the block).
Abbrv. I Luv...
WTF (works for just about every situation)
STFU (very rude you know)
OMG (also works just about anywhere)
Internet spellings I hates.
ghey
noob
L,
L
STFU is partially apparent. What does ST represent?
OMG: yeah, I figured that one out, too.
ghey is a M2M, oops, I mean mystery to me.
noob: No clue.
Noob = Newbie dispariging term usually used in forums as a means of telling someone they haven't got a clue - often used this way STFU NOOB
Elise: That's what I was afraid of.
GMTA
IOW
I'm over weight?
I have to go now - I'm getting a HA from writing this way. LOLOL!
TLC2U
brb, BRB...Be right back.. Often used in IM..
very funny.
IMHO GGA KOT TTFN,ps BTW TOOT!!
Lisa: (:-)?
Faith: URgr8!
Ludolf: WFT?
TY for this great article, but WTF? E1 already said what I was going to!
So CYA later!
Bonnie: L8R.
(I am so close to the big B&N card, I can almost smell their coffee)
Oh please, just two more comments and I think it's mine. Come on . . .
Sandy: Thx41
KR: Thx42
Sandy and KR acting just like Sonny & Cher?
Everyone, come on in for the chorus:
I've got you babe...
BTW: I'm collecting the notes I've confiscated over the last year. They have drama written all over them. Ciao4now!
[megahugs]
Down with acronyms.
(Up with promotion of one's ancient articles!)
KEO: Huh?
Bonnie: in college CYA was "cover your a$$" (dollar signs in honor of John A.) as, in "get your facts straight before you take a side.
TTFN!
And what would the internet be with out the *The English-to-12-Year-Old-AOLer Translator * http://ssshotaru.homestead.com/files/aolertranslator.html
THIS IS A SARIOUS RAQUAST FOR ENLIGHTENM3NT!11!11 WTF LOL I NED HELP WIT COL CYBR SYMBOLS!11!!111 IMM SO OUTSIED DA NERD LOP TAHT I DO NOT TAXT MESAEG NOR HAEV I ACTIVAETD DA INSTANT M3SENGAR FEATURE OF3RED BY MAH ISP1111!1 LOL
HAY!!!1!11! OMG WTF I DIDNT R3ALIEZ UNTIL NOW TAHT I KNOW WUT ISP STANDS FOR11!1!1! OMG THEYRE IS HOPE FOR THIS AGNG T3ACHAR
CONTAXT!!11!!! WTF LOL CLUES H3LP1!11 OMG TAHT IS HOW I FIGURAD-OUT UR NM3 H3R3))11!!!!11 OMG LOL HUGS!11!1 PLZ DONT GIEV ME ANY11!1
I CAN ALSO SE TEH CR3ATIEV US3 OF PUNCTUATION TAHT CR3AETS SIED-WAYS 3XPRESIONS OF AITH3R D3LIGHT OR DISGUST1111!1! WTF LOL USUALY PEOPLE WHO TAEK DA TIEM 2 CRAAET THES3 EXPR3SIONS CONFUS3 M3 BY LIMITNG THERE FONT 2 TEH LOWER CAES111!1!11 WTF APAERNTLY THIS STRAETGY SAEVS TH3M TIEM SO TAHT TH3Y MAY TH3N SPEND IT ON THEYRE EMOTICONS1!1111 LOL THEIR I SADE SOMETHNG I THINK1111!!1 WTF TAHT IS WT CAL3D RIGHT?!?!!!!?? OMG COR3CT ME IF IMM WRONG!!!1!!1! LOL DA LOMIVOR STUF-WEL!!11 OMG WTF SOM3 OF IT IVA PIK3D-UP ON DA CYBR STRET BUT MOST OF IT RAMANES A MYSTERY 2 M31!11 OMG WTF LOL M2M
http://ssshotaru.homestead.com/files/aolertranslator.html
Have fun!!!
Cat: AARP
D.Dawgz: ifeelU
Dannielle: Ankthay, ouyay.
Ahh, the crutch of the inarticulate...but that sideways smiley face says so much about how I feel :-P
Once? okay.
Twice,?well all right
Third time? Oh Plz...
Whoa! I feel bad I'm so late to this party and I'm glad the Possum Posse has held their high ground. This article is the gift that keeps giving in comments!
I feel a little anachronistic and can only contribute DBTJ (don't Bogart that joint) which we used quite a bit when computers filled rooms and the keyboards engaged hammers that chipped out messages on stone tablets.
Cheers,
Colonel Possum
The rest is a mystery and I don't care!!!!!
- -
. .
c
-
m_____m
I use this to denote "lurking"
or
^^^
- ^
. .
c
-
To denote "piqued interest"
MTFBWY (and MTFBWYA)-- May the Force be with you (always). For the Star Wars junkies.
and a lightsaber
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