Internet slang

{{about|slang used on the Internet|jargon related to the Internet|Glossary of Internet-related terminology}} {{Globalize |date=August 2011 |#Globalize }} '''Internet slang''' ('''Internet short-hand''', '''netspeak''' or '''chatspeak''') is a type of [[slang]] that [[Internet]] users have popularized, and in many cases, have coined. Such terms often originate with the purpose of saving [[keystroke]]s. Many people use the same [[abbreviation]]s in [[text messaging|texting]] and [[instant messaging]], and [[social networking websites]]. [[Acronym]]s, [[Computer keyboard|keyboard symbols]] and shortened words are often used as methods of abbreviation in Internet slang. New dialects of slang, such as [[leet]] or [[Lolcat|Lolspeak]], develop as [[ingroup]] [[meme]]s rather than time savers. ==Origins== Some of the terms and abbreviations used in internet slang appear to derive from [[fanspeak]], the slang of [[science fiction fandom]]. A significant portion of computer programmers and users have historically been [[science fiction]] readers. In 1975, [[Raphael Finkel]] of [[Stanford University]] compiled a collection of [[hacker (programmer subculture)|hacker]] slang, the [[Jargon File]], from technical cultures, such as the [[MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory|MIT AI Lab]], the [[Stanford AI Lab]] (SAIL) and others, of the old [[ARPANET]] [[Artificial intelligence|AI]]/[[Lisp (programming language)|LISP]]/[[PDP-10]] communities. Two items on this list in current use as Internet slang are "[[flaming (Internet)|flame]]" and "loser". By 1990, the Jargon File had been enriched with examples of smallhand used in talk mode between 2 terminals, (for example, "BTW", "[[FYI]]", and "THX") as well as some slang expressions in use on [[Usenet]] and new commercial networks like [[CompuServe]] (for example, "[[LOL]]", "[[LOL|ROTF]]", and "[[wikt:AFK|AFK]]"). A ''[[Computerworld]]'' article, discussing the origin of several current web slang terms, cites a still-online [[FidoNet]] article from 1989, which displays [[emoticon]]s in addition to all-caps shortcuts like "LOL", "BRB" and "TTYT". ==Use beyond computer-mediated communication== {{IPA notice}} Many items of Internet jargon cross from [[computer-mediated communication]] to face-to-face communication. For example, ''[[The New York Times]]''' "Buzzwords of 2008" article includes: "[[wikt:fail#Interjection|FAIL]]", "longphoto", (a term coined by [[Flickr]] for videos less than 90 seconds long), "DWT" (Driving While Texting) and various terms starting with "tw-", inspired by the web service [[Twitter]]. Among [[teenager]]s, Internet acronyms are used in spoken as well as in written communications. For example, "ROFL" ({{IPAc-en|icon|ˈ|r|oʊ|f|əl}} or {{IPAc-en|ˈ|r|ɒ|f|əl}}, meaning Rolling On [the] Floor Laughing), "BTW" (By The Way), "4gt" (forgot), and "[[LOL]]" (Laugh out loud) ({{IPAc-en|icon|ˈ|l|oʊ|l}}, {{IPAc-en|ˈ|l|ɒ|l}}, or {{IPAc-en|ˌ|ɛ|l|oʊ|ˈ|ɛ|l}}). David Crystal observes that the crossover from written slang to speech is "a brand new variety of language evolving, invented really by young people... within five years! It's extraordinary." Other commentators disagree, saying that these new words, being abbreviations for existing, long-used, phrases, don't "enrich" anything; they just shorten it. Furthermore, linguist [[Geoffrey K. Pullum]] of the [[University of Edinburgh]] states that even if interjections such as ''LOL'', ''WUU2'' and ''ROFL'' were to become very common in spoken English, their "total effect on language" would be "utterly trivial". Laccetti, a professor of humanities at the [[Stevens Institute of Technology]] and Molski, in their essay entitled ''The Lost Art of Writing'', are critical of the acronyms, predicting drastically reduced chances of employment for students who use such acronyms, stating that, "Unfortunately for these students, their bosses will not be 'lol' when they read a report that lacks proper punctuation and grammar, has numerous misspellings, various made-up words, and silly acronyms." The other end of the same spectrum, however, is good communication with correct spelling and grammar that simply happens to use well-known and non-novel terms that originated as internet slang but long ago became widely known items of general vocabulary. Thus, formal writing that includes "FYI" or "FAQ", which one or two decades ago would have been judged by the boss as slangy, eventually becomes normal usage, because "FYI" or "FAQ" concisely express the exact idea intended and retain no crypticness to anyone but [[digital literacy|digital illiterate]]s. In this case, the usage evolution is only an example of [[register (sociolinguistics)|register]] dynamism over time, which is normal in [[natural language]]. Yunker and Barry, in a study of online courses and how they can be improved through [[podcast]]ing, have found that these acronyms, as well as emoticons, are "often misunderstood" by students and are "difficult to decipher" unless their meanings are explained in advance. They single out the example of "ROFL" as not obviously being the abbreviation of "rolling on ''the'' floor laughing" (emphasis added). Haig singles out "LOL" as one of the three most popular initialisms in Internet slang, alongside "BFN" (bye for now) and "IMHO" (in my humble opinion). In general, he describes these acronyms and the various initialisms of Internet slang as convenient, but warns that "as ever more obscure acronyms emerge they can also be rather confusing". A 2003 study of college students, by [[Naomi Baron]], found that the use of initialisms, even in [[computer-mediated communication]] (CMC) and specifically in [[instant messaging]], was actually ''lower'' than she had expected. The students "used few abbreviations, acronyms, and emoticons". The spelling was "reasonably good" and contractions were "not ubiquitous". Out of 2,185 transmissions, there were 90 initialisms in total, only 31 CMC-style abbreviations, and 49 emoticons. Out of the 90 initialisms, 76 were occurrences of "lol". Internet slang shortcuts save time for the writer but take twice as long for the reader to understand, according to a study by psychologist Nenagh Kemp at the [[University of Tasmania]]. ==Linguistic analysis== Shortis observes that ''LOL'' is a means of "annotating text with stage directions". Hueng, in discussing these acronyms in the context of performative utterances, points out the difference between ''telling'' someone that one is laughing out loud and actually laughing out loud: "The latter response is a straightforward action. The former is a self-reflexive representation of an action: I not only do something but also show you that I am doing it. [[David Crystal]] notes that use of ''LOL'' is not necessarily genuine, just as the use of smiley faces or grins is not necessarily genuine, posing the rhetorical question, "How many people are actually 'laughing out loud' when they send LOL?". Franzini concurs, stating that there is as yet no research that has determined the percentage of people who are actually laughing out loud when they write "LOL". Bonnie Ruberg, in an article concerning [[Internet linguistics]], shares the following insight, "In a world of text communication where real-life facial expressions and vocal intonations are impossible, abbreviations like "lol" sacrifice their real meaning in order to articulate our nuanced intentions. They, in and of themselves, become glib, cliche—while at the same time almost necessary for expression online." Victoria Clarke, in her analysis of telnet talkers, states that capitalization is important when people write "LOL" and that "a user who types ''LOL'' may well be laughing louder than one who types ''lol''", and opines that "these standard expressions of laughter are losing force through overuse." Egan describes ''LOL'', ''ROTFL'', and other initialisms as helpful as long as they are not overused. He recommends against their use in [[communication|business correspondence]] because the recipient may not be aware of their meanings and in general, neither they nor emoticons are (in his view) appropriate in such correspondence. June Hines Moore shares that view. So, too, does Lindsell-Roberts, who gives the same advice of not using them in business correspondence, "or you won't be LOL'ing". ==See also== * [[Cyberculture]] * [[English language spelling reform]] * [[Internet meme]] * [[Padonkaffsky jargon]] * [[SMS language]] * [[Tironian notes]], [[scribal abbreviation]]s and [[Typographic ligature|ligatures]]: Roman and medieval abbreviations used to save space on manuscripts and epigraphs ==Further reading== * [[Naomi Baron|Baron, Naomi S.]], [http://books.google.com/books?id=X8-gaJM6NUIC&printsec=frontcover ''Always on : language in an online and mobile world''], Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, 2008. ISBN 9780195313055 * Baron, Naomi S., [[Alphabet to E-mail|''Alphabet to E-mail: How Written English Evolved and Where It's Heading'']], London ; New York : Routledge, 2000. ISBN 0415186854 ==External links== {{Wiktionary|Appendix:English internet slang|Wiktionary:Other dictionaries on the Web}} * [http://www.Abbreviations.com Abbreviations.com - Abbreviation Dictionary] * [http://www.AcronymFinder.com Acronym Finder - Acronym Dictionary] * [http://www.smartdefine.org/internet_slang/abb/r Smart Define - list of Internet Slang terms] {{Internet dialects}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Internet Slang}}