Internet slang
From Wikipedia, a free encyclopedia written in simple English for easy reading.
Internet slang is both slang words from earlier uses, and some new slang words, mostly about things that didn't exist until the Internet. Some words are new, for example blog and wiki. People also took old words and gave them new meanings, for example mail (to mean email) or news (to mean netnews), comparing older ways of communicating to ways with a computer. Many acronyms such as "AFK" and "IRL" became popular on bulletin board systems many years before the start of the Internet. Others, such as CYA, PO (or PO'ed), and SNAFU were used many years before there were computers at all.
There are many mixed metaphors in computer slang. For instance boot, net, web, and link have usual meanings about feet, fish, spiders, and chains. But they are now part of this internet slang. Words like site, chat, or mail also have different meanings on the Internet and World Wide Web. Many net users say that the word community is good to describe a social network on the net, but others say it is another word with two meanings.
People have also created some verbs and adjectives to describe things that only happen on the net:
- To flame - (verb) To send angry, offensive, or rude messages, usually repeatedly, in chat rooms, on forums, over instant messaging services (like AOL Instant Messenger), or in e-mail
- Flaming - (adjective) Angry, offensive, or rude text online
- To ping - (verb) To send a signal to another computer and see how long it takes for the signal to go to the computer and come back
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[edit] Acronyms
Net jargon uses many acronyms.
Many are shorthand for often-used phrases or idioms, or for emotional states or levels of certainty. Most of these are not really acronyms as we can not say them in the way they are written. But some people still call them acronyms. people created some of them because they are shorter to type. With the steady increase in laziness in the post Gen-X generations, taking the extra six seconds to type in proper English is considered "uncool" by the crowd that excessively uses these slang terms or other "elite speak" concepts. OR the real reason, is that many of these came about during online gaming, or large chat rooms, where brevity meant the difference between being an effective communicator. They can also be written in lower case (small, not CAPITAL) letters.
- 1337 Haxor 4 lyfe!
- AFAIC --- "as far as I'm concerned", or "as far as I care"
- AFAIK --- "as far as I know"
- AFAIR --- "as far as I recall", or "as far as I remember"
- AFK --- "away from keyboard"
- BBIAB --- "be back in a bit" (= I'll return soon)
- BBL --- "be back later"
- BFD --- "big fucking deal" (= It's not important)
- BRB --- "be right back" (= I'll return soon) (usually used in chats and on an instant messenger service).
- BRT --- "be right there" (= I'll return soon)
- BTW --- "by the way"
- C|N>K --- a Unix-ism meaning "coffee through nose into keyboard"
- cya --- "see you", used as a goodbye.
- CYA --- "Cover your ass" (= make sure no-one can think you did something wrong) - A phrase used in the corporate world telling people to not become a victim of the blame-game (saying other people made mistakes, not you)
- cu --- "see you", used as a goodbye
- CYS --- "Check your settings". A phrase often said by technical support staff.
- FAQ --- frequently asked questions (= questions which people often ask), or a list of frequently asked questions with answers. Never seems to be written in small letters.
- FFS --- "for fuck's sake!" (= I am angry; rude)
- FOAD --- "fuck off and die" (= go and die; rude)
- FWIW --- "for what it's worth"
- FTW --- "for the win"
- FTL --- "for the loss"
- FYI --- "for your information"
- G2G --- "got to go". (= I must leave now) Used in chatrooms.
- GAGF --- "go and get fucked" (rude)
- GAL --- "Get a life". (rude, meant as a "dis" ( from to disrespect))
- GFY --- "good for you" or "go fuck yourself". This acronym has two meanings and it is not a good idea to use it.
- GG --- "good going" or "good game". (= you did that well) Used sincerely in online games such as trivia, but more often used sarcastically when someone has done something foolish.
- GTFO --- "get the fuck out"
- HAND --- "have a nice day"
- HTH --- "hope this helps"
- IANAL --- "I am not a lawyer". Usually used before a non-lawyer gives legal advice, as a humorous disclaimer.
- IANARS --- "I am not a rocket scientist" (= I am not super-clever)
- IC --- "I see", also, "in character" in MUDs and role-playing games.
- ICYDK / ICYDN / ICUDK -- "In case you didn't know."
- ID-10-T --- "Trouble diagnostic code used when the root cause is that the user is an idiot"
- IIRC --- "if I recall correctly"
- IMHO --- "in my humble opinion" / "in my honest opinion" (humble = I do not think I am wonderful)
- IMO --- "in my opinion"
- IMNSHO --- "in my not-so-humble opinion"
- IRC --- "Internet Relay Chat" (a way for a lot of people to talk to each other)
- IRL - "in real life". Used in MUD settings.
- IYDMMA --- "if you do not mind me asking", for ex., "IYDMMA, are you a virgin?"
- JJ or JK --- "just joking", "just kidding" (= I am not serious)
- Joo --- synonym of you. Also spelled j00 with a lower case j and two zeroes rather than two O's in the case of leet speek.
- JOOC --- "just out of curiosity"
- k --- short for "OK"
- kthx --- short for "ok, thanks" or "ok, thank you"
- kthxbai --- sarcasm, rude term to get someone to go away. "Ok, thanks, bye" (emphasis on the bye)
- l8r --- a shorthand spelling of "later", meaning "see you later"
- LARP --- see eric geller
- LIEK --- popularized mispelling of "like", also used as a synonym in leet speek
- LMAO --- "laughing my ass off" (= I am laughing a lot)
- LOL --- "laughing out loud", or "lots of laughs" (a reply to something amusing)
- MYOB --- "mind your own business" (= do not ask about private things)
- NM --- "never mind"
- NOYB --- "none of your business" (= do not ask about private things)
- NP --- "no problem" (= you're welcome)
- NSFW --- "not safe for work" when someone sends or posts material that is not work appropriate. i.e; pornography
- OIC --- "oh, I see"
- OMTY--- "Owens mom tools you"
- OMG --- Exclamation, "Oh my God!!"
- OMFG --- Exclamation, "Oh my fucking God!!"
- OMFL --- Exclamation, "Oh my fucking lag!"
- OOC --- "out-of-character". Used on MUDs and other role-playing games. Also, "out of curiosity."
- OT --- "off topic"
- O{+> --- A crude visual representation of Prince's unpronounceable symbol he performed under during his legal dispute with Warner Brothers. Viewed by tipping the head to the left. Also O(+> or O+>.
- PEBKAC --- "Trouble diagnostic code used to indicate that the Problem Exists Between Keyboard And Chair"
- PFO --- "please fuck off" (= go away; rude)
- PITA --- "pain in the ass" (= annoying person or thing)
- pos --- "parent over shoulder" or "piece of shit"
- ppl --- "people"
- prog --- "computer program" (progs or progz in plural)
- prolly --- contracted form of "probably"
- pls / plz --- shorthand spelling of "please"
- PTTL --- "pop to the loo" (heading to the restroom)
- Pwn --- Pronounced pone (rhymes with bone). Created by typo, as the O is next to the P on a standard QWERTY keyboard. To "Pwn something" means to have complete control over it, and to be "Pwned by something" means to be dominated by it. "Pwn" and "own" aren't very rude terms, as they are anti-slavery phrases.
- R --- shorthand spelling of "are"
- RL --- "real life". Used in MUD settings.
- ROTFL or ROFL --- "rolling on the floor laughing" (a reply to something extremely amusing).
- ROTFLMAO or ROFLMAO --- "rolling on the floor laughing my ass off"
- RTFM --- "read the fucking manual" (often sanitized to "read the fine manual"). This is what people often say to newbies (new people) who ask a very simple question, when the answer is easy to find.
- RTFM-A --- "read the fucking manual AGAIN" :)
- SMD --- "Suck My Dick"
- SNAFU --- "Situation normal, all fucked up" (meant usually to describe how something was going well and then some how got totally out of control).
- STFU --- "shut the fuck up" (= stop speaking; rude)
- sup --- "what's up" (= how are things?) used as a greeting or a question
- thx --- shorthand spelling of "thanks" - this can be combined into "kthx" (OK, thanks), "plzkthx" (Please, OK, thanks), and "kthxbye" (OK, thanks, goodbye)
- TEH or teh --- popular misspelling of 'the' originating as a typo it is now often deliberately misspelled
- TIA --- "thanks in advance"
- TTFN --- "ta ta for now"
- TYT --- "take your time"
- TTYL --- "talk to you later"
- TY --- "Thank You"
- U --- a shorthand spelling of "you"
- WB --- "welcome back" (usually used after somebody says BRB and returns)
- WDUWTA --- "what do "u" wanna (= you want to) talk about?"
- w00t or wEWt --- exclamation of excitement or happiness. (short for woohoo), also "we own the other team" in leet speek
- WTF --- "what the fuck?" (= what's happening / what's that?!; rude)
- WURSC --- "Wow, u r so cool." (usually meant sarcastically)
- YMMV --- "Your mileage may vary" (= you may see different results)
- YW --- "You're Welcome"
- YSVW --- "You're So Very Welcome"
- X > * --- definition of something [X] is better than everything [*].
- ZOMG --- Exclamation, misspelling of OMG.
- <3 --- "love" (this is ASCII art: when you tilt your head to the right it looks like a heart symbol). Ex: I <3 you.
[edit] Phrases
- newbie --- a person that is new on some issue or thing. The term Newbie is generally used for people that just discovered or learned something. It is usually used on the Internet. A person new on gaming is a newbie gamer. It is often used as an insult on forums, as well as variants, for example noob.
- cluebie --- a newbie with a clue (with some idea about the subject) , but not a guru, see below.
- guru --- an expert in some technical topic, such as C programming or Unix system administration
- Troll --- to try to provoke a response (as in fishing) - we often use it for a person who deliberately makes trouble.
- lurker --- a person who reads an email list or a message board but does not join in the discussion.
- flamer --- a person who 'flames'; To talk a lot about a relatively uninteresting subject; to talk with a clearly stupid attitude or with hostility towards a person or group of people. "Flame" is used as a verb ("Don't flame me for this"), a flame is a single flaming message. Perhaps this goes with the word lamer.
- Snail mail is a metaphor for a real letter which we send by post. Snail mail is much slower than sending a message electronically, by email, and so we say it travels as slowly as a snail, even if it is not really true.
- Seks is a misspelling/immature way of writing "sex"
Many people create new net jargon and abbreviations as they write, so these abbreviations can often be confusing. It is impossible to list them all. Examples: OTP (on the phone), PO (pissed off), or the more common, OPTD (outside petting the dog). Also words are often cut short to save typing. These may one day creep into common usage and be in the dictionary. Examples:
- addy for address (addys is the plural)
- pic for picture (pics or pix is the plural)
- prolly for probably
The word 'teh' is just a mistake when typing 'the'. It is so common it is used now on purpose to mimic new users or people who are too enthusiastic.. Example: "That movie was teh suck!!", "The fight scene with all the Agent Smiths was TEH AWESOME", etc. This latter usage is popular in leet speek.
Net jargon (like any jargon - see especially military jargon) can be used to intimidate, confuse, or gain power over those who do not understand it well.
Internet writing is difficult to understand, especially in chatrooms or on instant messaging, because much of it is quickly input, and many think, falsely, that the people reading know their body language. For instance, people can understand a LOL as real laughter or as sarcasm, or as "whatever, stay away from me". So if you want to communicate accurately and you want people to understand you easily, it is best to be as explicit as possible: say exactly what you mean. We can also use smileys, for example ":)" (this looks like a smile when you tilt your head to the left) to show how we feel.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- A dictionary of Net slang and Net lore is Eric S. Raymond's The Jargon File, found at http://www.tuxedo.org/~esr/jargon/.
- BIBLIA - Ben's Incredible Big List of Initialisms and Acronyms
- http://www.urbandictionary.com/