Internet slang

[ljaisan]

I'd appreciate it if you answer these questions, guys. Thank you all so much in advance.
Do you use internet abbreviations like LOL, BFF, brb, bf or others in spoken conversations? Or you hear them from your friends and co-workers?

 

[5jj]

Do you use internet abbreviations like LOL, BFF, brb, bf or others in spoken conversations? I don't, but then I don't use them at all. I don't know what the last three are.
Or do you hear them from your friends and co-workers? No

5

 

[BobK]

Some of them have been heard in speech. I've never heard 'LOL', but I've heard someone report hearing it. And I have heard for example 'OMG'.

This isn't new. A century and a half ago there were people who'd never heard 'OK': Online Etymology Dictionary


b

 

[Abstract Idea]

I just would like to add three points:

i) Such Internet abbreviations are also common in other languages besides English. And I guess it goes by the same token. Also in other languages people usually do not use them in conversational speaking and some of them may happen to be used - language is dynamic.

ii) These abbreviations are sometimes restricted to specific groups of users, classified by specific ages, habits, etc. As an specific example regarding "brb" (I'll be right back) which 5jj told us above not being aware with, coincidentally, I came to know and use it only precisely a week ago, while chatting in Internet.

iii) Cell phone text messages companies naturally endorse using such abbreviations. In this site AT&T Text Messaging there is a table with some interesting meanings.

PS I don't know "bf" or "bff" either, have never heard or read them, but I would make a guess as "best friends" or "best friends forever" (after some googling).

 

[Barb_D]

I say "BFF," but only jokingly.

A year ago, I would have asked you to shoot me on sight if I said "Oh em gee" but sadly, I think it may have slipped out a few times more recently.

I would never say "bf" (that's "boyfriend" Jed) and BRB has as mayny syllables as "be right back" so what is the point?

LOL is ridiculous. If I laughed, you heard me. If I didn't laugh, then LOL is obviously a lie.

 

[5jj]

A year ago, I would have asked you to shoot me on sight if I said "Oh em gee" but sadly, I think it may have slipped out a few times more recently.

sigh

 

[5jj]

'BF' (capitalised) is 'bloody fool' rather than 'boyfriend'to my generation of speakers of BrE, ptsbd, (past their sell-by date ;-)). Mind you, I suppose if my daughter tells me she has a new /bi: ef/, it comes to the same thing.

 

[Abstract Idea]

Mind you, I suppose if my daughter tells me she has a new /bi: ef/, it comes to the same thing.

lol

 

[Abstract Idea]

LOL is ridiculous. If I laughed, you heard me. If I didn't laugh, then LOL is obviously a lie.

I was just thinking in using it in a sarcastic way (of course not regularly but in a specific fine situation). Let us say as a kind of "original joke".

 

[Tdol]

I don't use them when speaking. I have heard LOL. Many of the abbreviations wouldn't really work as it is often as easy or easier to say the words- saying brb makes no saving and something like AKAIK would be difficult. I suppose LOL has crossed over because it is easy to say. Things like woot and noob may be heard.

I have heard teh for the in a conversation, but about online stuff.

 

[BobK]

But initials being no shorter than what they're 'abbreviating' is no impediment to their adoption - 'www' is 3 times longer than 'world wide web' (in terms of syllables). In fact, I worked with someone who said /wəwəwə/, but this never caught on.;-) [This example is a bit of a cheat, as - regardless of syllable-count - the letters literally [ahem] must be spelled out. Still, I feel the shortness of an abbreviation isn't all-important - there's often (for example) a social aspect to using a code.]

b

 

[Tdol]

It's spelled out in addresses, but people refer to the web, or more commonly (ignoring any inaccuracy) the internet, when talking about it in general.

 

[ljaisan]

Thank you! I'm trying to do a kind of scientific work in this field. Recently I've come across a very interesting work (done by a university student); she says such abbreviations[ e. g. fyi (for your information),<3(said as “heart” or “less than three”; indicates love), idk (I don’t know), bf (boyfriend)] can be heard from students. The same situation is with Russian students, I should say. If you you are not a student of don't have teen children, it's almost impossible to understand their language )

 

[ljaisan]

correction: I meant to say [If you you are not a student OR don't have teen children]

 

[Tdol]

<3(said as “heart” or “less than three”; indicates love)

You hear people saying heart as a verb meaning to love, but that may be from the symbol used on T-shirts- I (heart) New York, etc.

 

[Barb_D]

I'd say FYI predates the Internet by a good long time.