Thursday, April 9, 2009

Some Thoughts Concerning LOL.

LOL. Texting shorthand for "laughing outloud."

I have issues with this much used and often abused piece of shorthand.

How many people using the term LOL actually laugh outloud as they type? My guess is 99 out of 100 LOL's are altogether misrepresentative of the typists' actual physiological condition.

Maybe 1 in 20 could honestly say they are "MC" - moderately chuckling? Could this be a more accurate and honest assessment for the reader of said text? Even so, I wager the audible chuckler an exception to the rule at best.

The vast majority of us, 90% or better, are not TAC's (Texting Audible Chucklers). Maybe we smile. Occasionally we mumble a "hmmm" or "heh."

The next time you get a "LOL" from a friend, call them on it. You know they did not LOL. Hold them accountable. The hottest pits of hell are reserved for all the LOL frauds out there.

Don't be one.

DB

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

okay, if you've got issues with LOL not being literal enough, then you've got to call the whole world on the @ symbol, which was originally shorthand for "around" not "at." Like a lot of frequently used shorthand slang, the meaning slowly changes.

I admit it. I have typed LOL without actually laughing out loud. Burn, baby, burn...
What could I use instead? MC is already used for "master of ceremonies" and if I used SC for "slight chuckle" that's already in use with South Carolina. Gimme somethin' good and I'll turn "literal Ed"

YMinisterswife said...

What if you are being sarcastic? Then you can type LOL and be totally justified.

Kari said...

i really lol.

Christopher Flores said...

MC

Beth said...

Me too, Kari!