# Lol **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 7, 2003, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lol/153450 "2003-02-07T13:25:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![BuckleberryFerry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5f9b8f/32.png) [@BuckleberryFerry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BuckleberryFerry)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lol/153450/21 "2003-02-07T15:44:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zebra \* > \*\*I prefer the classic > **BWA HA HA HA HA HA** Giggle giggle snort \*\* Agreed, though I feel that snort should be profoundly larger!!! ~Ferry ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lol/153450/22 "2003-02-07T15:46:27Z")
Actually, I think people stop using LOL and ROTFLMAO because, really, is anybody actually doing that? Sure, I’ll laugh out loud occasionally, but there have been maybe once or twice in my _life_ that I actually fell to the ground because I was laughing so hard. ---
**Author:** ![Gorgon\_Heap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f475e1/32.png) [@Gorgon\_Heap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorgon_Heap)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lol/153450/23 "2003-02-07T15:49:23Z")
Another reason yes. However, I usually do laugh out loud quite a bit at the computer, so when I do type that it is accurate. I know a lot of people who type it without even grinning in real life. Which I find annoying. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lol/153450/24 "2003-02-07T15:55:49Z")
I have LedOL in real life several times reading the SDMB, and I believe I might use it in that truthful context. However, I am perplexed by things like “Hello lol”. ---
**Author:** ![garius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e19b73/32.png) [@garius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garius)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lol/153450/25 "2003-02-07T16:00:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jjimm \* > **Hello lol** That just screams giggly school girl to me. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lol/153450/26 "2003-02-07T16:01:00Z")
Yep, I’ve used it here and elsewhere, so shoot me. ---
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lol/153450/27 "2003-02-07T16:09:03Z")
lol pwned ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lol/153450/28 "2003-02-07T16:14:17Z")
**Hello lol** : It does conjure up an image of somebody who’s a little deranged–he says “Hello” and then bursts out laughing for _no reason whatsoever._ Very Pee-Wee Herman. Or maybe they’re suffering from Tourette’s, and having them laugh is actually a _good_ thing. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lol/153450/29 "2003-02-07T16:16:31Z")
slightly off topic, but what the heck is LOLOLOLOLOL supposed to mean? Laugh Out Loud Out Loud Out Loud Out Loud Out Loud etc or Laugh Oh Laugh Oh Laugh Oh Laugh Oh Laugh Oh Laugh Oh Laugh Out Loud 😕 ---
**Author:** ![BuckleberryFerry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5f9b8f/32.png) [@BuckleberryFerry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BuckleberryFerry)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lol/153450/30 "2003-02-07T16:19:10Z")
I think it’s just like LOL in mega-caps-lock but the typer is too lazy to make text big, as in “I was soooooooo (bleh)” instead of “I was SO (bleh).” ~Ferry ---
**Author:** ![Sister\_Vigilante](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Sister\_Vigilante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sister_Vigilante)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lol/153450/31 "2003-02-07T18:28:06Z")
I especially like it when people use it as an actual word in sentences, with grammar and everything, lol. ---
**Author:** ![Yumblie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/76d3ee/32.png) [@Yumblie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yumblie)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lol/153450/32 "2003-02-07T19:22:22Z")
I hate it when people use LOL in their own sentences it indicate that what they were saying is funny. Like “I went to the store today lol.” That makes no sense! And it’s stupid! I hate LOL in general but that’s the worst. ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lol/153450/33 "2003-02-07T20:17:04Z")
There’s a person on an email list I’m on who LOLs in her own posts, referring to what she said. And she is NOT FUNNY. Were she funny, the LOLs would still drive me buggy. She also insists on chiming in on EVERY SINGLE TOPIC that comes up even when she has nothing to contribute to it, but that’s another complaint. ---
**Author:** ![Stephi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Stephi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephi)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lol/153450/34 "2003-02-07T20:27:38Z")
I hate it when people respond to criticism with “LOL” I see newbies here doing this a lot. I mean, come on, what are you? 12 years old? What’s next? “I’m rubber and you’re glue!” It really irks me. ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lol/153450/35 "2003-02-07T21:05:41Z")
Lol does not complete the sound of laughter in my mind’s eye. It wouldn’t be the real thing if a commedian got on stage, cracked a terrific joke, and the audience simultaneously drones “lol.” ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lol/153450/36 "2003-02-07T21:37:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by garius \* > **Another factor in the lack of LOLing may well be…** I dunno, I loll quite a bit. Around the house, the yard, even at work sometimes. And yes, I agree wholeheartedly with everyone else’s comments about “lol.” “I met this girl at school lol, and she’s like SOOO cute lol…” Eek. I’d like to make them ROTFSIP (that’s “screaming in pain”). ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lol/153450/37 "2003-02-07T23:19:36Z")
My mother always signs her emails “lol, Mum”. She actually means “lots of love”, but I still picture her laughing out loud, when I read it. I don’t have the heart to correct her, in fact I think I prefer her meaning. ---
**Author:** ![Searching\_For\_Truth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4da419/32.png) [@Searching\_For\_Truth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Searching_For_Truth)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2003, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lol/153450/38 "2003-02-08T00:15:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ethilrist \* > \*\*It does conjure up an image of somebody who’s a little deranged–he says “Hello” and then bursts out laughing for _no reason whatsoever._ Very Pee-Wee Herman. \*\* I’d just like to point out that this made me giggle, out loud, to myself. A lot. S’all. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2003, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lol/153450/39 "2003-02-08T00:15:56Z")
I despise when some folks use it as a non reply when they’ve been defeated on certain points but just can’t admit it. Example: > [@](#): > > Me: …so with that in mind, and the fact that their report show very little indication of what the controls are, I can safely say that these experiments aren’t worth much to the scientific arena > > Them: LOL! Happens all too often. There’s also the newbie tendency to use the “…” far too much. I always figure they are stoned. > [@](#): > > …You guys…always saying you’re fighting ignorance…you should see some of the stuff my brother saw…He was in a band once after fight ing 'nam…My cat’s breath smells like cat food…LOL! Gaaaaah! ---
**Author:** ![Flamsterette\_X](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/41988e/32.png) [@Flamsterette\_X](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flamsterette_X)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2003, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lol/153450/40 "2003-02-08T00:55:34Z")
I very rarely use “lol” or its variants; there’s something a bit irritating about it. Not that I think people who do use it are being irritating, except for this one guy I occasionally talk to on Yahoo. His messages are full of things like “hey tiger lol how are u lol…” Gaaaah!! Other than that, though… it’s okay, but I’d almost never use it myself. I prefer “hahahahaha,” to be honest. 😃 I couldn’t put my finger on why “LOL” was a tad irritating, though… not until I read this piece of fine writing: > [@](#): > > here’s one thing that always urks me with online conversations… I’ve never been a believer, a supporter, or a user of the “lol”… y’know, that funny chat abbreviation for “laugh out loud”…? I’ve seen it enough years to’ve had a chance to accept it, yet it still bugs me… coz it somehow seems less a form of “laughter” and more somethin’ drugdealers at raves call their merchandise… “oi ya geeza’s, wanna drop a lol?”. > I do like “rotfl” (rolling on the floor laughing), I have no problems with “ltmheaidafev” (laugh till my head explodes and I develop a flesh eating virus) or “iho24htldywf?” (I have only 24 hours to live do you wanna fuck?). > but… “lol” still bugs me, it just looks stupid… > as a result… I’m one of the few people who insists on using “hahahahhahahha” instead… which unfortunately makes me appear to be a gibbering mental patient on too much novacaine… > speaking of such, why is it that most internet chats are seemingly loaded with "lol"s and “rotfl”… are internet conversations really all that crazy with laugh a minute excitement? are most internet uses abusing a seriously out’ve control drug habit? there’s not subtlety with the “lol”… > really wot we need is… “ptfyci” (pretending to find your conversation interesting), “atsau” (attempting to stifle a yawn), “yjs” (your jokes suck)… etc… etc… y’know… develop some widely excepted grey region emoticons… so it doesn’t seem like you’re bursting out in a mutiple g-spot trigger everytime someone tells a lame joke 😉 > sure, this is a meaningless issue to a lot of you… > but seriously, it’s small things like these that if untreated, lead to your children being eaten by killer bees… > let that be a warning to ya! While I don’t quite think that it sounds like a pharmaceutical component, I pretty much agree with most of the rest of it. No problems really with “ROTFL” and that kind of thing, but really… yeesh. F\_X [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lol/153450.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lol/153450.md?page=3)