# "OMG, LOL, BRB" - Do You Net Speak? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 1, 2002, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omg-lol-brb-do-you-net-speak/134850 "2002-11-01T15:06:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![tourbot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@tourbot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tourbot)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2002, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omg-lol-brb-do-you-net-speak/134850/41 "2002-11-06T22:06:09Z")
All of these abbreviations are okay when used properly (and term paper usage is categorically not proper). However, I hate hate hate hate hate hate the overuse of LOL. If it means “Laugh out Loud”, it should only apply to something which would elicit audible laughter. If it is something that causes you to smirk, snicker, or smile wryly, LOL is the not the term you should be using. Unless of course, I am completely missing the meaning. To wit: > [@](#): > > I could communicate sarcasm with “LOL,” How in the world does LOL communicate sarcasm? I thought it was meant to communicate laughter, as in “Hey, that was one funny knock-knock joke! LOL!” I mean, how often do you really “Laugh Out Loud” at sarcasm? WTF? ---
**Author:** ![Dirty\_Earthworm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Dirty\_Earthworm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dirty_Earthworm)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2002, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omg-lol-brb-do-you-net-speak/134850/42 "2002-11-07T01:39:53Z")
> [@](#): > > I mean, how often do you really “Laugh Out Loud” at sarcasm? OK, good point. But that probably falls into the category of “over-using” the LOL. I have tried to cut back on my use of 'net acronyms, as I feel as though they are becoming over-used, as your example points out. I would use “LOL” because “SW” (“smiling wryly”) or “IABS” (“I am being sarcastic”) are not as commonly used. (at least, not as far as I know.) And the :rolleyes: is not available on AIM or Yahoo. I am just as guilty as other people are of over-using LOL, but that doesn’t mean I can’t get sick of it just as easily as everyone else. And when it is showing up in term papers, it is definitely being over-used. -Dirty ---
**Author:** ![Harmonix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Harmonix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonix)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2002, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omg-lol-brb-do-you-net-speak/134850/43 "2002-11-08T06:09:44Z")
[/quote] I’m sorry you feel that way, but that’s how actual scholars feel about it. An acronym that a) has nothing to do with the subject material and b) has only been around less than a decade has no place in a scholarly paper. No place at all. [/quote] I agree completely that it is stupid to put these sorts of acronyms into a paper. I am simply bitching that it is _automatically_ considered stupid. Perhaps not so much with acryonyms, but the automatic negative connotation of other non-standard english such as capitolizing, bolding, italicizing, and the occasional emoticon really irks me. it may not be formalized “formal research paper style”, but why _should_ anything be? A little personality so long as it doesn’t sound extremely stupid never really hurt anybody. But I don’t suppose any of us can change that. I guess i’m just ranting. ---
**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:** [November 8, 2002, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omg-lol-brb-do-you-net-speak/134850/44 "2002-11-08T07:32:18Z")
I admit that when I first got into ICQ about fourteen months or so ago, I would use abbreviations such as LOL, ppl, OMG, sth, q (to mean “question”), tmr, etc. Now, however, I don’t use them as much. It’s true that I can type relatively quickly, so that helps. However, sometimes I do use them in IMs, and occasionally in emails. (heck, I totally stumped my sister the other day when I used IIRC on her… hehehe) I would never use them in any sort of paper, however. Writing a paper isn’t meant ot be a casual, throw-away type of exercise. Hopefully, people will recognize that it’s meant to be important and scholarly,. Of course, if I were grading papers and I saw some with Net-speak in it, I would definitely mark down. (with the caveat of whether it was a paper on Net-speak) I should really ask my teacher friends if they’ve ever seen papers and such with Net abbrevaitions in them… F\_X ---
**Author:** ![Hamadryad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6de8d8/32.png) [@Hamadryad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamadryad)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2002, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omg-lol-brb-do-you-net-speak/134850/45 "2002-11-08T13:15:35Z")
AFK: all the time. BRB: all the time. ROFL: If I’m ACTUALLY laughing…although I’m far more likely to type, “HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!” I usually type out “If I recall correctly” and things of that stripe. I have been known to use “INMPFHO” which is, indeed, far easier to type than “In my not particularly fucking humble opinion.” I do NOT use “OMG.” I’ll merrily take the time to type out “Holy SHIT!” before I’d say “OMG” unless I’m kidding. I loathe - loathe AND despise - “lol.” You know why? Because a really ridiculous proportion of netfolk use it as punctuation. I went to the store lol There were a bunch of rednecks there lol They were buying hubcaps lol One of them tried to pay with a $20 when he needed a $50 lol He was really embarassed lol _ **shudder** _\* Besides which…I don’t believe they’re actually laughing out loud. And if you’re not actually laughing out loud _all by yourself_ at something **you** said…why the hell are you typing it? Then again, it has been noted that I’m a humorless slob who doesn’t want anyone else to have any fun. ---
**Author:** ![Tupug\_Anachi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@Tupug\_Anachi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tupug_Anachi)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2002, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omg-lol-brb-do-you-net-speak/134850/46 "2002-11-08T16:35:31Z")
Dirty Earthworm, you’ll be happy to hear the new Yahoo Instant Messenger upgrade has several new emoticons including "roll eyes. Check out the hidden ones as well. ---
**Author:** ![kitarak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kitarak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitarak)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2002, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omg-lol-brb-do-you-net-speak/134850/47 "2002-11-08T17:46:32Z")
I use a couple - IMHO, AFK, BRB, WTF, IRL, IIRC. That’s all that I can think of offhand. I never, ever, use LOL or ROTFL. I also refuse to use shortened versions of words like plz, ne1, u, etc. They irritate me beyond belief. I certainly don’t use leet - It makes my eyes bleed when I’m exposed to it in excessive quantities. ---
**Author:** ![Corrvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bbce88/32.png) [@Corrvin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corrvin)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2002, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omg-lol-brb-do-you-net-speak/134850/48 "2002-11-09T06:36:55Z")
I occasionally find myself typing in EverQuest (almost put EQ) shorthand. The only times it’s really an issue is when the EQ acronym and the…uh, other-internet acronym (?) have totally different meanings. Among the folks I play with, GTG is Good To Go, meaning I’m ready let’s play, not Got To Go, the last three letters typed by someone whose boss just walked in. SoL is Shadows of Luclin expansion, not… uh, that other common S.O.L. The part that really irks me is: when you’re using abbreviations, you’re cutting out the redundancy factor of standard language. You need to be EXTRA careful that you type what you mean-- there’s a big difference between LOM (low on mana) and OOM (out of mana) and they’re SO close on the keyboard. I had a five- or six-line exchange with someone where it took me four tries to realize they meant WIS (wisdom) items, not WIZ (wizard) items. It just made no sense why they wanted me, a hammer-wielding cleric type, to get foofy wizard robes and earrings! So…anyone else noticing that lack of accuracy? Is it just me that it bugs? ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2002, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omg-lol-brb-do-you-net-speak/134850/49 "2002-11-09T14:08:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Harmonix \* > I am simply bitching that it is _automatically_ considered stupid. Perhaps not so much with acryonyms, but the automatic negative connotation of other non-standard english such as capitolizing, bolding, italicizing, and the occasional emoticon really irks me. it may not be formalized “formal research paper style”, but why _should_ anything be? A little personality so long as it doesn’t sound extremely stupid never really hurt anybody. > > \*\* It’s not automatically stupid, but it’s poor judgment to put them in an actual academic paper for a grade - unless, of course, it’s a paper on the Internet. ---
**Author:** ![Netbrian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71e660/32.png) [@Netbrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Netbrian)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2002, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omg-lol-brb-do-you-net-speak/134850/50 "2002-11-10T06:49:44Z")
I seem fairly rare in my language use on the internet. Even on IMs, I rarely use netspeak (I occasionally say BRB which I decided meant “I am leaving and am coming back at an undisclosed time”, and LOL will be used in times when I actually burst out laughing at my computer.) Most of the time, I’ll instead use emoticons (I steer clear of drawn ones, especially AIM’s), or simply an action in asteriks to convey what I’m feeling. For instance, instead of LOL, I might say “_laughs_”. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Harmonix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonix)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2002, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omg-lol-brb-do-you-net-speak/134850/51 "2002-11-10T10:56:21Z")
> [@](#): > > It’s not automatically stupid, but it’s poor judgment to put them in an actual academic paper for a grade - unless, of course, it’s a paper on the Internet. Uh, wouldn’t that be poor judgement because it’s essentially an automatic markdown? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omg-lol-brb-do-you-net-speak/134850.md?page=2)