lol lolololololol
By Annie2
@Annie2 (594)
United States
June 29, 2008 10:09pm CST
When did we start using LOL in written conversation? Before people began chat rooms and discussions on the net, we didn't write LOL after nearly every sentence we wrote. If a written sentence or comment was funny, you knew it when you read it. You didn't need the writer to add LOL so that you knew it was funny.
LOL and OMG are now expanding from written communication into oral communication. My grandaughter who just turned 9 says OMG on a regular basis. She also uses many other computer-style abbreviations in her conversations. Grammy has to learn them in order to understand what she is saying.
So, LOL, in case you couldn't tell, LOL, this discussion is to be a humorous, LOL, tongue-in-cheek, LOL, observation LOL.
How much do you use the computer-style abbreviations in your written and oral communication? If you are a teen or young person, I'm guessing it is nearly every other word, based on my experience with my grandaughter; but, how about the older set? Is it coming into your discussions as well?
1 person likes this
3 responses
@ronnyb (6113)
• Jamaica
13 Dec 08
The truth be told ,I never used it before I came on mylot except in chat rooms.Now however ,I find myself using it a lot in my written conversations.I know it is not a sound writing practise but I view mylot as a semi-formal setting and hence one in which we can get away with such an indulgence
In addition I have found instances in which an lol can help to convey an emotion which may not be apparnt from the wrtitten word.You may say something serious but in a jovial manner and this would be lost on the reader without the help of an lol.
So your point is well taken but I think there is room for an a lol every now an again.Not too much it becomes overbearing but used in the right amount.
Ps you may even try it in your conversation or will I next be responding to a conversation about the use of th term "ps" lolol ----no offence though with my usage of both terms
1 person likes this
@Annie2 (594)
• United States
13 Dec 08
I doubt you have to worry about responding to a conversation about the use of the term "ps" -- though, it would be kind of funny. It certainly is interesting the way our language changes over time; more interesting is the way life on the internet has changed it. I wonder if, over time, handwriting will eventually be eliminated. I doubt I'll still be alive then, but my grandchildren or their grandchildren might. Who knows? Maybe our spoken language will eventually be a barrage of abbreviations, blips and bleeps instead of the structure we have now. OMG! ps u r bff. LOL!
t y f ur response!
@abhi_destar (764)
• India
30 Jun 08
We need to write LOL in chat sessions only because we don't have visual contact between the persons involved and so can't guess the emotional state of that person. How will you know that a person has found your words to be humorous if he doesn't convey that to you in words? By the way, I hope none have forgotten what LOL stands for: it's Laughing Out Loud. How will you show a person engaged in textual conversation that you're laughing out loud? That's why we need these. But LOL is being replaced by more sophisticated methods like emoticons. And I surely can't imagine why I'll be using LOL in verbal communication. I can then perform the action itself implied by it to get my message across, isn't it? LOL!!!!!!!!!!
1 person likes this
@Annie2 (594)
• United States
30 Jun 08
LOL! I love the emoticons that can be used to express what our faces cannot when we are on the computer. The new ones on my IM are neat, especially one with an octopus who laughs LOLOLOLOL and puts up signs LOL on each of his arms as he laughs. His laugh is very cute and contagious.
Thanks for your response.
@Valenas (1507)
• United States
30 Jun 08
Sometimes my friends and I use them in real life, just to be silly. We do not really use them online, with the exception of "BRB" if we have to leave the computer quickly. We say "Be-are-be" in real life when we leave the room, and "LOL" sometimes, although we pronounce it, like Loll. We say other things, but I cannot remember them at the moment. We just do it for fun. (:
1 person likes this
@Annie2 (594)
• United States
30 Jun 08
Well, keep on being silly and enjoying your conversations with your friends. I just find it interesting how computer lingo slips into real life.
