LOL! I don't think it was that funny!

i never used to write lol haha

Yes I agree with you but if it is too funny I go for LOLOLOL or LMAO. LOL!

I find sometimes they use it when it really is not funny, but it is serious. Like when someone falls down the steps, is that a reason for LOL? Or when you see an accident, or something that can ruin a person's reputation, is that a reason for the LOL. If it is something that is my own foolishness and it does not happen or if I do not want someone to take that part seriously, or it really did not matter, then I will use it. They could use some better expressions to represent the part of laughing it is, whether a slight laugh, an embarrassed laugh, laughing on the outside, crying on the inside, etc. So that we know that they really are showing a brave face and all that.

Honestly, for me, LOL is like a reflex when I am writing casually, like on forums such as this or in IM's. I don't know if I literally laugh out loud everytime I say LOL but I usually think of something funny and write it, or even when I read it, when I say LOL. I am in my room while I use the computer, and the only people who would hear me otherwise would be my mom and my pets.. So I don't worry too much of looking crazy if I laugh randomly. But I do think that I have used it at times without even realizing it, because it is a habit, one that I have probably been using for about 10-12 years, ever since I've been online. But with me, it really doesn't take that much to make me laugh, so when I write LOL There is a pretty good chance I'm laughing in my head or out loud. But yea, when I look at some of my writing or something I do notice a lot of this at times. And I do consciously try not to do it a lot on mylot, but sometimes it just happens.

I usually prefer to use LOL as a way of soothing the awkwardness, or maybe it's easy to type. You're right about it's being a little over used, but I guess people get used to it.

LOL I hardly every use LOL unless there isn't smiley's I can use LOL because LOL sometimes you can read the same words and with out someway of showing that you mean it with a lighter tone of voice LOL you may come off as some kind of wise guy hahahaha. Most of the time when I am writing LOL I am really chuckling out loud and I don't care who is around at the time LOL. So no I don't think we use LOL too much LOL.

Honestly, I really laugh out loud when I type LOL....I'm usually mylotting alone at home and no one's going to hear me laugh loudly. But sometimes I use smileys too when something's funny but I'm not really laughing out loud.

I have pondered this before. What is really annoying is when you are sitting with someone else who is using a computer and they start laughing out loud for real, and then you have to wonder are they really laughing at something or are they just doing it to get your attention. Like my stepson does this all the time to get attention, and we just ignore him, most of the time. He is in his bedroom with the door shut and typing like mad so you know he is chatting, and all of a sudden he just explodes with laughter. Like way too loud. Another thing my stepson does is say L O L or "lawl" or "rofulmafayo" (roflmao), in regular conversation not on the computer. I could go on and on about his out loud pronunciations of the acronyms. Sometimes when he does it, it is really funny and then we all get laughing for real. As far as LOL and LMAO and the rest, I use them all the time and usually I don't make any sound out loud even if I am alone. Somehow, using the acronym does it for me. I do really get the cheer out of it, but I guess I am just releasing it or expressing it in a different way.

I don't really use LOL all that much, but when I do, I rarely laugh out loud. There just aren't a whole lot of other options. The ones that really get me are ROFL...no one really rolls on the floor laughing...I used to use LOL more when I was chatting. To me it replaced the sound of laughing in the same way that typing replaced what I was going to say out loud if I was talking and not typing. But I don't chat much anymore.

I rate funnies like this. If it's good and brings a smile, then . If it just rings the bells, then its a Ha Ha. More than that, its lol. If it's outrageously Funny, its LMAO. And it brings tears and causes stomach ache, then its ROFL. I have a good sense of humor. bourne

I hear you on that but I think it has just become a widely accepted computer term that lets others know you found something funny rather than literally meaning you are kaughing out loud. You have to keep in mind that some people although able to use the computer and quite good at that, they still do not know how to deciher certain computer lingos.

Guilty. I have overused LOL when I find something funny even if I did not laugh. I would put LMA0 even if I did managed to keep my butt, just because I actually laugh. Weird but truth.

:-)I think that you have really described the use of lol exactly. I would say too that it is about 7 in 10 times that I am actually laughing out loud. There are special occasions when I might actually be lmao! Do we all know what the means? I had to find out from my friends 16 yr old daughter who was talking to me online. I have some younger friends who IM me and I learned a lot of cyber from them and it actually comes in very useful and really is alot of fun.

Most of the time I use LOL I really do giggle to myslef a little. as for the smiley faces it takes me too long to figure out which punctuation marks I need to use! I am very impatient and it just takes tooooooo long.