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Wednesday, November 28, 2007

A Parents Guide to the Internet Language - What It Is & How and When to Use It

This is just a small, but common list of acronyms that are used millions of times per day on the internet and nwo through text messaging.

lol, lmao, lmfao, brb, kk, nvm, g2g, ttyl, wtf, jk, cya, stfu, idk, idc, nm, ntm, btw, imho, omg, asl, bff, omfg.

Verizon has recently capitalized on this with their text messaging commercial with an old lady responding to her daughter's claim about who she's texting too much with saying out loud, "idk my bff jill", with actually saying the letters. Now this is a bit extreme, but corporations are recognizing it and using it to catch the younger market. And it's working.

Here's a translation for the list above if you're not sure what they might mean.

lol = laughing out loud
brb = be right back
kk = okay, cool
nvm = nevermind
g2g = got to go
ttyl = talk to you later
jk = just kidding
cya = see ya
idk = i don't know
idc = i don't care
nm = nothing much
ntm = nothing much
btw = by the way
imho = in my humble opinionv omg = oh my god
asl = age/sex/location
bff = best friend(s) forever

Now mind, this is nowhere near the complete list. But it is a good reference guide for those who are not "in the know" about this sort of stuff. This compilation of some of the most used acronyms might actually be worth printing off for some of you out there. Seriously.

And don't just use this to decipher what your children or peers are saying. Get involved in it yourself. You'll definitely come of as "more cool" and hip. I'm not telling you to use it when talking to your boss, and destroy your credibility and how people look at you in the office. But if you're with your kids, and they text you asking what time you might get off work that night, just reply with "idk" or something to that effect.

Jack Hauk of Teh Intranet.com is currently a major in Business Administration at Ivy Tech College.

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