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{{Short description|Internet slang}}
{{wiktionarypar2|LOL|lol}}
{{About|the internet slang initialism}}
{{redirect|lol|the musician|]}} {{otheruses3|LOL}}
{{Redirect|Laugh out loud|the radio show|Laugh Out Loud (radio){{!}}''Laugh Out Loud'' (radio)|the TV series|Laugh Out Loud (TV series){{!}}''Laugh Out Loud'' (TV series)}}
'''LOL''' (also spelled '''lol''') is an ] for "'''laughing out loud'''", "'''laugh out loud'''", or less commonly "'''lots of laughter'''". LOL is a common element of ] used, historically, on ].
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{{Update|date=March 2021|reason=Sources are all from the 2000s so this article does not document modern usage and includes information that is no longer relevant}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2022}}
]
'''LOL''', or '''lol''', is an initialism for '''laughing out loud''',<ref name="Haig2001" /><ref name="Franzini2002" /><ref name="Egan2004" /><ref name="Meltzer2011" /> and a popular element of ], which can be used to indicate amusement, irony, or double meanings.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=McCulloch |first=Gretchen |url=https://archive.org/details/because-internet/ |title=Because Internet |date=July 23, 2019 |publisher=Riverhead Books |isbn=9780735210936 |language=en}}</ref> It was first used almost exclusively on ], but has since become widespread in other forms of ] and even ] communication. It is one of many ]s for expressing bodily reactions, in particular ], as text, including initialisms for more emphatic expressions of laughter such as '''LMAO'''<ref name=NetlingoLMAO/> ("laughing my ass off") and '''ROFL'''<ref name=Goudelocke2004/><ref name=Hershock2003/><ref name=Shortis2001/> or '''ROTFL'''<ref name=RaymondSteele1996/><ref name=WilliamsCummiungs1993/> ("rolling on the floor laughing").


In 2003, the list of ]s was said to "grow by the month",<ref name=Hershock2003/> and they were collected along with ]s and ]s into ] dictionaries that are circulated informally amongst users of Usenet, ], and other forms of (textual) computer-mediated communication.<ref name=Jones1998/> These initialisms are controversial, and several authors<ref name=LacettiStevens2003/><ref name=SIT2003/><ref name=FondillerNerone2007/><ref name=YunkerBarry2006/> recommend against their use, either in general or in specific contexts such as business communications. The '']'' first listed LOL in March 2011.<ref name="omglol">{{cite web|url=http://articles.cnn.com/2011-03-25/living/oxford.new.words_1_new-words-oxford-english-dictionary-usage?_s=PM:LIVING|title=OMG! Oxford English Dictionary adds new words|author=Anna Stewart|date=March 25, 2011|publisher=CNN|access-date=March 28, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110401061539/http://articles.cnn.com/2011-03-25/living/oxford.new.words_1_new-words-oxford-english-dictionary-usage?_s=PM:LIVING|archive-date=April 1, 2011}}</ref>
== Analysis ==
Many people are critical of "LOL" and its related acronyms and there is widespread controversy over their use. Some message boards ban the usage of "LOL". Most people seem to use "LOL" as a filler in a message instead of actually "laughing out loud," for example, someone may say "lol I don't know" despite the fact that "lol" does not necessarily mean the person is laughing out loud. "LOL" can also be used to mean 'lots of love', however, this is not in the common vernacular. LOL is not generally case sensitive. As part of Internet Jargon language, it is commonly linked with ].


==History==
It should be noted that the word 'lol' is ] for 'fun'.
]]]
In the early to mid-1980s,<ref name="Tam2015">{{Cite news |last=Tam |first=Jimmy |date=August 11, 2015 |title=RIP to LOL - the history of laughing out loud |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-33858624 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210423143306/https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-33858624 |archive-date=April 23, 2021 |access-date=November 27, 2024 |work=] |language=en-GB}}</ref> Wayne Pearson was reportedly the first person to have used LOL while responding to a friend's joke in a pre-Internet digital chat room called Viewline. Instead of writing "hahaha," as he had done before when he found something humorous, Pearson stated that he instead typed "LOL" to symbolize extreme laughter.<ref>{{cite web |last=Love |first=Shayla |date=March 15, 2022 |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/akvqgk/why-we-use-lol-so-much |title=Why We Use "lol" So Much |work=VICE.com |access-date=22 March 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Hudes |first1=Sammy |date=7 October 2015 |title=What's it like to coin the term LOL? |url=https://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/whats-it-like-to-coin-the-term-lol |work=Calgary Herald |access-date=22 March 2022}}</ref> Although the account is commonly accepted as true, no written record of the conversation has been found, and the exact date of origin is unknown.<ref name=":1" />{{rp|82-83}} The earliest recorded mention of LOL in the contemporary meaning of "Laughing Out Loud" was made in a list of common online acronyms on the May 8, 1989 issue of the electronic newsletter '']'', according to the '']''<ref name="Tam2015" /> and linguist ].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Collister |first=Lauren B. |date=May 28, 2015 |title=How do you haha? LOL through the ages |url=https://theconversation.com/how-do-you-haha-lol-through-the-ages-41562 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240725033522/https://theconversation.com/how-do-you-haha-lol-through-the-ages-41562 |archive-date=July 25, 2024 |access-date=November 27, 2024 |website=] |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":1" />{{rp|83}}


A 2003 study of college students by ] found that the use of these initialisms in ] (CMC), specifically in ], was actually ''lower'' than she had expected. The students "used few abbreviations, acronyms, and emoticons". Out of 2,185 transmissions, there were 90 initialisms in total;<ref name="Philipkoski2005" /> 76 were occurrences of LOL.<ref name="Baron2005" />], Germany|left]]On March 24, 2011, LOL, along with other ], was formally recognized in an update of the '']''.<ref name="omglol" /><ref name="mason">{{cite web |author=Marsia Mason |date=April 4, 2011 |title=OMG, K.I.D.S., IMHO, Needs to Go |url=http://moorestown.patch.com/articles/omg-kids-imho-needs-to-go |access-date=April 9, 2011 |publisher=Moorestown Patch}}</ref> In their research, it was determined that the earliest recorded use of LOL as an initialism was for "little old lady" in the 1960s.<ref name="oed">{{cite encyclopedia |title=New initialisms in the OED |dictionary=Oxford English Dictionary |url=http://www.oed.com/public/latest/latest-update/ |access-date=March 28, 2011 |date=March 24, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110325151212/http://www.oed.com/public/latest/latest-update/ |archive-date=March 25, 2011 |author=Graeme Diamond |url-status=dead}}</ref>
== Variations on the theme ==
{{wiktionarycat|type=for Internet laughter slang|category=Internet laughter slang}}
The widespread use of the term has sprung many variations such as pseudo-]izations (e.g. ''lols'' and ''lolz''), ]s (e.g. ''lololol'', ''loooool'', and any number of other repetitious variants), and ]s (e.g. ''lollerskates'', ''lolgasm'', ''lollercoaster,'' ''lollerfest'', ''lollerpops''). Sometimes the Os are replaced with alternating or ] ]es (e.g. ''lo0o0ol'').


] references "lulz" extensively in her anthropological studies of ].<ref>{{cite web |last=Norton |first=Quinn |date=July 18, 2010 |title=Why Do Anonymous Geeks Hate Scientologists? |url=https://gizmodo.com/5590049/why-do-anonymous-geeks-hate-scientologists |access-date=February 17, 2012 |website=Gizmodo}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Coleman |first=Gabriella |title=Our Weirdness Is Free: The logic of Anonymous — online army, agent of chaos, and seeker of justice |url=http://canopycanopycanopy.com/15/our_weirdness_is_free |access-date=February 17, 2012 |publisher=Triple Canopy}}</ref>
Despite it being an ] acronym, it is often used by non-English speakers as-is, even in other ] (eg. {{lang-ar|]}}, ]: ]).
===Variants and translations in widespread use===
<!--ACHTUNG: This article is not a dumping ground for arbitrary variations. Any variation added here MUST already have a Wiktionary article, and satisfy the Wiktionary criteria for inclusion as a word. -->
*El oh el - pseudo-pronunciation.
*] or ] &mdash; "la(w)l" can refer to either a way in which someone words the phrase of ''lol'', or the ] translation (although most German speakers use 'lol') Saying lawl is sometimes meant in mockery of those who use the term LOL, and not meant as serious usage.
*] (]) is a Dutch word, meaning fun (funny).
*] is the equivalent in French : ''Mort De Rire'' ('Dying of laughter')
*] &mdash; used commonly in ]
*lolled (also spelled "lol'd") - past-tense form; as in the sentence, "I lolled at the movie."
*] stands for "Laughing My Arse Off" or "Laughing My Ass Off" and has several variations itself:
** ] - Laughing A Whole Lot
** ] - The F can stand for Fat or for Fucking.
** ]/] - Rolling On the Floor, Laughing. Roffle is now also a widely used variation of ROFL, along with its own variations, and of course, in any permutation such as: ] or ]
*] stands for "I am Laughing" or "I actually laughed". The word was created after people were annoyed that lol is commonly overused even when a person is not laughing. ] is used when someone actually laughs in response to what has been said.
*] is occasionally used in place of "lol".
<!--ACHTUNG: This article is not a dumping ground for arbitrary variations. Any variation added here MUST already have a Wiktionary article, and satisfy the Wiktionary criteria for inclusion as a word. -->


LOL, ROFL, and other initialisms have crossed from computer-mediated communication to face-to-face communication. David Crystal{{snd}}likening the introduction of LOL, ROFL, and others into spoken language in magnitude to the revolution of ]'s invention of ] in the 15th century{{snd}}states that this is "a brand new variety of language evolving", invented by young people within five years, that "extend the range of the language, the expressiveness the richness of the language".<ref name="Ulaby2006" /><ref name="Philipkoski2005" /> However ] argues that even if interjections such as LOL and ROFL were to become very common in spoken English, their "total effect on language" would be "utterly trivial".<ref name="Pullum2005" />
== See also ==
* ]
* ]
* ]


While LOL originally meant "laughing out loud," modern usage is different, and it is commonly used for irony, as an indicator of second meanings, and as a way to soften statements.<ref name=":1" />
]
]


==Analysis==
]
Silvio Laccetti (professor of humanities at ]) and Scott Molski, in their essay entitled ''The Lost Art of Writing'', are critical of the terms, predicting reduced chances of employment for students who use such slang, stating that, "Unfortunately for these students, their bosses will not be 'lol' when they read a report that lacks proper punctuation and grammar, has numerous misspellings, various made-up words, and silly acronyms."<ref name=LacettiStevens2003/><ref name=SIT2003/> Fondiller and Nerone in their style manual assert that "professional or business communication should never be careless or poorly constructed" whether one is writing an electronic mail message or an article for publication, and warn against the use of smileys and abbreviations, stating that they are "no more than e-mail slang and have no place in business communication".<ref name=FondillerNerone2007/>
]

]
Linguist John McWhorter stated, "Lol is being used in a particular way. It's a marker of empathy. It's a marker of accommodation. We linguists call things like that pragmatic particles..." Pragmatic particles are the words and phrases utilized to alleviate the awkward areas in casual conversation, such as ''oh'' in "Oh, I don't know" and ''uh'' when someone is thinking of something to say. McWhorter stated that ''lol'' is utilized less as a reaction to something that is hilarious, but rather as a way to lighten the conversation.<ref>{{cite web|last1=McWhorter|first1=John|title=Txtng is killing language. JK!!!|date=April 22, 2013 |url=https://www.ted.com/talks/john_mcwhorter_txtng_is_killing_language_jk/transcript?language=en#t-485351}}</ref>
]

]
Frank Yunker and Stephen Barry, in a study of online courses and how they can be improved through ]ing, have found that these slang terms, and emoticons as well, are "often misunderstood" by students and are "difficult to decipher" unless their meanings are explained in advance. They single out the example of "ROFL" as not obviously being the abbreviation of "rolling on ''the'' floor laughing" (emphasis added).<ref name=YunkerBarry2006/> Matt Haig singles out LOL as one of the three most popular initialisms in Internet slang, alongside BFN{{dubious|reason=Never, ever used|date=September 2015}} ("bye for now") and IMHO ("in my honest/humble opinion"). He describes the various initialisms of Internet slang as convenient, but warns that "as ever more obscure acronyms emerge they can also be rather confusing".<ref name=Haig2001/> Hossein Bidgoli likewise states that these initialisms "save keystrokes for the sender but might make comprehension of the message more difficult for the receiver" and that "lang may hold different meanings and lead to misunderstandings especially in international settings"; he advises that they be used "only when you are sure that the other person knows the meaning".<ref name=Bidgoli2004/>
]

Tim Shortis observes that ROFL is a means of "annotating text with stage directions".<ref name=Shortis2001/> Peter Hershock, in discussing these terms in the context of performative utterances, points out the difference between ''telling'' someone that one is laughing out loud and actually laughing out loud: "The latter response is a straightforward action. The former is a self-reflexive representation of an action: I not only do something but also show you that I am doing it. Or indeed, I may not actually laugh out loud but may use the locution 'LOL' to communicate my appreciation of your attempt at humor."<ref name=Hershock2003/>

] notes that use of LOL is not necessarily genuine, just as the use of smiley faces or grins is not necessarily genuine, posing the rhetorical question "How many people are actually 'laughing out loud' when they send LOL?".<ref name=Crystal2001/> Louis Franzini concurs, stating that there is as yet no research that has determined the percentage of people who are actually laughing out loud when they write LOL.<ref name=Franzini2002/>

], in her analysis of ] talkers, states that capitalization is important when people write LOL, and that "a user who types ''LOL'' may well be laughing louder than one who types ''lol''", and opines that "these standard expressions of laughter are losing force through overuse".<ref name=Clarke2002/> Michael Egan describes LOL, ROFL, and other initialisms as helpful so long as they are not overused. He recommends against their use in business correspondence because the recipient may not be aware of their meanings, and because in general neither they nor emoticons are in his view appropriate in such correspondence.<ref name=Egan2004/> June Hines Moore shares that view.<ref name=Moore2007/> So, too, does Sheryl Lindsell-Roberts, who gives the same advice of not using them in business correspondence, "or you won't be LOL".<ref name="Lindsell-Roberts2004"/>

==Variations on the theme==
===Variants===
] is a distorted image of ] originating {{Circa|2013}}.<ref name=":0" />]]
* ''']''': phonetic spelling of LOL. "LUL" is also commonly used in the gaming community, due to it being an emote on ], which depicts game critic ] laughing.
* ''']''': Occasionally used in place of LOL.
* ''']''': Often used to denote ] of a prank, or a reason for performing an action. Its use originated with Internet trolls. According to a '']'' article about ], "''lulz'' means the joy of disrupting another's emotional equilibrium."<ref name=Schwartz2008/> Can be used as a noun{{snd}}e.g. "do it for the lulz.", shortened into "ftlulz" (to distinguish it from "ftl"{{snd}}"for the loss"). See also ].
* '''LOLOLOL...''': For added emphasis, LOL can be appended with any number of additional iterations of "OL". In cases such as these, the abbreviation is not to be read literally (i.e., "Laughing out loud out loud out loud out loud"), but is meant to suggest several LOLs in a row.
* '''OMEGALUL''' and '''LULW''': variants of "LUL" used as a ].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Grayson |first1=Nathan |title=Everything You Always Wanted To Know About The 'Omegalul' Emote (But Were Afraid To Ask) |url=https://kotaku.com/everything-you-always-wanted-to-know-about-the-omegalul-1839784840 |website=Kotaku |access-date=February 12, 2021 |date=November 12, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Çakır|first=Gökhan|date=March 5, 2021|title=Twitch slang and common terms explained|url=https://dotesports.com/streaming/news/twitch-slang-and-common-terms-explained|access-date=December 27, 2021|website=Dot Esports|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Das |first=Abhimannu |date=2021-03-09 |title=What Does OMEGALUL Mean in Twitch Chat and Where Did It Originate? |url=https://afkgaming.com/esports/news/7053-what-does-omegalul-mean-in-twitch-chat-and-where-did-it-originate |access-date=2024-05-31 |website=AFK Gaming |language=en}}</ref>
* '''trolololol''' or '''trollololol''': A blend of ] and LOL iterated, likely meant to mimick ]'s 1976 song ] song, which became an internet meme in 2010. Indicates that the prank or joke was made by internet trolls, or the user thinks the prank or joke qualifies as ].
===Derivations===
] meme, featuring a humorous misspelling of "LOL, what?"]]
* (to) '''LOL''': Used as a verb ("to laugh out loud") and is meant to be conjugated in the appropriate tense. When the past tense is meant, it is written as "LOL(e)d" or "LOL'd".
* ''']''' (sometimes "lulwut"): ] + ], used to indicate bemused laughter, or confusion.
* '''lawl''', '''lawlz''', or '''lal''': Pseudo-pronunciation of LOL. Saying "lawl" is sometimes meant in mockery of those who use the term LOL and is not meant to express laughter.
* '''Lel''' or '''LEL''' is a "playful or ironic" variation of LOL.<ref>{{Dictionary.com|lel|accessdate=2022-04-24}}</ref> It is sometimes thought to be an initialism, standing for "laughing extremely loud" or "laughing extra loud", but this has been disputed.<ref>{{cite news |last=Garber |first=Megan |date=2014-07-17 |title='LEL,' 'Nyahahaha,' 'U Wat Brah': The Creative Ways We Laugh Online |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/07/lel-nyahahaha-o-boy-the-creative-ways-we-laugh-online/374531/ |work=The Atlantic |access-date=2022-04-22}}</ref>
* ''']''', an ] of a cat

===Related===
] image popularized in 2004 by ]s using the word "]"]]{{redirect|lqtm|linear quantum Turing machines|Quantum Turing machine}}
* '''*G*''' or '''*g*''': For "grins".<ref name="g">{{cite web|url=http://www.internetslang.com/*G*.asp|title=What does *G* mean?|publisher=Internet Slang|access-date=April 16, 2011}}</ref> Like "lulz" it is used in the initialism "J4G" ("just for grins").<ref name="j4g">{{cite web|url=http://www.acronymfinder.com/Slang/J4G.html|title=What does J4G stand for?|publisher=Acronym finder|access-date=April 16, 2011}}</ref>
* '''kek''': A term for laughter that originated in online games, possibly either '']'' or '']'', the latter in which Korean players would type "]" as ] for laughter.<ref name="Polygon">{{Cite web|url=https://www.polygon.com/2017/9/14/16310330/destiny-2-armor-white-nationalist-kek-symbol-explanation|title=Bungie explains how Destiny 2 armor resembling hate symbol made it into the game|first=Samit|last=Sarkar|date=September 14, 2017|access-date=August 4, 2018|work=]}}</ref> It later became associated with ] politics,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.richmond.com/news/virginia/in-charlottesville-gop-candidate-for-governor-corey-stewart-allies-with/article_211e1dbc-c324-5664-94d1-186aa24bb5d0.html |title=In Charlottesville, GOP candidate for governor Corey Stewart allies with alt-right-inspired blogger who wants to protect 'glorious Western civilization' |first=Graham |last=Moomaw |newspaper=] |date=February 16, 2017}}</ref> ] surrounding the character ] by analogy with the frog-headed ancient Egyptian god ].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://theconversation.com/how-an-ancient-egyptian-god-spurred-the-rise-of-trump-72598 |title=How an ancient Egyptian god spurred the rise of Trump |date=March 7, 2017 |website=The Conversation |access-date=July 18, 2017}}</ref>
* ''']''': For "laughing my arse/ass off".<ref name=NetlingoLMAO/> Variants: ] ("Laughing my butt off"),<ref>{{Cite web| title = LMBO| year = 2012| work = Online Slang Dictionary| url = http://onlineslangdictionary.com/meaning-definition-of/lmbo| access-date = February 5, 2022}}</ref> ] ("Laughing my fucking ass off").
* '''lqtm''': For "Laughing quietly to myself".<ref name="lqtm">{{cite web|url=http://www.internetslang.com/LQTM.asp|title=What does LQTM mean?|publisher=Internet Slang|access-date=April 12, 2011}}</ref>
* ''']''': For "rolling on the floor laughing". It is often combined with LMAO for added emphasis as ''']''' ("Rolling on the floor laughing my ass off") or '''ROFLMFAO''' (Rolling on the floor laughing my fucking ass off).<ref name="lmao">{{cite web|url=http://www.netlingo.com/word/lmao.php|title=LMAO|publisher=NetLingo|access-date=April 12, 2011}}</ref>
* ''']''': A ] of ROFL and helicopter. A popular ] in the ] text-to-speech engine enables the voice to make a sound akin to the rotation of rotor blades when 'SOI' or 'SOY' is entered, and the phrase 'My ROFLcopter goes soi soi soi..." is often associated with the term as a result.
* ''']''': For "pissing myself laughing".
* ''']''': For "I just burst out laughing".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Wang |first=Shirley |date=2023-08-08 |title=What Is IJBOL? |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/08/style/ijbol-lol-lmao.html |access-date=2024-08-05 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Gaining popularity among ], initially popularized within the ]. Not derived from ].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-08-14 |title=What does ijbol mean? {{!}} Mashable |website=] |url=https://mashable.com/article/ijbol-explained |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230814051632/https://mashable.com/article/ijbol-explained |url-status=dead |archive-date=2023-08-14 |access-date=2024-08-05 }}</ref>
* '''XD''', sometimes stylized as '''xD''', '''xd''', or '''Xd''', is an ] commonly used to symbolize extreme laughter or happiness.

=== Commonly used equivalents in other languages ===

] in 1961 (recording from ], 1962)]]

Pre-dating the Internet and ] by a century, the way to express laughter in ] is "hi hi".<ref name="u370">{{cite web | last=Collister | first=Lauren B. | title=LOL in the age of the telegraph | website=The Conversation | date=20 May 2024 | url=https://theconversation.com/lol-in-the-age-of-the-telegraph-42578 | access-date=29 September 2024}}</ref> The sound of this in morse ('di-di-di-dit di-dit, di-di-di-dit di-dit') is thought to represent chuckling.<ref name=Dinkins2010a/><ref name=Dinkins2010b/>

* ]: the ] variation of LOL. "5" in Thai is pronounced "ha", three of them being "hahaha" ({{Lang|th|ห้า ห้า ห้า}}).<ref>{{Cite web |title=TSL Chiang Mai- Thai as a Second Language School |url=https://tslchiangmai.com/ |access-date=2024-08-05 |website=tslchiangmai.com |language=en}}</ref>
* ]: ] abbreviation of the term {{lang|sv|asgarv}}, meaning intense laughter.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Asgarv {{!}} SAOL {{!}} svenska.se |url=https://svenska.se/saol/?sok=Asgarv&pz=4 |access-date=2024-08-05 |language=sv-SE}}</ref>
* ]: ] abbreviation of the word ''griner'', which means "laughing" in Danish.<ref name=Elkan2009/>
* ]: in ], the letter "j" is pronounced ].<ref name="jaja">{{cite web |title=¡ja, ja, ja! |url=http://www.spanishdict.com/translate/%C2%A1ja,%20ja,%20ja! |access-date=April 9, 2011 |publisher=]}}</ref>
* jejeje: in the ] is used to represent "hehehe". "j" in Filipino languages is pronounced as ], derived from the Spanish ]. Its origins can be traced to ]. It is widely used in a Filipino youth subculture known as ]s.<ref name="PDI">{{cite news|date=April 24, 2010 |first=Harvey |last=Marcoleta |title=Jejemons: The new 'jologs' |newspaper=] |url=http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/2bu/2bu/view/20100424-266068/gtJejemons-The-new-jologs |access-date=April 30, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100427084817/http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/2bu/2bu/view/20100424-266068/gtJejemons-The-new-jologs |archive-date=April 27, 2010 }}</ref><ref name="CNET">{{cite web |date=April 26, 2010 |title=Jejemon in the Philippines |first=Joseph |last=Nacino |url=http://asia.cnet.com/blogs/the-virtual-eye/post.htm?id=63018444&scid=hm_bl |work=] Asia |access-date=April 30, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120828171747/http://asia.cnet.com/blogs/jejemon-in-the-philippines-62116449.htm |archive-date=August 28, 2012 }}</ref>
* ]: ] version, from the initials of {{lang|eo|multe da ridoj}}, which translates to "lot of laughs" in English.
* ]: ] version, from the initials of "mort de rire" which roughly translated means "died of laughter", although many French people also use LOL instead as it is the most widely used on the internet.<ref name="mort">{{cite encyclopedia|url=http://acronyms.thefreedictionary.com/Mort+de+Rire|title=MDR |dictionary=The Free Dictionary|access-date=April 9, 2011}}</ref><ref name="mort2">{{cite web|url=http://en.bab.la/dictionary/french-english/mdr-mort-de-rire|title=French-English translation for "mdr (mort de rire)"|publisher=babLa|access-date=April 9, 2011}}</ref>
* ]: in ] "mkm" (being an abbreviation of the phrase "ma khanda mikonom"). This is a ] phrase that means "I am laughing".
* ]: ] variant from {{lang|fr|pété de rire}}{{snd}}literally meaning "broken with laughter"
* ]: in ] "rs" (being an abbreviation of "risos", the plural of "laugh") is often used in text based communications in situations where in English LOL would be used, repeating it ("rsrsrsrsrs") is often done to express longer laughter or laughing harder. Also popular is "kkk" (which can also be repeated indefinitely), due to the pronunciation of the letter ''k'' in ] sounding similar to the ''ca'' in ''card'', and therefore representing the laugh "cacacacaca" (also similar to the Hebrew version below).<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.semantica-portuguese.com/learning-to-laugh-and-smile-online-1006/ |title=Learning to laugh and smile online... Brazilian Portuguese, by Semantica |date=June 9, 2010 |website=Brazilian Portuguese, by Semantica |language=en-US |access-date=January 28, 2018}}</ref>
* ]/]: ] version of LOL. The letter ] is pronounced and ] is pronounced . Putting them together (usually three or more in a row) makes the word khakhakha or hahaha (since vowels in Hebrew are generally not written), which is in many languages regarded as the sound of laughter.
* {{lang|ko|ㅋㅋㅋ}} ("kkk" or "kekeke")<ref name="Polygon"/> and {{lang|ko|ㅎㅎㅎ}} ("hhh") are usually used to indicate laughter in ]. ']', is a Korean ] consonant representing a "k" sound, and '{{lang|ko|]}}' represents an "h" sound. Both "{{lang|ko|ㅋㅋㅋ}}" and "{{lang|ko|ㅎㅎㅎ}}" represent laughter which is not very loud. However, if a vowel symbol is written, louder laughter is implied: {{lang|ko|하하}} "haha" {{lang|ko|호호}}, "hoho."<ref name="korea">{{cite web|url=http://www.westudykorean.com/slang3.php|title=Slang 속어|publisher=We Study Korean|access-date=April 9, 2011}}</ref>
* ({{lang|ja|笑}}): in ], the ] for laugh, is used in the same way as lol. It can be read as {{lang|ja|kakko warai}} (literally "parentheses laugh") or just {{transliteration|ja|wara}}. ] is also used as an abbreviation, and it is common for multiple ''w'' to be chained together.<ref name="tokyo">{{cite web|url=http://www.tokyo-insider.net/?p=4756|title=LOL=wwwwww|publisher=Tokyo-Insider|access-date=April 9, 2011}}</ref> The resulting shape formed from multiple ''wwwww'' leads to the usage of {{lang|ja|草}} ( ] meaning grass, read as {{transliteration|ja|kusa}}), due to its resemblance to the shape of grass.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cheng |first=Alan |date=2021-02-04 |title=10 Useful Japanese Internet Slang Terms You Should Know |url=https://unseen-japan.com/10-useful-japanese-internet-slang-terms-you-should-know/ |access-date=2024-08-05 |website=Unseen Japan |language=en-US}}</ref>

===The word {{nobold|"}}lol{{nobold|"}} in other languages===
* In ], ] is a word (not an acronym) which, coincidentally, means "fun" ("]" means "funny").
* In ], ] means "nonsense" or "ridiculous"{{snd}}e.g., if a person wanted to say "utter nonsense" in Welsh, they would say "lol wirion" or "rwtsh lol".<ref name="cscs">{{cite web|url=http://www.cs.cf.ac.uk/fun/welsh/LexiconWE.html|title=Welsh-English Lexicon|publisher=Cardiff School of Computer Science|access-date=July 15, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081217073455/http://www.cs.cf.ac.uk/fun/welsh/LexiconWE.html|archive-date=December 17, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Internet}}
* ] (😂)
* ]
* ]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em|refs=

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<ref name=AHD1>{{cite book |title=American Heritage Abbreviations Dictionary 3rd Edition |publisher=] |year=2005 |title-link=American Heritage Dictionary }}</ref>
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<ref name=Baron2005>{{cite web|title=Instant Messaging by American College Students: A Case Study in Computer-Mediated Communication|author=Naomi Baron|url=http://www.american.edu/tesol/Baron-AAAS-IM%20by%20American%20College%20Students.pdf|date=February 18, 2005|publisher=]}}</ref>

<ref name=Bidgoli2004>{{cite book|title=The Internet Encyclopedia|author=Hossein Bidgoli|pages=277|year=2004|publisher=John Wiley and Sons|isbn=0-471-22201-1}}</ref>

<ref name=Clarke2002>{{cite web|title=Internet English: an analysis of the variety of language used on Telnet talkers|author=Victoria Clarke|date=January 30, 2002|url=http://www.american.edu/lfs/tesol/2003%20Paper--Lg%20of%20the%20Internet.pdf}}</ref>

<ref name=Crystal2001>{{cite book|author=David Crystal|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=0-521-80212-1|title=Language and the Internet|date=September 20, 2001|pages=|url=https://archive.org/details/languageinternet0000crys/page/34}}</ref>

<ref name=Dinkins2010a>{{cite web|last=Dinkins|first=Rodney R.|title=AMATEUR RADIO GLOSSARY: JARGON, ABBREVIATIONS AND TERMINOLOGY|url=http://www.ac6v.com/jargon.htm#H|year=2010|access-date=September 21, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170919231618/http://ac6v.com/jargon.htm#H|archive-date=September 19, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>

<ref name=Dinkins2010b>{{cite web|last=Dinkins|first=Rodney R.|title=Origin Of HI HI|work=ORIGIN OF HAM SPEAK – FACT, LEGENDS AND MYTHS|url=http://www.ac6v.com/73.htm#HI|year=2007|access-date=September 21, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050710074924/http://www.ac6v.com/73.htm#HI|archive-date=July 10, 2005|url-status=dead}}</ref>

<ref name=Elkan2009>{{cite news
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<ref name=Egan2004>{{cite book|title=Email Etiquette|author=Michael Egan|publisher=Cool Publications Ltd|isbn=1-84481-118-2|pages=32, 57–58|year=2004}}</ref>

<ref name=Meltzer2011>{{cite news|author=Tom Meltzer|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2011/sep/06/lol-favourite-abbreviation|title=What 'lol' doesn't mean – but could|work=]|date=September 6, 2011}}</ref>

<ref name=FondillerNerone2007>{{cite book|title=Health Professionals Style Manual|author=Shirley H. Fondiller and Barbara J. Nerone|pages=98|year=2007|publisher=Springer Publishing Company|isbn=978-0-8261-0207-2}}</ref>

<ref name=Franzini2002>{{cite book|title=Kids Who Laugh: How to Develop Your Child's Sense of Humor|author=Louis R. Franzini|year=2002|publisher=]|pages=|isbn=0-7570-0008-8|url=https://archive.org/details/kidswholaughhowt00fran/page/145}}</ref>

<ref name=Goudelocke2004>{{cite thesis|title=Credibility and Authority on Internet Message Boards|publisher=] and Agricultural and Mechanical College|date=August 2004|url=https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_theses/3190/|author=Ryan Goudelocke|pages=22|degree=M.M.C. |doi=10.31390/gradschool_theses.3190|doi-access=free}}</ref>

<ref name=Haig2001>{{cite book|title=E-Mail Essentials: How to Make the Most of E-Communications|author=Matt Haig|pages=89|year=2001|publisher=Kogan Page|isbn=0-7494-3576-3}}</ref>

<ref name=Hershock2003>{{cite book | last = Hershock | first = Peter | title = Technology and cultural values : on the edge of the third millennium | publisher = University of Hawaii Press East-West Philosophers Conference | location = Honolulu | year = 2003 | isbn = 9780824826475 | pages=561}}</ref>

<ref name=Jones1998>{{cite book|pages=|title=Cybersociety 2.0: Revisiting Computer-Mediated Community and Technology|author=Steven G. Jones|year=1998|publisher=Sage Publications Inc|isbn=0-7619-1462-5|url=https://archive.org/details/cybersociety20re0000unse/page/52}}</ref>

<ref name=LacettiStevens2003>{{cite news|author=Silvio Laccetti and Scott Molski|url=http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/opinion/0603/08special_writing.html|title=Cost of poor writing no laughing matter|work=]|date=September 6, 2003|access-date=October 10, 2005|archive-date=June 11, 2003|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030611035220/http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/opinion/0603/08special_writing.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

<ref name="Lindsell-Roberts2004">{{cite book|title=Strategic Business Letters and E-Mail|author=Sheryl Lindsell-Roberts|pages=289|publisher=Houghton Mifflin|isbn=0-618-44833-0|year=2004}}</ref>

<ref name=NetlingoLMAO> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171202015825/http://www.netlingo.com/word/lmao.php |date=December 2, 2017 }}{{snd}}entry at Netlingo.com</ref>

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<ref name=Moore2007>{{cite book|title=Manners Made Easy for Teens|author=June Hines Moore|pages=54|publisher=B&H Publishing Group|year=2007|isbn=978-0-8054-4459-9}}</ref>

<ref name=Philipkoski2005>{{cite news|title=The Web Not the Death of Language|author=Kristen Philipkoski|date=February 22, 2005|url=https://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,66671,00.html|work=]}}</ref>

<ref name=Pullum2005>{{cite web|author=Geoffrey K. Pullum|url=http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/001829.html|title=English in Deep Trouble?|work=]|date=January 23, 2005|access-date=May 3, 2007}}</ref>

<ref name=RaymondSteele1996>{{cite book |title=The New Hacker's Dictionary |author=] and ] |pages=435 |year=1996 |publisher=] |isbn=0-262-68092-0}}</ref>

<ref name=Schwartz2008>{{cite news
|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/03/magazine/03trolls-t.html?_r=1&ref=technology
|title=The Trolls Among Us
|last=Schwartz
|first=Mattathias
|date=August 3, 2008
|newspaper=]
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<ref name=Shortis2001>{{cite book |title=The Language of ICT |author=Tim Shortis |pages=42 |publisher=Routledge |year=2001 |isbn=978-0-415-22275-4}}</ref>

<ref name=SIT2003>{{cite press release|publisher=]|title=Article co-authored by Stevens professor and student garners nationwide attention from business, academia|date=October 22, 2003|url=http://howe.stevens.edu/babbio/pressroom/20031022-368-writingoped.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070315065432/http://howe.stevens.edu/babbio/pressroom/20031022-368-writingoped.html|archive-date=March 15, 2007}}</ref>

<ref name=Ulaby2006>{{cite web|work=Digital Culture|title=OMG: IM Slang Is Invading Everyday English|author=Neda Ulaby|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5221618|date=February 18, 2006|publisher=]|author-link=Neda Ulaby}}</ref>

<ref name=WilliamsCummiungs1993>{{cite book |author=] and Steve Cummings |publisher=] |year=1993 |isbn=978-0-938151-84-5 |pages= |title=Jargon: An Informal Dictionary of Computer Terms |url=https://archive.org/details/jargon00robi/page/475 }}</ref>

<ref name=YunkerBarry2006>{{cite conference|book-title=Proceedings of the International Conference on e-Learning, Université du Québec à Montréal, June 22–23, 2006|title=Threaded Podcasting: The Evolution of On-Line Learning|author=Frank Yunker and Stephen Barry|pages=516|editor=Dan Remenyi|publisher=Academic Conferences Limited|isbn=1905305222}}</ref>

}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book|author=Connery, Brian A.|date=February 25, 1997|chapter=IMHO: Authority and egalitarian rhetoric in the virtual coffeehouse|editor=Porter, D.|title=Internet Culture|pages=161–179|location=New York|publisher=Routledge|isbn=0-415-91684-4}}
* {{cite newsgroup | title = smilies collection | author = Russ Armadillo Coffman | date = January 17, 1990 | newsgroup = rec.humor | url = http://groups.google.com/group/rec.humor/browse_thread/thread/7a3256660d71ea68/ | access-date = December 22, 2006}}—an early Usenet posting of a folk dictionary of abbreviations and emoticons, listing ''LOL'' and ROTFL
* {{Cite thesis | title=Credibility and Authority on Internet Message Boards | publisher=] and Agricultural and Mechanical College | date=August 2004 | url=https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_theses/3190/ | author=Ryan Goudelocke |degree=M.M.C. |doi=10.31390/gradschool_theses.3190| doi-access=free }} <!-- | pages=22 | -->
*

==External links==
{{Wiktionary|LOL|lol}}
{{Commons category|LOL}}

{{Internet Dialects}}
{{internet slang}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lol}}
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]

Latest revision as of 01:03, 27 November 2024

Internet slang This article is about the internet slang initialism. For other uses, see LOL (disambiguation). "Laugh out loud" redirects here. For the radio show, see Laugh Out Loud (radio). For the TV series, see Laugh Out Loud (TV series).

This article needs to be updated. The reason given is: Sources are all from the 2000s so this article does not document modern usage and includes information that is no longer relevant. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (March 2021)

Use of "lol" in a conversation

LOL, or lol, is an initialism for laughing out loud, and a popular element of Internet slang, which can be used to indicate amusement, irony, or double meanings. It was first used almost exclusively on Usenet, but has since become widespread in other forms of computer-mediated communication and even face-to-face communication. It is one of many initialisms for expressing bodily reactions, in particular laughter, as text, including initialisms for more emphatic expressions of laughter such as LMAO ("laughing my ass off") and ROFL or ROTFL ("rolling on the floor laughing").

In 2003, the list of acronyms was said to "grow by the month", and they were collected along with emoticons and smileys into folk dictionaries that are circulated informally amongst users of Usenet, IRC, and other forms of (textual) computer-mediated communication. These initialisms are controversial, and several authors recommend against their use, either in general or in specific contexts such as business communications. The Oxford English Dictionary first listed LOL in March 2011.

History

A person genuinely laughing out loud in a university computer lab

In the early to mid-1980s, Wayne Pearson was reportedly the first person to have used LOL while responding to a friend's joke in a pre-Internet digital chat room called Viewline. Instead of writing "hahaha," as he had done before when he found something humorous, Pearson stated that he instead typed "LOL" to symbolize extreme laughter. Although the account is commonly accepted as true, no written record of the conversation has been found, and the exact date of origin is unknown. The earliest recorded mention of LOL in the contemporary meaning of "Laughing Out Loud" was made in a list of common online acronyms on the May 8, 1989 issue of the electronic newsletter FidoNews, according to the Oxford English Dictionary and linguist Ben Zimmer.

A 2003 study of college students by Naomi Baron found that the use of these initialisms in computer-mediated communication (CMC), specifically in instant messaging, was actually lower than she had expected. The students "used few abbreviations, acronyms, and emoticons". Out of 2,185 transmissions, there were 90 initialisms in total; 76 were occurrences of LOL.

2008 graffiti featuring LOL and ROFL on the Molenfeuer lighthouse in Büsum, Germany

On March 24, 2011, LOL, along with other acronyms, was formally recognized in an update of the Oxford English Dictionary. In their research, it was determined that the earliest recorded use of LOL as an initialism was for "little old lady" in the 1960s.

Gabriella Coleman references "lulz" extensively in her anthropological studies of Anonymous.

LOL, ROFL, and other initialisms have crossed from computer-mediated communication to face-to-face communication. David Crystal – likening the introduction of LOL, ROFL, and others into spoken language in magnitude to the revolution of Johannes Gutenberg's invention of movable type in the 15th century – states that this is "a brand new variety of language evolving", invented by young people within five years, that "extend the range of the language, the expressiveness the richness of the language". However Geoffrey K. Pullum argues that even if interjections such as LOL and ROFL were to become very common in spoken English, their "total effect on language" would be "utterly trivial".

While LOL originally meant "laughing out loud," modern usage is different, and it is commonly used for irony, as an indicator of second meanings, and as a way to soften statements.

Analysis

Silvio Laccetti (professor of humanities at Stevens Institute of Technology) and Scott Molski, in their essay entitled The Lost Art of Writing, are critical of the terms, predicting reduced chances of employment for students who use such slang, stating that, "Unfortunately for these students, their bosses will not be 'lol' when they read a report that lacks proper punctuation and grammar, has numerous misspellings, various made-up words, and silly acronyms." Fondiller and Nerone in their style manual assert that "professional or business communication should never be careless or poorly constructed" whether one is writing an electronic mail message or an article for publication, and warn against the use of smileys and abbreviations, stating that they are "no more than e-mail slang and have no place in business communication".

Linguist John McWhorter stated, "Lol is being used in a particular way. It's a marker of empathy. It's a marker of accommodation. We linguists call things like that pragmatic particles..." Pragmatic particles are the words and phrases utilized to alleviate the awkward areas in casual conversation, such as oh in "Oh, I don't know" and uh when someone is thinking of something to say. McWhorter stated that lol is utilized less as a reaction to something that is hilarious, but rather as a way to lighten the conversation.

Frank Yunker and Stephen Barry, in a study of online courses and how they can be improved through podcasting, have found that these slang terms, and emoticons as well, are "often misunderstood" by students and are "difficult to decipher" unless their meanings are explained in advance. They single out the example of "ROFL" as not obviously being the abbreviation of "rolling on the floor laughing" (emphasis added). Matt Haig singles out LOL as one of the three most popular initialisms in Internet slang, alongside BFN ("bye for now") and IMHO ("in my honest/humble opinion"). He describes the various initialisms of Internet slang as convenient, but warns that "as ever more obscure acronyms emerge they can also be rather confusing". Hossein Bidgoli likewise states that these initialisms "save keystrokes for the sender but might make comprehension of the message more difficult for the receiver" and that "lang may hold different meanings and lead to misunderstandings especially in international settings"; he advises that they be used "only when you are sure that the other person knows the meaning".

Tim Shortis observes that ROFL is a means of "annotating text with stage directions". Peter Hershock, in discussing these terms in the context of performative utterances, points out the difference between telling someone that one is laughing out loud and actually laughing out loud: "The latter response is a straightforward action. The former is a self-reflexive representation of an action: I not only do something but also show you that I am doing it. Or indeed, I may not actually laugh out loud but may use the locution 'LOL' to communicate my appreciation of your attempt at humor."

David Crystal notes that use of LOL is not necessarily genuine, just as the use of smiley faces or grins is not necessarily genuine, posing the rhetorical question "How many people are actually 'laughing out loud' when they send LOL?". Louis Franzini concurs, stating that there is as yet no research that has determined the percentage of people who are actually laughing out loud when they write LOL.

Victoria Clarke, in her analysis of telnet talkers, states that capitalization is important when people write LOL, and that "a user who types LOL may well be laughing louder than one who types lol", and opines that "these standard expressions of laughter are losing force through overuse". Michael Egan describes LOL, ROFL, and other initialisms as helpful so long as they are not overused. He recommends against their use in business correspondence because the recipient may not be aware of their meanings, and because in general neither they nor emoticons are in his view appropriate in such correspondence. June Hines Moore shares that view. So, too, does Sheryl Lindsell-Roberts, who gives the same advice of not using them in business correspondence, "or you won't be LOL".

Variations on the theme

Variants

The OMEGALUL Twitch emote is a distorted image of TotalBiscuit originating c. 2013.
  • lul: phonetic spelling of LOL. "LUL" is also commonly used in the gaming community, due to it being an emote on Twitch, which depicts game critic TotalBiscuit laughing.
  • lolz: Occasionally used in place of LOL.
  • lulz: Often used to denote laughter at someone who is the victim of a prank, or a reason for performing an action. Its use originated with Internet trolls. According to a New York Times article about Internet trolling, "lulz means the joy of disrupting another's emotional equilibrium." Can be used as a noun – e.g. "do it for the lulz.", shortened into "ftlulz" (to distinguish it from "ftl" – "for the loss"). See also LulzSec.
  • LOLOLOL...: For added emphasis, LOL can be appended with any number of additional iterations of "OL". In cases such as these, the abbreviation is not to be read literally (i.e., "Laughing out loud out loud out loud out loud"), but is meant to suggest several LOLs in a row.
  • OMEGALUL and LULW: variants of "LUL" used as a Twitch emote.
  • trolololol or trollololol: A blend of troll and LOL iterated, likely meant to mimick Eduard Khil's 1976 song Mr. Trololo song, which became an internet meme in 2010. Indicates that the prank or joke was made by internet trolls, or the user thinks the prank or joke qualifies as internet trolling.

Derivations

A 2007 lolcat meme, featuring a humorous misspelling of "LOL, what?"
  • (to) LOL: Used as a verb ("to laugh out loud") and is meant to be conjugated in the appropriate tense. When the past tense is meant, it is written as "LOL(e)d" or "LOL'd".
  • lolwut (sometimes "lulwut"): lol + wut, used to indicate bemused laughter, or confusion.
  • lawl, lawlz, or lal: Pseudo-pronunciation of LOL. Saying "lawl" is sometimes meant in mockery of those who use the term LOL and is not meant to express laughter.
  • Lel or LEL is a "playful or ironic" variation of LOL. It is sometimes thought to be an initialism, standing for "laughing extremely loud" or "laughing extra loud", but this has been disputed.
  • lolcat, an image macro of a cat

Related

An animated ASCII art image popularized in 2004 by memes using the word "roflcopter"
"lqtm" redirects here. For linear quantum Turing machines, see Quantum Turing machine.
  • *G* or *g*: For "grins". Like "lulz" it is used in the initialism "J4G" ("just for grins").
  • kek: A term for laughter that originated in online games, possibly either World of Warcraft or StarCraft, the latter in which Korean players would type "kekeke" as onomatopoeia for laughter. It later became associated with alt-right politics, in the form of a parody religion surrounding the character Pepe the Frog by analogy with the frog-headed ancient Egyptian god Kek.
  • LMAO: For "laughing my arse/ass off". Variants: LMBO ("Laughing my butt off"), LMFAO ("Laughing my fucking ass off").
  • lqtm: For "Laughing quietly to myself".
  • ROFL: For "rolling on the floor laughing". It is often combined with LMAO for added emphasis as ROFLMAO ("Rolling on the floor laughing my ass off") or ROFLMFAO (Rolling on the floor laughing my fucking ass off).
  • roflcopter: A portmanteau of ROFL and helicopter. A popular glitch in the Microsoft Sam text-to-speech engine enables the voice to make a sound akin to the rotation of rotor blades when 'SOI' or 'SOY' is entered, and the phrase 'My ROFLcopter goes soi soi soi..." is often associated with the term as a result.
  • PMSL: For "pissing myself laughing".
  • IJBOL: For "I just burst out laughing". Gaining popularity among Gen Z, initially popularized within the K-pop fandom. Not derived from Korean.
  • XD, sometimes stylized as xD, xd, or Xd, is an emoticon commonly used to symbolize extreme laughter or happiness.

Commonly used equivalents in other languages

The continuous radio Morse message "hi hi hi ..." by the first private satellites called OSCAR, beginning with OSCAR 1 in 1961 (recording from OSCAR 2, 1962)

Pre-dating the Internet and phone texting by a century, the way to express laughter in morse code is "hi hi". The sound of this in morse ('di-di-di-dit di-dit, di-di-di-dit di-dit') is thought to represent chuckling.

  • 555: the Thai variation of LOL. "5" in Thai is pronounced "ha", three of them being "hahaha" (ห้า ห้า ห้า).
  • asg: Swedish abbreviation of the term asgarv, meaning intense laughter.
  • g: Danish abbreviation of the word griner, which means "laughing" in Danish.
  • jajajá: in Spanish, the letter "j" is pronounced /x/.
  • jejeje: in the Philippines is used to represent "hehehe". "j" in Filipino languages is pronounced as /h/, derived from the Spanish /x/. Its origins can be traced to SMS language. It is widely used in a Filipino youth subculture known as Jejemons.
  • mdr: Esperanto version, from the initials of multe da ridoj, which translates to "lot of laughs" in English.
  • mdr: French version, from the initials of "mort de rire" which roughly translated means "died of laughter", although many French people also use LOL instead as it is the most widely used on the internet.
  • mkm: in Afghanistan "mkm" (being an abbreviation of the phrase "ma khanda mikonom"). This is a Dari phrase that means "I am laughing".
  • ptdr: French variant from pété de rire – literally meaning "broken with laughter"
  • rs: in Brazil "rs" (being an abbreviation of "risos", the plural of "laugh") is often used in text based communications in situations where in English LOL would be used, repeating it ("rsrsrsrsrs") is often done to express longer laughter or laughing harder. Also popular is "kkk" (which can also be repeated indefinitely), due to the pronunciation of the letter k in Brazilian Portuguese sounding similar to the ca in card, and therefore representing the laugh "cacacacaca" (also similar to the Hebrew version below).
  • חחח/ההה: Hebrew version of LOL. The letter ח is pronounced and ה is pronounced . Putting them together (usually three or more in a row) makes the word khakhakha or hahaha (since vowels in Hebrew are generally not written), which is in many languages regarded as the sound of laughter.
  • ㅋㅋㅋ ("kkk" or "kekeke") and ㅎㅎㅎ ("hhh") are usually used to indicate laughter in Korean. '', is a Korean Jamo consonant representing a "k" sound, and '' represents an "h" sound. Both "ㅋㅋㅋ" and "ㅎㅎㅎ" represent laughter which is not very loud. However, if a vowel symbol is written, louder laughter is implied: 하하 "haha" 호호, "hoho."
  • (笑): in Japanese, the kanji for laugh, is used in the same way as lol. It can be read as kakko warai (literally "parentheses laugh") or just wara. w is also used as an abbreviation, and it is common for multiple w to be chained together. The resulting shape formed from multiple wwwww leads to the usage of 草 ( meaning grass, read as kusa), due to its resemblance to the shape of grass.

The word "lol" in other languages

  • In Dutch, lol is a word (not an acronym) which, coincidentally, means "fun" ("lollig" means "funny").
  • In Welsh, lol means "nonsense" or "ridiculous" – e.g., if a person wanted to say "utter nonsense" in Welsh, they would say "lol wirion" or "rwtsh lol".

See also

References

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Further reading

External links

Internet slang variants
Internet slang
Abuse Map of the Internet
Chatspeak
Imageboard
Memes
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