| Revision as of 23:18, 22 February 2007 view source24.137.88.45 (talk) →Analysis← Previous edit | Revision as of 23:18, 22 February 2007 view source 24.137.88.45 (talk) →Variations on the themeNext edit → | ||
| Line 17: | Line 17: | ||
| == Variations on the theme == | == Variations on the theme == | ||
| LOL | |||
| {{wiktionarycat|type=for Internet laughter slang|category=Internet laughter slang}} | |||
| Despite it being an ] acronym, it is often used by non-English speakers as-is, even in other ] (eg. {{lang-ar|]}}, ]: ], Cyrillic: лол). | |||
| ===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. --> | |||
| Most of these abbreviations are usually found in lowercase. | |||
| *] or lawl — can refer to either a pseudo-pronunciation 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. However, "lawl" can sometimes stand for "laughing a whole lot". | |||
| *] — used commonly in ], a Japanese equivalent of the acronym. (w stands for Warashii, which means 'to laugh' in Japanese.) | |||
| *] — plural form occasionally used in place of "LOL". | |||
| *] — French version of the expression "LOL", meaning "mort de rire". Roughly translated, it means "dead from laughing". | |||
| <!--WARNING: 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. --> | |||
| ===Other languages=== | |||
| ] is a ] word (not an acronym), which, conveniently, means 'fun' (']' means funny). | |||
| LOL in ] refers to a giant douche.{{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| ===Parody=== | |||
| In an episode of '']'' called "Mr. Monk and the Really, Really Dead Guy", as shown in a promo clip on ] during the week of February 19, 2007: The title character begins to use the Internet, and is so happy at receiving his first e-mail that he tells a colleague, "it's enough to make me 'LOL' out loud". | |||
| ==References== | ==References== | ||
Revision as of 23:18, 22 February 2007
LOL (also written lol) is a common element of Internet slang used, historically, on Usenet but now widespread to other forms of computer-mediated communication, and even spread to face-to-face communication. It is an abbreviation for "laughing out loud" or "laugh out loud" "LOL" is one of many initialisms for expressing bodily reactions, in particular laughter, as text, including initialisms such as "ROTFL" ("roll(ing) on the floor laughing"), a more emphatic expression of laughter, and "BWL" ("bursting with laughter"), above which there is "no greater compliment" according to Magid.
The list of initialisms "grows by the month" and they are collected along with emoticons and smileys into folk dictionaries which 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 use of LOL to express laughter is unrelated to other uses of the abbreviation, many of which, such as "lots of love", predate the Internet. LOL has also replaced the more-obvious "Ha!" that letter writers use.
Analysis
LOL
Spread from written to spoken communication
This article contains phonetic transcriptions in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). For an introductory guide on IPA symbols, see Help:IPA. For the distinction between , / / and ⟨ ⟩, see IPA § Brackets and transcription delimiters."LOL", "ROTFL", and the other initialisms have crossed from computer-mediated communication to face-to-face communication. Teenagers in North America now sometimes use them in spoken communication as well as in written, with "ROFL" pronounced "roʊf•ful" or "raf•ful" and "LOL" pronounced "lʌl" or "lahl" for example. David Crystal — likening the introduction of "LOL", "ROTFL", 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". Commentators disagree, saying that these new words, being abbreviations for existing, long-used, phrases, don't "enrich" anything; they just shorten it.
Conversely, a 2003 study of college students by Naomi Baron found that the use of these initialisms in computer-mediated communication, specifically in instant messaging, was actually lower than to be expected. The students "used few abbreviations, acronyms, and emoticons". The spelling was "reasonably good" and contractions were "not ubiquitous". Out of 2,185 transmissions, there were 90 initialisms in total, only 31 CMC-style abbreviations, 49 emoticons, and only 76 occurrences of "LOL".
Variations on the theme
LOL
References
- Matt Haig (2001). E-Mail Essentials: How to Make the Most of E-Communications. Kogan Page. p. 89. ISBN 0749435763.
- Louis R. Franzini (2002). Kids Who Laugh: How to Develop Your Child's Sense of Humor. Square One Publishers,
Inc. pp. 145–146. ISBN 0757000088.
{{cite book}}: line feed character in|publisher=at position 23 (help) - Michael Egan. Email Etiquette. Cool Publications Ltd. pp. 32, 57–58. ISBN 1844811182.
- ^ Jiuan Heng (2003). "The emergence of pure consciousness: The Theatre of Virtual Selves in the age of the Internet". In Peter D. Hershock, M. T. Stepaniants, and Roger T. Ames (ed.). Technology and Cultural Values: On the Edge of the Third Millennium. University of Hawaii Press. p. 561. ISBN 0824826477.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: editors list (link) - Eric S. Raymond and Guy L. Steele (1996). The New Hacker's Dictionary. MIT Press. p. 435. ISBN 0262680920.
- Lawrence J. Magid (2001). The Little PC Book: Windows Xp. Peachpit Press. p. 287. ISBN 0201754703.
- Steven G. Jones (1998). Cybersociety 2.0: Revisiting Computer-Mediated Community and Technology. Sage Publications Inc. p. 52. ISBN 0761914625.
- Neda Ulaby (2006-02-18). "OMG: IM Slang Is Invading Everyday English". Digital Culture. National Public Radio.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - jadedlistener (2006-02-25). "OMG, that's, like, so uninteresting!".
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Kristen Philipkoski (2005-02-22). "The Web Not the Death of Language". Wired News.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help)
Further reading
- Russ Armadillo Coffman (1990-01-17). "smilies collection". Newsgroup: rec.humor. Retrieved 2006-12-22.
{{cite newsgroup}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) — an early Usenet posting of a folk dictionary of abbreviations and emoticons, listing "LOL" and "ROTFL" - Connery, Brian A. (1997-02-25). "IMHO: Authority and egalitarian rhetoric in the virtual coffeehouse". In Porter, D. (ed.). Internet Culture. New York: Routledge. pp. 161–179. ISBN 0415916844.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - Ryan Goudelocke (August 2004). "CREDIBILITY AND AUTHORITY ON INTERNET MESSAGE-BOARDS" (PDF). Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College: 22.
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help)