Chat speak
Posted by lanktank on August 26, 2009
We’ve seen over the last few years a new language being formed when it comes to chat rooms, Facebook, MySpace and even texting over the phone.
Due to limiting characters or just wanting to type really, reeeeally fast, we have developed this global language where certain phrases and words have been abbreviated.
All in all, I’m fine with this, most of the time it just makes sense and we all know what everyone is talking about, although you do get those people who take it a tad too far, for example:
wif = with
dat =that
Ridiculous. I’m no connoisseur but isn’t this the ultimate butchering of the English language? And for what; to save one letter?
However, when you’re chatting to someone over Skype or msn, I understand that typing, “LOL” or “TMI” is far more practical than having to spell each and every single word out. We’re fast paced people living in a fast paced world – got to save time any way we can.
The issue I have is when you’re not on the computer but rather having a conversation face to face with a human (you know, not a puppy or giraffe, in case you were confused) and these acronyms start coming out of the person’s mouth…
Example 1:
Girl 1: “Yesterday, I ran over a cat!”
Girl 2: “OMG! Are you ok?”
The issue I have here is that actually saying the letters, “O.M.G.” takes 0% quicker than just saying the original words, “Oh my God.” So just say the whole thing.
Example 2:
Guy 1: “…and then he bails over the barn!”
Guy 2: “LOL!”
Why would you say “LOL?” LOL by definition means: LAUGH OUT LOUD. So if you are physically laughing loud enough for the person standing next to you to hear, you’re by default fulfilling the purpose of LOL. No need to say it!
Example 3:
Girl 1: “I’ve eaten 200 hotdogs in one sitting.”
Guy 1: “WTF?!”
Who would say this? If you’re so shocked at something that you feel it deserves an F-Bomb; then say the F-Bomb! There must be nothing less satisfying than substituting a crappy letter for one of the greatest words of our time. Come on, say it! You know you want to.
I’m just saying…
The Lank Tank 
C-Dawg said
rofl
LT said
ctm (chuckle to myself)
C-Dawg said
I love how there are varying degrees of chat speak. rofl is perhaps a bit unrealistic, because, let’s face, when have you ever seen somebody rolling on the floor with laughter. Although, I’d like to give that a try when I’m out sometime. Somebody tells you a gag and you hit the deck & start rolling around. Then we have lol – when the joke is so funny that you just have to let it out. Finally we have ctm – these are for those gags that make you smile, but will sadly be forgotten about in all of 5 minutes.
C-Dawg said
ROFLMAOWPIMP: Rolling on (the) floor laughing my ass off while peeing in my pants
OK, now we’re just being ridiculous…
C-Dawg said
On that topic, has anybody ever actually peed in their pants from laughing? I think I remember an occasion when I was really young and somebody was tickling me that a little dribble came out, but I don’t think it could be classified as having a pee. My pants weren’t wet or anything. I mean, what exactly is the thinking here: “haha – oh man this is just so funny, ah screw I’m just going to let loose and wet my pants.”
I’m pretty sure that after you’ve stopped laughing from the joke and you’re sitting there with wet pants, you’ll be thinking to yourself: “You know what, it was funny, but this just wasn’t worth it – now I don’t have any pants…”
Luwie said
LT!!!! I tried to intro “ctm” to the world on a facebook status ages ago. It never caught on… was that a call-back or is it finally catching on?
LT said
Call back…. but we can try get it going again… it’s going to take committment though. We may not be up for it.
C-Dawg, your whole shpeel on peeing in pants made me laugh… even more that a ctm.
Luwie said
That was genius C-Dawg… I actually did lol.