[wakeride74]

I proudly admit that head-fi was the first forum I ever joined. Even with the generally mature member majority it still sent me to google a few times to look up acronyms and such that I did not understand. These seem to be more forum specific than internet specific. Do you see this growing into a sort of alt-English or alt-language that is forum specific?

Examples:

FWIW
IIRC
QFT
LMAO
IMO
ROFLMAO
pwnd
!!111!!!!!1!! - I have no idea what this means

 

[Jahn]

I had a problem with YMMV for a while - "Your Mileage May Vary."

 

[skudmunky]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wakeride74 I proudly admit that head-fi was the first forum I ever joined. Even with the generally mature member majority it still sent me to google a few times to look up acronyms and such that I did not understand. These seem to be more forum specific than internet specific. Do you see this growing into a sort of alt-English or alt-language that is forum specific? Examples: FWIW IIRC QFT LMAO IMO ROFLMAO pwnd !!111!!!!!1!! - I have no idea what this means

That's just making fun of people who can't type. A lot of stereotypical AOL users will hold down the shift and 1 keys, but take the finger off the shift key before the 1 key, resulting in !!!!!!!!!!!!!11. This was then taken to the next level of mockery, !!!!111,!!!1!111!!! and then !!!!!11oneone111one!!!!exclamation mark, and then even to here: 11111one!!!11elevenelevenOMGZ!

 

[catachresis]

Aw, those acronyms are just playin': what I love about the current standard of linguistic expression on these forums is the accuracy and eloquence of grammatical usage.

As I said, they is just wonderful.

 

[nabwong]

I think kids nowadays are quite affected by the IRC and forum language. Many kids including my little sis have problems writing. They're so used to words like gr8 (great), b4 (before), btw (by the way), wat (what), etc (ironic..lol). Anyway, think parents shd

still encourage to do more reading than chatting.

 

[jonnywolfet]

dont see it ever turning into an online language, those examples are unique to english, and are based on english (and have english meanings, understanding these requres understanding english) for it to be come a language this would require a dedicated grammatical structure and i dont see that this could possibly happen for the following reasons.

language change can only be heralded by young people (ages 3 to 14) and if they are to change or indeed create a new language, exposure to the new language would need to be very very high. also, it would take a minimum of 3 generations of exposure to take a basic pigin into a fully functioning, grammaticly defiable creole.

what we have here is an example of internet slang, nothing more, nothing less.

interesting theory though, i can definately see the possibility of a internet language happening though, maybe in the not so distant future. certainly a plausable idea.

we shall see........

 

[Cjattwood]

I really can't stand "txt"/online speak other than a few simple acronyms, so I generally love this forum as it's quite devoid of all of that, to an extent.

 

[Kirosia]

Internet speak scares me. Homes.

 

[Linda513]

The current one I hate is mwa, my daughter and her friends use it all the time.

 

[TenaciousO]

I don't mind the acronyms, but I absolutely can't stand the geek speak like "n00b" or "pwned." Do people who use these "words" not realize how dorky they sound?

 

[wakeride74]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Linda513 The current one I hate is mwa, my daughter and her friends use it all the time.

What does that one mean?

I agree about the acronyms... they make typing easier and serve a purpose but the others are just kind of worthless. Either way it's a slang more than a language but is still taking a form of it's own it seems... IMO

 

[Linda513]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wakeride74 What does that one mean? I agree about the acronyms... they make typing easier and serve a purpose but the others are just kind of worthless. Either way it's a slang more than a language but is still taking a form of it's own it seems... IMO

Ah, you must not have daughters. Its the sound a kiss makes. As in:

"BFF mwa" (best friends forever, kiss)

 

[wakeride74]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Linda513 Ah, you must not have daughters. Its the sound a kiss makes. As in: "BFF mwa" (best friends forever, kiss)

No kids yet... probably around summer 07, but thanks for the heads up

 

[skudmunky]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TenaciousO I don't mind the acronyms, but I absolutely can't stand the geek speak like "n00b" or "pwned." Do people who use these "words" not realize how dorky they sound?

of course we do, that's exactly why we use it, and with much hilarity and smiling.

 

[dvallere]

I-bonics!