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Internet slang

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This article is about slang used on the Internet. For jargon related to the Internet, see Glossary of Internet-related terms. For a list of terms, see Wiktionary:Appendix:English internet slang.

Internet slang (Internet shorthand, cyber-slang, netspeak, or chatspeak) refers to various kinds of slang used by different people on the Internet. An example of Internet slang is "LOL" meaning "laugh out loud". It is difficult to provide a standardized definition of Internet slang due to the constant changes made to its nature.^[1] However, it can be understood to be any type of slang that Internet users have popularized, and in many cases, have coined. Such terms often originate with the purpose of saving keystrokes or to compensate for small character limits. Many people use the same abbreviations in texting and instant messaging, and social networking websites. Acronyms, keyboard symbols and abbreviations are common types of Internet slang. New dialects of slang, such as leet or Lolspeak, develop as ingroup internet memes rather than time savers. Some people only use LOL for fun. Many people use this internet slang not only on the Internet but also face-to-face.

Contents

• 1 Creation and evolution
• 1.1 Origins
• 2 In pop culture
• 2.1 Motivations
• 3 Types of slang
• 4 Views on Internet slang
• 4.1 Journalism
• 5 Use beyond computer-mediated communication
• 5.1 Internet slang today
• 6 Around the world
• 7 See also
• 8 References
• 9 Further reading
• 10 External links

Creation and evolution

Origins

Internet slang originated in the early days of the Internet with some terms predating the Internet.^[2] Internet slang is used in chat rooms, social networking services, online games, video games and in the online community. Since 1979, users of communications networks like Usenet created their own shorthand.^[3]

In pop culture

In Japanese, the term moe has come into common use among slang users to mean something extremely cute and appealing.^{[citation needed]}

Aside from the more frequent abbreviations, acronyms, and emoticons, Internet slang also uses archaic words or the lesser-known meanings of mainstream terms.^[1] Regular words can also be altered into something with a similar pronunciation but altogether different meaning, or attributed new meanings altogether.^[1] Phonetic transcriptions of foreign words, such as the transformation of "impossible" into "impossibru" in Japanese and then [the transliteration of that] back to [the character set used for] English, also occur.^{[citation needed]} In places where logographic languages are used, such as China, a visual Internet slang exists, giving characters dual meanings, one direct and one implied.^[1]

Motivations

The primary motivation for using a slang unique to the Internet is to ease communication. However, while Internet slang shortcuts save time for the writer, they take two times as long for the reader to understand, according to a study by the University of Tasmania.^[4] On the other hand, similar to the use of slang in traditional face-to-face speech or written language, slang on the Internet is often a way of indicating group membership.^[5]

Internet slang provides a channel which facilitates and constrains our ability to communicate in ways that are fundamentally different from those found in other semiotic situations. Many of the expectations and practices which we associate with spoken and written language are no longer applicable. The Internet itself is ideal for new slang to emerge because of the richness of the medium and the availability of information.^[6] Slang is also thus motivated for the "creation and sustenance of online communities".^[6] These communities, in turn, play a role in solidarity or identification^[1][7] or an exclusive or common cause.^[8]

David Crystal distinguishes among five areas of the Internet where slang is used- The Web itself, email, asynchronous chat (for example, mailing lists), synchronous chat (for example, Internet Relay Chat), and virtual worlds.^[9] The electronic character of the channel has a fundamental influence on the language of the medium. Options for communication are constrained by the nature of the hardware needed in order to gain Internet access. Thus, productive linguistic capacity (the type of information that can be sent) is determined by the preassigned characters on a keyboard, and receptive linguistic capacity (the type of information that can be seen) is determined by the size and configuration of the screen. Additionally, both sender and receiver are constrained linguistically by the properties of the internet software, computer hardware, and networking hardware linking them. Electronic discourse refers to writing that is "very often reads as if it were being spoken – that is, as if the sender were writing talking".^[10]

Types of slang

Internet slang does not constitute a homogeneous language variety. Rather, it differs according to the user and type of Internet situation.^[11] However, within the language of Internet slang, there is still an element of prescriptivism, as seen in style guides, for example Wired Style,^[12] which are specifically aimed at usage on the Internet. Even so, few users consciously heed these prescriptive recommendations on CMC, but rather adapt their styles based on what they encounter online.^[13] Although it is difficult to produce a clear definition of Internet slang, the following types of slang may be observed. This list is not exhaustive.

Class	Description
Letter homophones	Included within this group are abbreviations and acronyms. An abbreviation is a shortening of a word, for example "CU" or "CYA" for "see you (see ya)". An acronym, on the other hand, is a subset of abbreviations and are formed from the initial components of a word. Examples of common acronyms include "LOL" for "laugh out loud", "BTW" for "by the way" and "TFW" for "that feeling when". There are also combinations of both, like "CUL8R" for "see you later".
Punctuation, capitalizations, and other symbols	Such features are commonly used for emphasis. Periods or exclamation marks may be used repeatedly for emphasis, such as "........" or "!!!!!!!!!!". Question marks and exclamation marks are often used together in strings such as "?!?!?!?!" when one is angry while asking a question. Grammatical punctuation rules are also relaxed on the Internet. "E-mail" may simply be expressed as "email", and apostrophes can be dropped so that "John's book" becomes "johns book". Examples of capitalizations include "STOP IT", which can convey a stronger emotion of annoyance as opposed to "stop it". Bold, underline and italics are also used to indicate stress.
Onomatopoeic or stylized spellings	Onomatopoeic spellings have also become popularized on the Internet. One well-known example is "hahaha" to indicate laughter. Onomatopoeic spellings are very language specific. For instance, in Spanish, laughter is spelled as "jajaja" instead because J is pronounced like H in Spanish. In Thai it's 55555 because 5 in Thai is said Ha. In Korean, it is "kekeke".
Keyboard-generated emoticons and smileys	Emoticons are generally found in web forums, instant messengers, and online games. They are culture-specific and certain emoticons are only found in some languages but not in others. For example, the Japanese equivalent of emoticons, kaomoji (literally "face marks"), focus on the eyes instead of the mouth as in Western emoticons. They are also meant to be read right-side up, as in ^_^ as opposed to sideways, :3. More recently than face emoticons, other emoticon symbols such as <3 (which is a sideways heart) have emerged. Compared to emoticons used in Western cultures such as the United States, kaomoji play a very distinct social role in online discourse.[14]
Direct requests	These are found in chat engines such as Internet Relay Chat or online games, where personal identities may be concealed. As such, questions such as "A/S/L?" which stands for "age, sex, location?" are commonly posed.[15]
Leet	Leetspeak, or 1337,[16] is an alternative alphabet for the English language which uses various combinations of ASCII characters to replace Latinate letters. For example, Wikipedia may be expressed as "\/\/1|<1p3[)14". It originated from computer hacking, but its use has been extended to online gaming as well. Leet is far less common now than in the first decades of the internet.
Novel syntactic features	Unusual syntactic structures such as "I Can Has Cheezburger?" and "You are doing me a frighten" have been encouraged and spread by highly successful memes. Pluralization of "the internets" is another example, which has become common since it was used by George W. Bush during a televised event.
Flaming	Flaming refers to the use of rude or profane language in interactions between Internet users.[17] It can be caused by any subject of polarizing nature. For example, there is an ongoing debate among users of Windows and classic Mac OS/macOS as to which is "superior". Historically, the act of flaming has been described as an intrinsic quality of emails due to an absence of visual and auditory cues in computer-mediated communication (CMC).[18]
Padonkaffsky jargon	Olbanian language is a Russian cant language developed by padonki of Runet. The language entered mainstream culture and it has been suggested that Olbanian should be taught in schools.[19] Similar systems exist for other languages with non-Roman scripts such as Hebrew and Arabic.

Views on Internet slang

There have been ongoing debates about how the use of slang on the Internet influences language usage outside of technology. Even though the direct causal relationship between the Internet and language has yet to be proven by any scientific research,^[20] Internet slang has invited split views on its influence on the standard of language use in non-computer-mediated communications.

Prescriptivists tend to have the widespread belief that the Internet has a negative influence on the future of language, and that it would lead to a degradation of standard.^[9] Some would even attribute any decline of standard formal English to the increase in usage of electronic communication.^[20] It has also been suggested that the linguistic differences between Standard English and CMC can have implications for literacy education.^[21] This is illustrated by the widely reported example of a school essay submitted by a Scottish teenager, which contained many abbreviations and acronyms likened to SMS language. There was great condemnation of this style by the mass media as well as educationists, who expressed that this showed diminishing literacy or linguistic abilities.^[22]

On the other hand, descriptivists have counter-argued that the Internet allows better expressions of a language.^[20] Rather than established linguistic conventions, linguistic choices sometimes reflect personal taste.^[23] It has also been suggested that as opposed to intentionally flouting language conventions, Internet slang is a result of a lack of motivation to monitor speech online.^[24] Hale and Scanlon describe language in Emails as being derived from "writing the way people talk", and that there is no need to insist on 'Standard' English.^[12] English users, in particular, have an extensive tradition of etiquette guides, instead of traditional prescriptive treatises, that offer pointers on linguistic appropriateness.^[23] Using and spreading Internet slang also adds onto the cultural currency of a language.^[25] It is important to the speakers of the language due to the foundation it provides for identifying within a group, and also for defining a person's individual linguistic and communicative competence.^[25] The result is a specialized subculture based on its use of slang.^[26]

In scholarly research, attention has, for example, been drawn to the effect of the use of Internet slang in ethnography, and more importantly to how conversational relationships online change structurally because slang is used.^[25]

In German, there is already considerable controversy regarding the use of anglicisms outside of CMC.^[27] This situation is even more problematic within CMC, since the jargon of the medium is dominated by English terms.^[11] An extreme example of an anti-anglicisms perspective can be observed from the chatroom rules of a Christian site,^[28] which bans all anglicisms ("Das Verwenden von Anglizismen ist strengstens untersagt!" [Using anglicisms is strictly prohibited!]), and also translates even fundamental terms into German equivalents.^[11]

Journalism

In April 2014, Gawker's editor-in-chief Max Read instituted new writing style guidelines banning internet slang for his writing staff.^{[29][30][31][32][33][34]}

Use beyond computer-mediated communication

Internet slang has crossed from being mediated by the computer into other non-physical domains.^[35] Here, these domains are taken to refer to any domain of interaction where interlocutors need not be geographically proximate to one another, and where the Internet is not primarily used. Internet slang is now prevalent in telephony, mainly through short messages (SMS) communication. Abbreviations and interjections, especially, have been popularized in this medium, perhaps due to the limited character space for writing messages on mobile phones. Another possible reason for this spread is the convenience of transferring the existing mappings between expression and meaning into a similar space of interaction.^[36]

At the same time, Internet slang has also taken a place as part of everyday offline language, among those with digital access.^[35] The nature and content of online conversation is brought forward to direct offline communication through the telephone and direct talking, as well as through written language, such as in writing notes or letters. In the case of interjections, such as numerically based and abbreviated Internet slang, are not pronounced as they are written physically or replaced by any actual action. Rather, they become lexicalized and spoken like non-slang words in a "stage direction" like fashion, where the actual action is not carried out but substituted with a verbal signal. The notions of flaming and trolling have also extended outside the computer, and are used in the same circumstances of deliberate or unintentional implicatures.^[6]

The expansion of Internet slang has been furthered through codification and the promotion of digital literacy. The subsequently existing and growing popularity of such references among those online as well as offline has thus advanced Internet slang literacy and globalized it.^[37] Awareness and proficiency in manipulating Internet slang in both online and offline communication indicates digital literacy and teaching materials have even been developed to further this knowledge.^[38] A South Korean publisher, for example, has published a textbook that details the meaning and context of use for common Internet slang instances and is targeted at young children who will soon be using the Internet.^[39] Similarly, Internet slang has been recommended as language teaching material in second language classrooms in order to raise communicative competence by imparting some of the cultural value attached to a language that is available only in slang.^[40]

Meanwhile, well-known dictionaries such as the ODE^[41] and Merriam-Webster have been updated with a significant and growing body of slang jargon. Besides common examples, lesser known slang and slang with a non-English etymology have also found a place in standardized linguistic references. Along with these instances, literature in user-contributed dictionaries such as Urban Dictionary has also been added to. Codification seems to be qualified through frequency of use, and novel creations are often not accepted by other users of slang.^[42]

Internet slang today

Although Internet slang began as a means of "opposition" to mainstream language, its popularity with today's globalized digitally literate population has shifted it into a part of everyday language, where it also leaves a profound impact.^[43]

Frequently used slang also have become conventionalised into memetic "unit[s] of cultural information".^[6] These memes in turn are further spread through their use on the Internet, prominently through websites. The Internet as an "information superhighway" is also catalysed through slang.^[26] The evolution of slang has also created a 'slang union'^[1] as part of a unique, specialised subculture.^[26] Such impacts are, however, limited and requires further discussion especially from the non-English world. This is because Internet slang is prevalent in languages more actively used on the Internet, like English, which is the Internet's lingua franca.^[44][45]

Around the world

Chinese seal carving work. The character is a combination of three characters, which is done by Chinese netizen. This is a satire of Chinese Internet censorship. See Grass Mud Horse.

The Internet has helped people from all over the world to become connected to one another, enabling "global" relationships to be formed.^[46] As such, it is important for the various types of slang used online to be recognizable for everyone. It is also important to do so because of how other languages are quickly catching up with English on the Internet, following the increase in Internet usage in predominantly non-English speaking countries. In fact, as of May 31, 2011, only approximately 27% of the online population is made up of English speakers.^[47]

Different cultures tend to have different motivations behind their choice of slang, on top of the difference in language used. For example, in China, because of the tough Internet regulations imposed, users tend to use certain slang to talk about issues deemed as sensitive to the government. These include using symbols to separate the characters of a word to avoid detection from manual or automated text pattern scanning and consequential censorship.^[48] An outstanding example is the use of the term river crab to denote censorship. River crab (hexie) is pronounced the same as "harmony"—the official term used to justify political discipline and censorship. As such Chinese netizens reappropriate the official terms in a sarcastic way.^[49]

Abbreviations are popular across different cultures, including countries like Japan, China, France, Portugal, etc., and are used according to the particular language the Internet users speak. Significantly, this same style of slang creation is also found in non-alphabetical languages^[1] as, for example, a form of "e gao" or alternative political discourse.^[8]

The difference in language often results in miscommunication, as seen in an onomatopoeic example, "555", which sounds like "crying" in Chinese, and "laughing" in Thai.^[50] A similar example is between the English "haha" and the Spanish "jaja", where both are onomatopoeic expressions of laughter, but the difference in language also meant a different consonant for the same sound to be produced. For more examples of how other languages express "laughing out loud", see also: LOL

In terms of culture, in Chinese, the numerically based onomatopoeia "770880" (simplified Chinese: 亲亲你抱抱你; traditional Chinese: 親親你抱抱你; pinyin: qīn qīn nǐ bào bào nǐ), which means to 'kiss and hug you', is used.^[50] This is comparable to "XOXO", which many Internet users use. In French, "pk" or "pq" is used in the place of pourquoi, which means 'why'. This is an example of a combination of onomatopoeia and shortening of the original word for convenience when writing online.

In conclusion, every different country has their own language background and cultural differences and hence, they tend to have their own rules and motivations for their own Internet slang. However, at present, there is still a lack of studies done by researchers on some differences between the countries.

On the whole, the popular use of Internet slang has resulted in a unique online and offline community as well as a couple sub-categories of "special internet slang which is different from other slang spread on the whole internet... similar to jargon... usually decided by the sharing community".^[7] It has also led to virtual communities marked by the specific slang they use^[7] and led to a more homogenized yet diverse online culture.^[1][7]

How does Internet slang affect communication?

One positive effect is that the use of slang helps to informally develop the language. Languages are constantly changing and growing. ... The reason why such a dramatic decline in communication abilities due to the influence of slang is such a problem is because formal language must be preserved within a society.

Slang has had both positive and negative effects on society. One positive effect is that the use of slang helps to informally develop the language. Languages are constantly changing and growing. English itself is a complex mixture of Greek, Latin, German, and French. As society changed through war and other politics, the English language grew and developed. Slang expressions work in the same way; as society changes and develops, new slang expressions are born,...

Slang is an insider language. It is a way of being part of a group. If you are using slang in a conversation with someone who is not in your group and does not know the words you’re using, such as a person from another region, you will not understand one another, and that person may feel put off.

Slang is casual. If you use it in a formal environment, like a job interview, you may be regarded as uneducated, low-class, and not serious.

Slang is regional. Don’t expect people from other parts of the country, or from other English-speaking countries, to have the same understanding of a word. In America, people sometimes wear “fanny packs” instead of carrying a bag; in England, the word “fanny” is quite offensive. Using a word you think of as neutral might find you seriously misunderstood in another country.

Slang can be offensive. In my school, students use the f-word for everything. They don’t mean to offend, but among themselves, it is common and accepted. If they are in the habit of saying it all the time, however, they may slip and say it in a situation where offense would be taken.

Slang is generational. If you use it when talking with older people, they may not understand you, might be offended, and may look down on you as immature.

Slang changes, sometimes quickly. If you use yesterday’s slang, you may label yourself as outdated and out of touch. When I was in junior high school, everything was “groovy.” If I use that word now, I’d better be using it humorously. These days, I usually figure out what a slang word means after everyone has stopped using it.

Slang is not bad or good; it’s just a part of the language which can be used effectively or ineffectively. Using it well demands an awareness of purpose and audience. Make sure you understand all the connotations of a slang word before using it if you are not familiar with it. If you are communicating for a serious purpose with people you do not know well, or in a different region or country, it’s probably best to avoid slangy diction and stick to straight-forward language.

Netiquette

"Netiquette" refers to Internet etiquette. This simply means the use of good manners in online communication such as e-mail, forums, blogs, and social networking sites to name a few. It is important to use netiquette because communication online is non-verbal. Most often online communication consists of reading something someone else has typed. This type of communication does not allow each person to see facial expressions, body language, or hear intonation. Because of this, messages can often be misinterpreted. By following netiquette, online communication becomes clearer. Especially in business and career related online communications netiquette should be used to ensure that correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation are put in place to project professionalism. Netiquette also includes the use of emoticons (such as :) :( ;) and others) to explain an emotion. In e-mail, netiquette means not flooding someone's inbox with forwarded messages or spam mail. Following netiquette will help you to maintain and establish positive online relationships as well as develop a positive online reputation

1. Keep Personal Information Professional and Limited

Potential employers or customers don't need to know your personal relationship status or your home address. They do need to know about your expertise and professional background, and how to get in touch with you. You wouldn't hand purely personal information out to strangers individually—don't hand it out to millions of people online.

2. Keep Your Privacy Settings On

Marketers love to know all about you, and so do hackers. Both can learn a lot from your browsing and social media usage. But you can take charge of your information. As noted by Lifehacker, both web browsers and mobile operating systems have settings available to protect your privacy online. Major websites like Facebook also have privacy-enhancing settings available. These settings are sometimes (deliberately) hard to find because companies want your personal information for its marketing value. Make sure you have enabled these privacy safeguards, and keep them enabled.

3. Practice Safe Browsing

You wouldn't choose to walk through a dangerous neighborhood—don't visit dangerous neighborhoods online. Cybercriminals use lurid content as bait. They know people are sometimes tempted by dubious content and may let their guard down when searching for it. The Internet's demimonde is filled with hard-to-see pitfalls, where one careless click could expose personal data or infect your device with malware. By resisting the urge, you don't even give the hackers a chance.

4. Make Sure Your Internet Connection is Secure. Use a Secure VPN Connection

When you go online in a public place, for example by using a public Wi-Fi connection, PCMag notes you have no direct control over its security. Corporate cybersecurity experts worry about "endpoints"—the places where a private network connects to the outside world. Your vulnerable endpoint is your local Internet connection. Make sure your device is secure, and when in doubt, wait for a better time (i.e., until you're able to connect to a secure Wi-Fi network) before providing information such as your bank account number.

To further improve your Internet browsing safety, use secure VPN connection (virtual private network). VPN enables you to have a secure connection between your device and an Internet server that no one can monitor or access the data that you’re exchanging. Read more about What is VPN

5. Be Careful What You Download

A top goal of cybercriminals is to trick you into downloading malware—programs or apps that carry malware or try to steal information. This malware can be disguised as an app: anything from a popular game to something that checks traffic or the weather. As PCWorld advises, don't download apps that look suspicious or come from a site you don't trust.

6. Choose Strong Passwords

Passwords are one of the biggest weak spots in the whole Internet security structure, but there's currently no way around them. And the problem with passwords is that people tend to choose easy ones to remember (such as "password" and "123456"), which are also easy for cyber thieves to guess. Select strong passwords that are harder for cybercriminals to demystify. Password manager software can help you to manage multiple passwords so that you don't forget them. A strong password is one that is unique and complex—at least 15 characters long, mixing letters, numbers and special characters.

7. Make Online Purchases From Secure Sites

Any time you make a purchase online, you need to provide credit card or bank account information—just what cybercriminals are most eager to get their hands on. Only supply this information to sites that provide secure, encrypted connections. As Boston University notes, you can identify secure sites by looking for an address that starts with https: (the S stands for secure) rather than simply http: They may also be marked by a padlock icon next to the address bar.

8. Be Careful What You Post

The Internet does not have a delete key, as that young candidate in New Hampshire found out. Any comment or image you post online may stay online forever because removing the original (say, from Twitter) does not remove any copies that other people made. There is no way for you to "take back" a remark you wish you hadn't made, or get rid of that embarrassing selfie you took at a party. Don't put anything online that you wouldn't want your mom or a prospective employer to see.

9. Be Careful Who You Meet Online

People you meet online are not always who they claim to be. Indeed, they may not even be real. As InfoWorld reports, fake social media profiles are a popular way for hackers to cozy up to unwary Web users and pick their cyber pockets. Be as cautious and sensible in your online social life as you are in your in-person social life.

10. Keep Your Antivirus Program Up To Date

Internet security software cannot protect against every threat, but it will detect and remove most malware—though you should make sure it's to date. Be sure to stay current with your operating system's updates and updates to applications you use. They provide a vital layer of security.

Keep these 10 basic Internet safety rules in mind and you'll avoid many of the nasty surprises that lurk online for the careless.