Internet Language (Acronyms, Abbrev. etc.)

[blackdracaena]

I wanted to write this post for quite awhile but I either forgot or had no time. Anyway, last night Andy and I talked about netspeak, acronyms and abbreviations and how easily some of those acronyms can lead to misunderstandings. Especially when they have different meanings in different languages, fandoms etc.

One of those for example is *g*. I

Comments

[autumnstar15]

tell me abt it. i've been quite confused with that *g* thing, especially since i saw it more at lj. thank god this has been cleared! :) *hugs*

[blackdracaena]

Recently I try to read comments and posts twice to make sure I get what the person who wrote meant to avoid any more misunderstandings. I usually use smiley because those tend to have only one meaning. :) *hugs back*

[autumnstar15]

Recently I try to read comments and posts twice to make sure I get what the person who wrote meant to avoid any more misunderstandings
awww... at least u take time to really read those. some(not mentioning names) just glance thru and write rubbish. hopefully self isn't like that *wonders so*

quite true alright. imagine :) meaning "smile" & "fake smile". no no man.

[tinamuggi]

That's strange, since I've been chatting for years in ... countless different forums (IRC, AIM, YM, Java-chatrooms, sci-fi channel... whatever) and I've never seen it used in any other meaning than *g* = *grin*

So now i'm wondering whether I've been totally blind and possibly even insulted people by using *g*, and they think it was *gee*

Shows that emoticons are much better, ey? :D

[blackdracaena]

Hehehe, yeah it's kinda scary to think that people might have misunderstood you while you actually meant the exact opposite.

I mean the context might reveal that you meant *grin* but sometimes if it's not that clear it can lead to confusion.

And yep, emoticons rock, can't go wrong with them. :D

Or wait you actually can because :P can also be interpreted in various ways... ummm... let's not go there. *laughs*

[tinamuggi]

*laughs out loud* (LOL!!!) ;)

Gods no, let's not go there! Now I won't be able to chat/read comments/answer comments anymore without wondering what the different letters/emoticons truly stand for.

Eeeek :O

[kniggit_slash]

This whole thing is why I have never used *g*.

I have seen it used as *gee* and *grin*. Not as *giggle* though but I can see how someone would use it as that too.

Far too much confusion for just a little letter. ;)

[blackdracaena]

Far too much confusion for just a little letter. ;)
WORD or wait make that LETTER! :)

I don't use it either for the exact problem. But if people use it on me I'm kinda all MEEP because I'm never sure what the person means, if I don't know her/him at all that is.

[theellibu]

I never knew it was used as *giggle*, too.. Hm. That's just so confusing.

Still means only *grin* to me.

[blackdracaena]

Yeah, it is confusing because while the majority applies *grin* to it, you can never be completely sure about it if a person uses it that you don't know at all. *wibbles*

[mirabilelectu]

Yep. Took me forever to figure out what "lol" was/meant/stood for, and I was confused with the Dutch word "lol". xD

[blackdracaena]

I had that problem with ROFL and I was too shy to ask after a year finally someone else asked and that's how I found out.

And apparently my friend Andy didn't know what 'ty' stood for till I told him last night and he has internet access since 1997.