I must admit, I do like seeing this acronym and using it.
I'm talking about LOL. I know many of the literati aren't fond of it but for simple, day-to-day communications, such as texts or comments left on the internet, it seems to do the trick, particularly in helping interpret the meaning within a message.
While we hope the sender is taking on this posture and emotion--you know, head titled back and a full belly laugh (shown in the photograph) we realize that many are simply LI (Laughing Inside) CL (Chuckling Lightly) or using LOL's of different types: Lying Out Loud or a Liar of Lies. Hopefully its not used nefariously, whatever; the acronym sticks. It has been used in letters for quite a while.
A man has taken credit for this widely used acronym. His name is Wayne Pearson. He says that during the time he was a student (during the 80's) he used it on a basic electronic bulletin board in a type of chat room of that time called Viewline. Pearson goes on to state "I always emphasized (and still do) that it was meant to be used only if you truly laughed out loud." I found this fascinating tidbit in an article in the Huffington Post.
LOL has a checkered past as indicated by just a few of the other phrases it has stood for historically. LOL has positive and negative uses. I wish I had known for example, it stands for Lots of Love and Lots of Luck. I could have saved some time and ink.
All is well. People use it a lot. Others claim to hate it and hold it up as a sign of our disintegrating use of the English language. I don't participate in the public flogging of acronyms, it's just that when LOL is coupled with the exclamation point, that I want to weigh in. Needless to say, LOL! is over the top, after all, you're already holding your belly, keeling over and laughing your guts out. What more can you offer your recipient?
LOL, is quite enough.
Notes on my Theme:
This post is written for the 2015 A to Z Challenge. During this challenge, participating bloggers post once a day, in alphabetical order. This is done 6 days per week. Sundays are off. My theme presents words that are exciting. These words serve as thematic motifs in my writing. My theme also revolves around exclamation points. The words I've chosen to explore can replace or stand alone from the dreaded exclamation point, which writers are urged to avoid.
I'm talking about LOL. I know many of the literati aren't fond of it but for simple, day-to-day communications, such as texts or comments left on the internet, it seems to do the trick, particularly in helping interpret the meaning within a message.
 |
| Credits: Peathegee Inc/Getty Images |
A man has taken credit for this widely used acronym. His name is Wayne Pearson. He says that during the time he was a student (during the 80's) he used it on a basic electronic bulletin board in a type of chat room of that time called Viewline. Pearson goes on to state "I always emphasized (and still do) that it was meant to be used only if you truly laughed out loud." I found this fascinating tidbit in an article in the Huffington Post.
LOL has a checkered past as indicated by just a few of the other phrases it has stood for historically. LOL has positive and negative uses. I wish I had known for example, it stands for Lots of Love and Lots of Luck. I could have saved some time and ink.
All is well. People use it a lot. Others claim to hate it and hold it up as a sign of our disintegrating use of the English language. I don't participate in the public flogging of acronyms, it's just that when LOL is coupled with the exclamation point, that I want to weigh in. Needless to say, LOL! is over the top, after all, you're already holding your belly, keeling over and laughing your guts out. What more can you offer your recipient?
LOL, is quite enough.
Notes on my Theme:
This post is written for the 2015 A to Z Challenge. During this challenge, participating bloggers post once a day, in alphabetical order. This is done 6 days per week. Sundays are off. My theme presents words that are exciting. These words serve as thematic motifs in my writing. My theme also revolves around exclamation points. The words I've chosen to explore can replace or stand alone from the dreaded exclamation point, which writers are urged to avoid.
At first, my wife assumed it meant Lots of Love. Not a bad assumption at all.
ReplyDeleteI agree and it is one of the meanings, just not standard these days.
DeleteI do use LOL occasionally, mainly on Twitter when character-count matters. I'll try to avoid LOL! in future though - I might have been guilty.
ReplyDeleteAnabel's Travel Blog
Adventures of a retired librarian
In for a penny, in for a pound. Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteMy favorites are "LMAO" and "ROFLMAO." Yo don't see them as much anymore.
ReplyDeleteJohn Holton
Blogging from A to Z 2015 Cohost
The Sound of One Hand Typing
Oh boy. Those are really descriptive. I do get the LMAO with a few other descriptions added in from my children. It shows me they're really enjoying what I said.
DeleteThis is a smart one.L for LOL ...R could be for ROFL :-)
ReplyDeleteYes it could be. Thanks for the suggestion. I need them. This is a tough challenge I've set up for myself, in terms of topic.
DeleteOkay, so at the sentence " I don't participate in the public flogging of acronyms" I chucked. Out loud. Does that warrant COL? Do you think it will go viral?
ReplyDeleteOkay, so after reading the sentence " I don't participate in the public flogging of acronyms," I chucked. Out loud. Does that warrant "COL" and will that go viral?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.dogsdontlookbothways.com
Any laughs we can get these days, in our challenging times, are good laughs, regardless of the source. Thanks for seeing the humor Jane.
DeleteWhen the LOL first came out, I thought it meant lots of love. It didn't take long to find out I was wrong.
ReplyDeleteThat is one of its meanings and a very nice one, I might add.
DeleteI like using LOL too! I try not to use it in comments to bloggers if I don't think they like it or if they seem more serious, but as soon as someone says LOL to me or I get to know them more, I use it and use it and use it. ;)
ReplyDeleteMight as well have some fun while we're at it, otherwise what's the point? Thanks for stopping in Chrys.
DeleteI never knew it could stand for anything else. I must confess I use it a lot. But I always mean laughing out loud
ReplyDeleteThanks Stephanie found you on g+ not getting em as I uusually do. Thanks for post
ReplyDeleteLol
Susan, thanks! That concerns me that you're not getting my feed. I will look into it. I did have to take a few days off. Maybe that's it?
DeleteI use it quite a lot on Facebook, Twitter etc. And, actually, I do tend to laugh out loud a lot, so if I use it you can pretty much assume I am doing so. The one I'm not keen on is ROFL (rolling on the floor laughing) - I can't remember the last time I did that, or saw someone do it ;-)
ReplyDeleteAnnalisa, writing A-Z vignettes, at Wake Up, Eat, Write, Sleep
Yes ROFL is a bit much isn't it? It would be nice if we could be so light, airy and humorous to do it. I look forward to the day.
DeleteAm guilty of using it pretty often :D
ReplyDeleteI remember, a friend once remarked that we use LOL so often when on the internet that a time will come when we will speak it aloud in our real world conversations :D