WTF RU Talking About? Decoding Online Lingo

Do you remember when ppl actually used entire words when communicating?  I do, but apparently those days are over.   I frequently read posts and receive emails in which seemingly random letters and numbers are used to convey meaning.  Well, I got sick of having to run to Google for translations every time I wanted to respond to an email, so I decided that it was time that I (gulp) learned "net lingo."  To save you from the self-loathing associated with having to Google "Internet abbreviations +meanings," I'm going to give you the  411 on some of the most essential "web lingo." 

Conversation Starters
WU: What's up?
HRU: How are you?

Giving New Information
BOTOH: But On The Other Hand
BTW: By The Way
FWIW: For What It's Worth
IAC(IAE): In Any Case (Event)
IM(H)O: In My (Humble) Opinion
IOW: In Other Words

Responses/Reactions
“I find that humorous”
LOL: Laugh(ing) Out Loud   
    ALOL: Actually Laughing Out Loud
        As opposed to LOLI: Laughing Out Loud Inside (I know it doesn’t make sense)
LMAO: Laugh(ing) My A-- Off
ROFL: Rolling On Floor Laughing

“I find that surprising”
OMG: Oh My Gosh!
RUFKM: aRe yoU Flipping Kidding Me?
     (YHTBFKM): You Have To Be Flipping Kidding Me!
WTF: What The %#@#(see below)?

 "I find that (something else)"
IDC: I Don't Care
IDK: I Don't Know
^URS: (Ahem) Up yours

Conversation Enders
BRB: Be Right Back
CUL (CUL8r): See you later
G2G/GTG: Got to Go
HAND: Have A Nice Day
TTYL: Talk To You Later

Bonus: Symbols & Numbers
<3= heart
:)= Smiley face
:(= Frowny face
;)= Winking face
:p= 'I'm sticking my tongue out at you' face
$@#% = curse word
411: Information
911: Emergency
187: Murder

NEW, IDK if this was of NE help 2 u, but, IMNSHO, the less of these u use IRL, the better. K, I G2G 2 a AAAAA mtg, ttyl.  MTFBWU!

Helpful Resources
*Check out AOL's Acronym Dictionary for a more complete list of AIM/WWW/Chat lingo translations.
* If you are really concerned that you might fall behind on your internet slang, you can sign up for NetLingo's Newsletter of Internet Terms that updates you on any new additions to their library.

Comments

[Chris Lengquist]

Thank you for helping me to understand my 14 year old...