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Internet slang is . The terms often appear in Lower Case , with capitals often reserved for emphasis: The pronoun "I", for example, often appears simply as "i". To avoid misapprehension and clarify the author's intent, '' versus the author's intent is part of the Internet's attraction and enjoyment. Like most Jargon , Internet slang aggrandizes author and reader, causing them to appear as having specialized knowledge of an already complex medium. Internet slang perhaps has a higher learning curve than face-to-face slang, as face-to-face slang can often be deciphered from the context of the facial expressions, body language, and tone of voice. ORIGINS The vocabulary of Internet slang (or chatspeak or netspeak) draws from many different sources — typically environments that placed value on brevity of communication. Some terms, such as '' and IRC . Chat Acronym s originally developed on pre-Internet Bulletin Board System s. A handful (for example, ASAP, PO'ed) far pre-date computers. The Three-letter Acronym remains one of the most popular types of abbreviation in computing and Telecom terminology and slang. Similar systems have since come into use with users of text-messaging wireless telephones. With the rise of Instant Messaging services ( ICQ , AOL , and MSN , among others) the vocabulary has expanded dramatically. Aside from instant messaging programs another realm full of online languages exists: the Internet gaming world. One of the most popular forms of video game slang has become known as H4x0r (Haxor, meaning hacker) or as may help parents begin to understand some of the things their kids say in-game. (Many of the more knowledgeable " Online Gamer s" consider this article unhelpful, especially for Microsoft's attempts to interpret 1337 speak.) Note that many more serious internet users regard leetspeak as a trademark of people who don't know what they're doing. In these circles, leetspeak is almost always used sarcastically if at all. Such people may also label the use of leetspeak, excessive use of abbreviations, and incorrect spelling and grammar as simply rude, and a sign of laziness. In addition, sometimes chatspeak or leet can be so illegible that it becomes an annoyance for those who wish to read it. Sometimes users make up Internet abbreviations on the spot, therefore many of them can seem confusing, obscure, whimsical, or even nonsensical. This type of on-the-spot abbreviating leads to such things as: OTP (on the phone) or the less common, OPTD (outside petting the dog). Another feature common to Internet communication involves the truncation and morphing of words to forms that users can type more readily. Examples of this include:
The form " of Something Awful popularized this sarcastic usage. Similarly, netizens may use the word "liek" or "leik" as sarcastic misspellings of the word "like", as in "I LIEK PIE". It often implies an insult to one's intelligence and/or typing ability. "Liek" is also often used as a geeky way of typing the preposition ''like'', for example in the phrase ''"...and I was liek..."''. |
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