Internet Speech: A 4g Primer

For first-time Internet users, the Internet can seem a weird, confusing place. One thing that does not help matters is that in many ways the Internet can be considered to have a language all its own. LOL, KK, and PWNED are just a few of the seemingly indecipherable acronyms and vocabulary words used on the Internet on a daily basis. Hopefully the guide below will be useful to you in browsing the Internet from your desktop, or using a wireless Internet service.

Probably the best-known internet acronym is LOL, which stands for laughing out loud. It's not hard to imagine what kind of comments justify an lolcomments that literally make one laugh audibly IRL, or in real life. As of 2011, LOL is now present in the Oxford English Dictionary, giving an official imprimatur to this once-backwater vocabulary item. Extensive research conducted by the Oxford team was able to trace the expression back to its first appearance on Usenet (the forerunner to Internet message boards and forums) in the 1980s. This phrase has penetrated far beyond the confines of the wireless Internet to Valentine's Day candy hearts and even the verbal English language.

Another common expression is IMO or IMHO, for in my (humble) opinion. The reason for a great deal of the particular vocabulary of the Internet, in the (humble) opinion of many people, is that tone can be difficult to communicate in text messages or chat rooms, especially among new Internet users. Thus, Internet speech relies on several phrases that can be used to cut the brusqueness of what might otherwise be seen as inappropriately blunt or direct phrases. When giving advice, instead of saying You should do X, one can say, You should do X IMHO to make it clear that the advice is being given in a friendly way. An ellipsis is often used before a question mark (i.e. ...? instead of ?) such as in phrases like What about doing X...? in order to soften the tone of advice or suggestions as well.

PWN or its variantsPWN, PWNAGE, and the likegenerally signify defeat in some way, whether this is a physical, verbal, or emotional defeat. The word apparently originated from gamers playing the video game Counter-Strike and may be derived either from the word pawn (i.e. to make someone your pawn) or as a typo of the word own (since O and P are located so close to each other in the standard keyboard layout). On the Internet it would not be uncommon to read that Jon Stewart PWNED John McCain on the Daily Show last night or see a video titled Skateboarder pwned by ramp which features a man suffering a horrific skateboarding injury. This speech is common to all corners of the Internet, so whether you are using a mobile broadband service or other form of access, learning this vocabulary can help make your Internet experience more rewarding and understandable.