LOL (Internet slang)
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LOL (also spelled lol) is an abbreviation for "laugh out loud", "laughing out loud", or less commonly "lots of love", "lots of laughter", "lots of laughs" or "laugh online". " LOL is a common element of Internet slang used, historically, on Usenet. It is similar to the acronyms "lmao" (laughing my ass/arse off) and "rofl" (rolling on the floor laughing), which are used to communicate a higher degree of amusement. LOL can be pronounced phonetically as "LOLL" or "LAWL."
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[edit] Analysis
David Crystal<ref>David Crystal (2001-09-20). Language and the Internet. Cambridge University Press, 34. ISBN 0521802121.</ref> notes that use of "LOL" is not necessarily genuine, posing the rhetorical question "how many people are actually 'laughing out loud' when they send LOL?".
Victoria Clarke, in her analysis of telnet talkers<ref>Victoria Clarke (2002-01-30). Internet English: an analysis of the variety of language used on Telnet talkers (PDF).</ref>, states that capitalization is important when people write "LOL", and that "a user who types LOL may well be laughing louder than one who types lol", and opines that "these standard expressions of laughter are losing force through overuse".
Silvio Lacetti, professor of humanities at Stevens Institute of Technology, and Scott Molsk<ref>Silvio Lacetti and Scott Molsk: "Cost of poor writing no LOL-ing matter", Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 2003-09-06.</ref> predict reduced chances of employment for students who use such acronyms, stating that "Unfortunately for these students, their bosses will not be 'lol' when they read a report that lacks proper punctuation and grammar, has numerous misspellings, various made-up words, and silly acronyms. [sic]"
[edit] Variations on the theme
Despite it being an English acronym, it is often used by non-English speakers as-is, even in other scripts (eg. Arabic: لول, Hebrew: לול, Cyrillic: лол).
[edit] Translations in widespread use
Most of these abbreviations are usually found in lowercase. lal or lawl — can refer to either a pseudo-pronunciation of LOL, or the German translation (although most German speakers use 'LOL'). Saying "lawl" is sometimes meant in mockery of those who use the term LOL, and not meant as serious usage.
- Lol (lollig) — a Dutch word, meaning joke or fun (lollig means funny)
- ｗ — used commonly in 2channel, a Japanese equivalent of the acronym.
- lolz — Plural form occasionally used in place of "LOL"
[edit] References
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