If you have ever landed on a Facebook page that belongs to someone under the age of 25, you were likely curious whether they graduated high school at all…or if their random posts are just a series of typos. Essentially, the world of social media and texting has pretty much created a form of shorthand or slang, and the result is a sort of cryptic looking code that utilizes letters, numbers, and symbols in order to communicate.
Today’s youth realizes that many adults have no idea what they are chatting about – especially when they are using this code – and even more groups of teens make-up their own jargon for the sole purpose of communicating secretly. Regardless, in order to get around in chat rooms and online, (or to understand what your teens are really up to); you need to get on board and start understanding today’s facebook/texting slang.
While the youth utilizing all of these codes and shorthand think they have invented something new, the reality is that shorthand has existed for a very long time. The shorthand of yesterday was designed to influence the speed and brevity of writing. Today, the same is true. Since many people are texting and typing on Facebook using personal devices such as phones, spelling out words can be much timelier than using abbreviations. And the result can be message threads that are nearly impossible to understand unless you are up to date with the latest slang codes and abbreviations.
Most of the slang used in texts and online in social media sites, is in the form of abbreviations. For instance, LOL – would translate to ‘laugh out loud’ and is used when someone says something funny. If you are in a chat room, someone might say BRB, meaning ‘be right back,’ if they need to get away for a minute. Another good one all parents should know is POS, which means parent over shoulder. Kids will use this if a parent walks in on them while they are online and acts as a warning to the person they are online with not to type something that will get them into trouble. Additionally, CD9 or Code 9, is another code that teens use to warn someone that a parent is in the room. P911, which translate to ‘parent emergency’ or PIR, meaning ‘parent in room,’ and PRW (parents are watching) are also warnings. If your teen is using any of these in your presence, chances are they are doing something that would get them into trouble.
WTH and WTF are also very common abbreviations. They essentially mean, “What the hell,” and What the f***,” in texting lingo. Many people use these two acronyms as a way to display emotion to something that has been entered online. More laid back is the simple WE, which means whatever.
In many cases the number 2 is used for the word to, or too – and the number 4 stands in for its long hand version of the word 4. For instance, users might be writing a sentence and type, “@ the gym b4 8.” This would mean, “Be at the gym before 8pm.” When words and numbers are interchangeable, normally the code or shorthand is easier to figure out.
If you have a teenager in the home – you may be worried about what is behind them meanings of their Facebook and texting lingo. The FBI, suggests that all parents know the following list of the Top 25 slang terms that could mean your child is getting into trouble. If you see any of these in chat rooms, or on Facebook – chances are you may need to delve a little deeper into what your child is up to:
- ASL(R P) -Age Sex Location (Race / Picture)
- BF / GF – Boyfriend / Girlfriend
- BRB – Be Right Back
- CD9 – Code 9 – means parents are around
- GNOC – Get Naked on Cam (webcam)
- GTG – Got to Go
- IDK – I don’t know
- (L)MIRL -(Lets) meet in real life
- LOL – Laugh Out Loud
- MorF – Male or Female
- MOS – Mom Over Shoulder
- NIFOC – Naked in Front of Computer
- Noob – Newbie – often an insult to somebody who doesn’t know much about something.
- NMU – Not much, you?
- P911 – Parent Emergency
- PAW — Parents are Watching
- PIR – Parent In Room
- POS – Parent Over Shoulder
- PRON – Porn
- PRW – Parents Are Watching
- S2R – Send To Receive (pictures)
- TDTM – Talk Dirty To Me
- Warez – Pirated Software
- W/E – Whatever
- WTF – What the F***?
Courtesy of Noslang.com
Another form of shorthand and slang that you will find on line, is quite simply the misspelling of words. Many people will intentionally leave out letters in order to shorten the word. Although it appears as if they are unable to spell correctly – it is fast becoming an acceptable form of communication.
However, if you are communicating in a professional atmosphere – chances are that you should spell out (and spell correctly) and of your entries on Facebook or otherwise. Even though this newer shorthand is becoming accepted, in professional circles sole use of it is seen as unprofessional and compromising.
Following is another list of the most popular Facebook and texting slang words and shorthand used by most people online. Not only will you find these on Facebook, but will also see them utilized within chat rooms and forums all over the internet. Many of them are used interchangeably, but essentially have the same meaning.
- ASAP – As Soon As Possible
- ASAIC – As Soon As I Can
- LOL – Laugh Out Loud, Lots of Love
- ASL – Tell me your Age, Sex and Location
- TU – Thank You
- GM – Good Morning
- GE – Good Evening
- GN – Good Night
- JFY – Just For You
- MTUK – More Than You Know
- OSLT – Or Something Like That
- ACC – Actually
- ACE – Excellent or Great
- AFS – Always Forever and Seriously
- APP – Application
- AUO – I don’t know
- AW – Any Way
- B4 – Before
- BBS – Be Back Soon
- BBL – Be Back Later
- BBN – Be Back Never
- BBT – Be Back Tomorrow
- BF – Boy Friend
- GF – Girl Friend
- BFF – Best Friend Forever
- BOT – Back On Topic
- BBZ – Babes
- CYL – Catch You Later
- D8 – Date
- DAM – Don’t Ask Me
- DAQ – Don’t Ask question
- DARL – Darling
- DAT – That
- DDT – Don’t Do That
- F9 – Fine
- FBF – Facebook Friend
- G2E – Go To Eat
- G8 – Great
- GTH – Go To Hell
- H2CUS – Hope To See You Soon
- HAGL – Have A Good Life
- HAGD – Have A Good Day
- HAGN – Have A Good Night
- HAGE – Have A Good Evening
- HAND – Have A Nice Day
- HBU – How About You
- HDU – How Dare You
- HEY – Hello, Hi
- HF – Have Fun
- HHOJ – Ha Ha, Only Joking
- HHOK – Ha Ha, Only Kidding
- HHVF – Ha Ha, Very Funny
- hm… – Thinking
- I IAS – In A Second
- IB – I’m Back
- IHS – I Hope So
- IIL – I’m in Love
- IK – I Know
- J4F – Just For Fun
- J4L – Just For Laugh
- J4U – Just For You
- JLT – Just Like That
- K – Okay
- KL – Cool
- B4 – Before
- M/F – Are you Male or Female
- IDK – I Don’t Know
- L8 – Later
- L8ER – Later
- ME2 – Me Too
- N – And
- N2G – Need To Go
- NOPE – No
- O7 – Salute
- OOPS – If you make a mistake, you can say
- OYE – Listen up
- PPL – People
- PRO – Professional
- PLZ – Please
- PM – Private Message
- Q&A – Question and Answer
- RI8 – Right
- S2U – Same to You
- SRY – Sorry
- THANQ – Thank You
- THANX, TNX, TX – Thanks
- THN – Then
- TTLY – Totally
- TTUL – Talk To You Later
- TTUS – Talk To You Soon
- U – You
- UR – Your
- W/ – With
- W/O – Without
- W/E – Whatever
- W8 – Wait
- WC – Welcome
- W^ – What’s up
- XLNT – Excellent
- X_X – Dead
- Y – Why
- YEAH, YH – Yes
- SD – Sweet Dreams
- WTF – What The F**k
- BTW – By The Way
- BRB – Be Right Back
- JK – Just Kidding
- zzz – Sleeping
- JK – Just Kidding
- FYI – For Your Information
- FB – Facebook
- WTH – What The Hell
- LMK – Let Me Know
- OMG – Oh! My God
Another great resource for those looking to decipher Facebook codes and textbook slang is to go to the www.noslang.com or www.urbandictionary.com. Both of these sites update frequently and stay abreast of new trends in short hand and verbiage being used online.
