Cheree Heppe here:
The article below, taken from Will Smith's compilations, reports changes to the
Oxford dictionary that may have teachers tearing their hair.
OMG! LOL: Internet Slang Added to Oxford English Dictionary
By Daniel Ionescu, PCWorld Mar 26, 2011 5:59 AM
Time-saving online abbreviations like LOL, OMG, and IMHO are now part
of the official English language. The Oxford English Dictionary (OED)
[80]announced the addition of several acronyms to its dictionary,
adding some interesting trivia behind the origins of these
Internet-associated expressions.
OED explained that although "initialisms" like [81]OMG (Oh My God),
[82]LOL (Laughing Out Loud) and IMHO (In My Humble/Honest Opinion) are
strongly associated with the language of electronic communications,
their origins are surprisingly predating the Internet era.
For example, OED found a quotation for OMG in a personal letter from
1917, and [83]FYI (For Your Information) originated in the language of
memoranda in 1941. Also, apparently the LOL expression had a previous
life, starting in 1960, denoting an elderly woman (Little Old Lady).
OED notes that some expressions like OMG and LOL are used outside
electronic communication contexts as well, including print and spoken
use, in the form of more than a simple abbreviation:
"The intention is usually to signal an informal, gossipy mode of
expression, and perhaps parody the level of unreflective enthusiasm or
overstatement that can sometimes appear in online discourse, while at
the same time marking oneself as an `insider' au fait with the forms of
expression associated with the latest technology."
If you're not familiar with the online slang, you can always check out
this [84]Internet slang dictionary and translator. Just enter the text
slang you want to translate and you're done. TTYL
Regards,
Cheree Heppe
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