LOL, FYI, ADIH: Internet Abbreviations We Use In The GenZ Era and Their Origins

ABBREVIATIONS OR ACRONYMS are becoming a routine for the GenZs to converse in a way only the generation could understand. This is something that the generation follows delicately while texting each other online. It is a kind of language that has changed the ways of using English in a much more convenient or easier way in today's chapter. Don't forget the old timers who need a few guides to jump into the action just like their younglings.

To be noted that the abbreviations were a thing before as well like way before during the times of Romans, Egyptian, and Mesopotamian Civilization. Yes, it’s that old. Before the internet or the GenZs used it as a shortcuts during conversation. Romans and Egyptians used abbreviations for efficiency and for labor reduction, but for GenZs it is a medium to separate themselves from the older generation and to be more nuanced through texts. The era of the internet has taken over the world and we are just living in it  so let us take a look at some of the abbreviations or acronyms we use today.

FYI 

FYI stands for “For Your Information.” The kind of abbreviation we use to share relevant details more like in professionalism. Basically to remind someone of the information that is important to be noted. An abbreviation to use without expecting a reply. There are few alternatives to it, like For Your Interest, can be used while sharing an article or document that the receiver can check out. For Your Improvement, basically to indicate someone in what areas the person can improve in. This acronym dates back to the early 20th century, during the 1915 when it was recorded as a telegraphic shorthand to save space and money on the messages.

LOL

This is the most used abbreviation to this day, LOL stands for Lots of Laugh or Laughing out loud, the abbreviation has the most variations when it comes to using it in a conversation. There’s a story behind this “LOL,” reportedly Wayne Pearson was the first guy to use LOL when his friend joked in a digital chat room called Viewline and Wayne seems to come with this idea out of nowhere in the early 1980s. Pearson wanted to express an extreme laughter so this was his first reaction by using LOL. LMAO (Laughing My Arse/Ass OFF) or ROFL (Rolling On the Floor Laughing) are relatable abbreviations to use instead of LOL, a direct way to show extreme feelings of laughter. 

TTYL

If you are busy or want to escape from a conversation just use TTYL that stands for Talk To You Later. The abbreviation’s use began in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the definition of it was first posted on Urban Dictionary in June 2002. More like a send off message to your pals, TTYL is very popular among people, as is commonly used face to face, it can be used as an alternative of “See You Later” during conversations.

See Also: Fighting Words: Founding Fathers Irked England by Inventing American English

IDC

Ah…probably a way to trigger a person is to just type IDC, if you are not interested in something that the other person is interested in. IDC simply means “I Don’t Care.” to use it in a conversation a person just seems to clear the point where he/she doesn’t care about the subject that is being used in a conversation. IDC emerged in the 1990s and just like the others it was initially used in the chatrooms. It is totally unprofessional because of the tone that the abbreviation holds during a conversation. If you want to show the feeling of disinterest just type “IDC.”

IFYP

A person has a lot of ways to show empathy online and in the chats we can use IFYP that means I Feel Your Pain. It first grew out during the meme culture in the late 2000s and early 2010s. A mere show of empathy is given by using this abbreviation, an expression to let someone know that you feel their difficult situation.  

ADIH

Having a stressful day? use ADIH. Doing a difficult task? use ADIH. We do complain when we are caught in a mess that would take long hours to be fixed. To be more sarcastic just use ADIH, which means Another Day In Hell originates from the 1990s and in the early 2000s, there is no exact trace of its original creator but it surely defines that someone had a bad day in the office.

TBH

For the precision, people use TBH as abbreviations in the chat that stands for To Be Honest. Mostly when a person wants to give an opinion and wants to be very frank about it with the other person he/she uses TBH. The placement of feeling can differ, one can use it to clear the air out or to insult someone. Again, TBH tracks back from the late 1990s and 2000s. TBH is about honesty. One can find it to be blunt and some can be genuine about it. Nowadays, being straightforward has become an attitude issue but at the end you are just being honest about it.

WT*

I mean do I really have to tell you all about this. The most digitally used abbreviations is WTF i.e. “What The F***,” yeah I can’t say the whole word here but you know how it goes. Basically WTF, holds loads of expressions whether to express shock (happy or sad), disbelief or surprise we just simply use WTF. This abbreviation is common on the internet, in conversations with friends, on social media. WTF can be a bit offensive as the use of profanity is impolite during formal conversations. It became popular on the internet worldwide in the 1990s, also its first appearance was in 1983's novel Handling Sin with the full phrase.

See Also: The History Of The English Language

WYWH

Have you heard the iconic 1975 song “Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd? Well, it became an abbreviation WYWH. It sounds comforting and feels like a desire for someone’s presence. WYWH is helpful when you want someone around to give you company, a bit romantic for sure but that is what the song is all about. Though the song came out in 1975, the abbreviation came in the 1990s and 2000s. 

POV

More like a technical word, Point of View or POV in short, has few meanings to it. Mostly can be heard in camera works or while filming, but it is also about the perspective in a conversation. It was first recorded in literature in the early 18th century and then abbreviated in the 1960s and 70s. POV is an abbreviation that immerses a person into someone’s first person scenario. Just type POV and give a scenario to someone in the chat, it’s that simple to use.

[GRT]

(Edited by Harsh Pandey)

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