Rly
To a noob (that's internet-speak for a
newbie), social media can look like alphabet soup. While you've probably picked
up on the staples like LOL and OMG, there are hundreds of acronyms out
there, some of which are way less
obvious and way more useful.
Fun fact: The term abbreviation is an umbrella term—so basically
all these little shortened text-speak words we’re using now
are abbreviations
because they are essentially just shortened versions of a word or phrase. Rly is a great example …
they just took out the vowels—who needs ‘em. And, acronyms are types of abbreviations. Acronyms are usually in the form of
initialisms—which is when a phrase is represented by the first letter of each
word that makes it up.
Regardless of the
technical differences between abbreviations and acronyms ... it's hard not to
get lost in the letters—but, we've got you covered. Here are 10 acronyms every
internet denizen should know.
TL;DR
Tl;dr stands for
"too long; didn't read."
Originally, tl;dr was an
insult, used in reaction to some post, comment, or content seen as wordy or
longwinded—as if literally saying “This is way too long, so I didn’t read it.”
By 2005, tl;dr had taken on a second meaning as a
shorthand for a “summary,” frequently called the tl;dr version of
a longer account or article. Related, but used more in the professional editing
world is ONW.
Tl;dr can give a genuine summary of a much longer piece—the gist, the big
takeaway, the moral of the story. Tl;dr can also issue a
snarky take on a longer, more complex topic, as if boiling it down to its
essence.
Either way, it's pretty helpful for those longwinded texts you get from
your friend or those social-media comments you just can't sift through without
rolling your eyes ...
H/T
Back in the olden days
(think the 19th and
20th centuries),
men always wore
hats. And, the way that they expressed their respect for someone was with a hat tip, tipping their hat
brim a little bit to someone.
No one wears hats on
social media, but we still want to be respectful of each other. That's where
the acronym H/T (also sometimes used without the
diagonal slash) comes in. It means hat
tip, or tip of the
hat—a way of recognizing the original source of a meme, expression, image,
or idea on social media.
It can also be used generally to express
gratitude or appreciation for someone. As in, "h/t mom for getting me this
sweet car."
LBS
LBS may be the abbreviation for pounds (you're
probably used to seeing it in lowercase—lbs) ... but it's also a super helpful
way to convey some emotion via text and social-media.
That's because LBS also means
"laughing but serious." It's a great acronym to throw in after a text
or social-media post to show everyone that you definitely don't take yourself
too seriously ... however, what you're writing or posting about is a concern.
Sarcasm is tricky business in the digital world.
IMHO
IMHO is an acronym used mostly in
texting, email, and social media that means "in my humble opinion."
It was first used in the 1980s in online forums, and decades later, some began
erroneously attributing the H to
the word honest.
These days, IMHO is basically always
taken to mean "in my honest opinion." It's a good way of underlining
that you're taking a strong stance on something, whether it's classic film or
politics.
WOC
WOC stands for "women of
color." It's a good acronym to know because you'll probably see it pop up
in articles and social-media feeds a lot these days.
As more women and WOCs stand up against abuses,
we're loving this acronym to get the point across quickly and under an umbrella
of unity and support.
DWS
You may know DWS as the acronym
for "driving while suspended." Uh oh.
But, there's a more fun, more useful meaning
too: "dealing with sh!t." Especially in this climate, this one is
more useful than ever.
MUA
If you're looking for
tips on how to get your winged eyeliner *just right* or advice on the best
foundation for your skin type, you might want to check out some MUAs on
social media. MUA is
an acronym found mostly on social media that means makeup artist.
MUAs are huge on platforms like Instagram and
YouTube, where they post videos and pictures of their techniques, their looks,
and all the famous celebs they pal around with.
SWAG
You may have not known
it, but swag is an acronym! It stands for
"stuff we all get," and it usually refers to free promotional or
marketing items.
This may not be one that makes your life
easier, necessarily, but it definitely will wow your friends and family when
you whip out this fun fact at your next get together.
WYD and
WTP
Wyd is a texting and internet acronym
that stands for "What (are) you doing?" or "What (would) you
do?". Wyd can
be a literal question meant to find out what another person is actually up to.
It can also be texted as an informal greeting like What’s up? Wyd, like the phrase it abbreviates, also acts as
a rhetorical question used to challenge or question someone’s lifestyle or
choices. For instance, one might ask: “If you don’t support your best friend
when she’s sad then wyd?”
WTP is similar ... but a little more on
the nose. Meaning "what's the plan," or "what's the play,"
it's an easy way to get someone to confirm what's going on for the evening or
weekend without having to type out more than one word. Win!
HMU
HMU is an abbreviation for the phrase
“hit me up.” It’s often posted online to announce that you’re looking for
something to do and to encourage others to reach out to you. In a one-on-one
exchange, it’s an invitation for continued contact, meaning “text me,” or “call
me,” or simply “let’s talk again.”
HMU can also stand for “hook me up,” which is
typically a request to be connected with someone or something in which you have
interest.
In 2011, the phrase
gained more notice when a teenage boy used it on a giant cardboard sign to ask
out his prom date. When the principal of his school banned the boy from prom
(because the sign was hung over the front of the school), the news story
prompted many publications to define HMU for
their readers. Google searches for HMU peaked
in July 2011, most likely in connection with this story.
Bonus
acronym: FWB!
This one may not make
your life easier ... but maybe a little bit more fun? Most of us just have
friends. But some daring (or delusional) folks have an FWB—a friend "with benefits."
A friend with benefits is
a friend someone occasionally has casual sex with.
The term friends with benefits emerged
in the 1990s, popularized by the 1995 Alanis Morrissette song “Head over Feet,”
which, while ostensibly about a committed relationship,
features the lyrics: “You're my best friend / Best friend with benefits.”
The acronym FWB was first entered on
Urban Dictionary in 2003, only a few months after the first entry for friends with benefits appeared
on the site. FWB first
appeared on Twitter in April 2007, just a year after the social-media platform
went live.
FWB can be used to describe
a person or a relationship. You can say “He is my fwb,” “She and I were fwb a while back,” or “I heard they just have
a fwb thing
going on.” The plural of FWB can
either be FWB (friends with benefits), or,
treating the acronym like its own word, FWBs.
While the abbreviated FWB is
common in digital communication, friends
with benefits is used in casual speech.