Online language: A primer
They’re spending time e-mailing, instant-messaging and text-messaging like never before. Not only that, they’ve developed a new language that’s more about quick and easy abbreviation than anything else. Many adults have come to us stumped as to what it all means. Here’s a far-from-exhaustive list to help you decipher some of that new cyberspace teen lingo.
411 information
5 wait a few minutes to speak, a parent is in the room
55 coast is clear, we can talk about anything
ADIH another day in hell
AFK away from keyboard
A/S/L age/sex/location
B/F boyfriend
B4 before
B4N bye for now
BAK back at keyboard
BF best friend, or boyfriend
BFD big f______ deal
BM&Y between you and me
BOHICA bend over, here it comes again
BR bathroom
BTDT been there done that
CTN can’t talk now
CUL see you later
CWYL chat with you later
D/L download
EMA e-mail address
ESAD eat s___ and die
F2F face to face
FOAD f___ off and die
FOMCL falling off my chair laughing
FITB fill in the blank
FUBAR f_____ up beyond all recognition
FYEO for your eyes only
G/F girlfriend
G2G got to go
G2R got to run
GOI get over it
GYPO get your pants off
H4U hot for you
HOAS hold on a second
IG2R I got to run
ILU I love you
IPN I’m posting naked
JAC just a sec
KMA kiss my a__
KOTC kiss on the cheek
KOTL kiss on the lips
L8R later
LDR long distance relationship
LMAO laughing my a__ off
M8 mate
MILF mother I’d love to f___
MorF male or female?
MoS mother over shoulder
MOSS member of same sex
MOTOS member of the opposite sex
NIFOC nude in front of the computer
OLL online love
OMW on my way
OOH out of here
P911 my parents are coming!
PA parent alert
PAL parents are listening
PANB parents are nearby
PHAT pretty hot and tempting
PM private message
POP parent is on prowl, can’t speak freely
POS parent over shoulder
POSSLQ person of opposite sex sharing living quarters
PRW people/parents are watching
SOB stressed out bigtime
SorG straight or gay?
SOS sibling over shoulder, watch what you say
STM spank the monkey (masturbate)
STFU shut the f___ up
TARFU things are really fouled up
TDTM talk dirty to me
TLF true love forever
TPTB the powers that be
UV unpleasant visual
WAYF where are you from?
WIIFM what’s in it for me?
WOMBAT waste of money, brains and time
WTF what the f___?
WTGP want to go private?
WUF? where are you from?
WWYC write when you can
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more information on resources to help you understand today's rapidly
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©2005, The Center for Parent/Youth Understanding