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March 13, 2010

Texting Acronyms 101

by Shari Steelsmith

Tip—The more familiar you are with current lingo, the more quickly you will spot problems.

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I’m the parent of a teen and a tween. One kid has a Facebook and both can send a text message on their cell phones faster than lightning. My husband and I do our best to monitor their online and texting activity, but are occasionally stumped by some of the abbreviations and acronyms that are commonly used among adolescents. LOL was self-explanatory for me, but ROFL was puzzling. And G2G? It began to feel like my kids were communicating in a parent-proof code.

Linda Carlson, author of Internet Safety and Your Family, advises parents to learn to decipher their children’s messages. Also called “chatroom lingo,” there are many terms common to chat rooms, instant messaging, texting, and most forms of online communication. She provides a useful list of terms, some innocent, some definite red flags. It behooves us all to become familiar with the current lingo so we can adequately supervise our youngsters and spot any problems brewing.

Tools—Here’s Carlson’s list, augmented with some of the more common lingo going on today. For more information on this topic, go to www.cybertipline.com and select “online acronyms.”

Common, innocuous terms:

aaf = as a friend
afaik = as far as I know
bf = boyfriend
bff = best friends forever
brb = be right back
btw = by the way
g2g = got to go
gf = girlfriend
idk = I don’t know
kwim = know what I mean?
lol = laugh out loud
rofl = rolling on the floor laughing
ttyl = talk to you later
thx = thanks

Offensive language, safety concerns:

121 = one to one
A/S/L = age, sex, location
cyo = see you online
ema = what is your email address?
fml = f*** my life
fu = f*** you
ga = go ahead
ipn = I’m posting nude
ilu (or) 143 = I love you
im-ing = instant messaging or online chatting
koc = kiss on cheek
kol = kiss on lips
lsv — language/sex/violence
lmirl = let’s meet in real life
moss = member of same sex
moos = member of opposite sex
Omg = oh my god
p911 = my parents are coming!
pos = parent over shoulder
pda = public display of affection
somy = sick of me yet?
smaim = send me an instant message
smem = send me an email
swak = sealed with a kiss
wtf = what the f***
wfm = works for me
wibni = wouldn’t it be nice if
wtgp = want to go private?

You’ll find more practical tips you can use right now in Internet Safety and Your Family by Linda Carlson.

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