Chat Arconyms Dictionary

Can't understand the "IM Language" or "chat slang" the kids are typing? Does it seem like they're speaking a foreign language when they chat? Should you be worried if you see your child getting a message like "Im 47/m/ny, LMIRL 121"? (Yes, you should.) We've all used acronyms or shorthand at one point or another, but chat programs and text messaging have taken it to a whole new level. Here's how to navigate through this brave new world. 


Steps


Become familiar with commonly used acronyms. Browse acronyms in the dictionary provided below (listed in alphabetical order). 


Practice using them! Join a busy Internet mailing list for a short time and practice reading them, or text-message your kids and practice reading/using them there. Alternatively, ask your World of Warcraft-addicted teen to let you hang out as their character in a busy city for a while, and see what everyone there is talking about. 


Carefully examine the order of letters. For example, TTLY should not be confused with TTYL. 


Consider the context. Is the acronym being used as a greeting, exclamation, verb, or noun? 

What is it in response to? If you're caught off guard by an acronym and can't find the definition on hand, asking these types of questions can help you figure out what the acronym stands for. 


Ask. If you don't want to seem "out of the loop" by asking "What does that mean?" then generally, you can get away by writing "Y (enter acronym)?" as a response. Usually the other person will offer enough of an explanation that you'll be able to understand what they meant with the acronym. 

Tips 
Sometimes, people just remove the vowels of words, like in Fall Out Boy's song "Thnks fr th Mmrs" ("Thanks For The Memories") 

Warnings 
Never use an acronym unless you are sure of its meaning, because if you say the wrong thing to the wrong person..... 


Try not to use chat acronyms in real life, especially in formal writing or conversation. Doing this could be embarrassing depending on who you're communicating with. 
(c)2006-2010 Reproduction of this article requires prior approval from Mansoor Habib 

Chat Acronym Dictionary: 


ADN: any day now 
ADR/addy: address 
AFAIK: as far as I know 
AFK: away from keyboard 
A/S/L: age, sex, location (or just "ASL") 
ASAP: as soon as possible 
B4: before 
B4N: bye for now 
BBFD: big bad forum discussion 
BBL: be back later 
BF: boyfriend or best friend 
BFF: best friends forever 
BFN: bye for now 
BG: big grin 
BRB: be right back 
BRT: be right there 
BTA: but then again 
BTW: by the way 
C: see? 
CID: crying in disgrace 
CNP: continued [in my] next post 
CP: chat post 
CU: see you 
CUL: see you later 
CYA: see you (later) 
CYO: see you online 
DBAU: doing business as usual 
DD, DH, DS, DW: dear daughter, dear husband, dear son, dear wife (often used on boards where you discuss personal things, but wish to keep private the names of your loved ones) 
EIP: editing in progress 
FTW: for the win or f*** the world 
FUD: fear, uncertainty, and doubt 
FWIW: for what it's worth 
FYI: for your information 
G2G or GTG: got to go 
G: grin 
GA: go ahead 
GAL: get a life 
GF: girlfriend 
GFN: gone for now 
GFY: go f*** yourself/good for you 
GG: gotta go/good game 
GJ: good job 
GL: good luck 
GM: good morning 
GMBO: giggling my butt off 
GMTA: great minds think alike 
GSOH: good sense of humor 
GTFO: get the f*** out 
GTG or G2G: got to go or get together 
GYPO: get your pants off 
H2G: have to go 
HAGN: have a good night 
HDOP: help delete online predators 
HHIS: hanging head in shame 
Homg: same as OMG 
IAC: in any case 
IANAL: I am not a lawyer (but) 
IAWTC: I agree with this comment 
IC: I see 
IDC:I don't care 
IDK: I don't know 
IFSFWI: if the shoe fits, wear it! 
IIRC: If I recall correctly 
ILU: I love you 
ILY: I love you 
IMNECTHO: in my not-even-close-to-humble opinion 
IMNSHO: in my not so humble opinion 
IMO: in my opinion; or "IMHO" - in my humble/honest opinion 
IMS: If memory serves 
IOW: in other words 
IPN: I’m posting naked 
IRL: in real life 
IWSN: I want sex now 
JC: just chilling 
K: all right 
KFY: kiss for you 
KTHX: Okay, thanks. 
JK: just kidding 
JSUK: just so you know 
KPC: keeping parents clueless 
L8R: later 
LAFFO: laughing out loud 
LBR: loser beyond repair 
LD: later, dude 
LDR: long distance relationship 
LLTA: lots and lots of thunderous applause 
LMIRL: let's meet in real life 
LMAO: laughing my *** off 
LMSO: laughing my socks off 
LMFAO: laughing my f*** a** off 
LMK: Let Me Know 
LOL: laughing out loud, lots of love 
LQTS: laughing quietly to self 
LTP: learn to play (L2P) 
LTR: longterm relationship 
LULAB: love you like a brother 
LULAS: love you like a sister 
MML: making me laugh 
MMORPG: massively multiplayer online role playing game 
MOOS: member(s) of the opposite sex 
MOSS/MOTSS: member(s) of the same sex 
M/F: male or female 
N1: nice one 
NALOPKT: not a lot of people know that 
NE1: anyone 
NFI: no f****** idea 
NFW: no f****** way 
NIAGW: not in a gay way 
NIFOC: naked in front of computer 
NO1: no one 
NSFW: not safe for work 
NP: no Problem 
N/P: no problem 
NVM: nevermind 
NM: not much, nothing much, never mind 
OIC: ohh I see 
OMG: oh my God, oh my goodness, oh my gosh 
OMGBBQWTF: oh my God, Bar-b-q, What The F*** (surprise and confusion) 
OMFG: Oh my f*****g God 
OLL: oh, Lordy, Lordy! 
OLL: online love 
OMW: on my way 
OTOH: on the other hand 
OTW: on the way 
P911: parent alert 
PAL: parents are listening 
PAW: parents are watching 
PIR: parent in room 
POS: parent over shoulder / Piece of S*** 
PLZ: please 
PlzKThx: Please. ok? Thanks. (Thanks in advance) 
PlzKThxNo-Re: Please, ok, Thanks, No-Read (sarcasm) 
PL0x or PLOX: same as please 
Pwn: to triumph (not actually an acronym, but rather a misspelling of own) 
PDA: public display [of] affection 
QFT: quoted for truth 
RBA: right back at you (right back atcha) 
RL: real life 
RTFM: read the f*****g manual 
RTFO: rock the f***** out 
ROFL: rolling on floor laughing 
ROTFLOL: rolling on the floor laughing out loud 
ROFLMAO: rolling on the floor laughing my a** off 
RPG: role playing games 
RP: roleplay 
SA: something awful 
SGXK: set a good example for the kiddies 
SHID: slaps head in disgust 
SLAP: sounds like a plan 
SLGF: secondlife girlfriend 
SO: significant other 
SOMY: sick of me yet? 
SorG: straight or gay 
SOT: short of time 
SUF: shut up fool 
STFU: shut the **** up 
STHU: shut the h*** up 
TDTM: talk dirty to me 
THX: thanks 
TIA: thanks in advance 
TMI: too much information 
TTFN: ta-ta for now 
TTYL: talk to you later 
TTYS: talk to you soon 
TTLY: totally 
TY: thank you 
U: you (common); how are you?; or you do it! 
UW: you’re welcome 
WAYT: what are you thinking? 
WB: welcome back/ write back 
WDYT: what do you think 
WFM: works for me 
WIBNI: wouldn't it be nice if 
WIP: work in progress 
WTGP: want to go private? 
WTG: way to go 
WTF: what the ****, alternatively Where's The Food 
WUIP: wind up in progress 
WYCM: will you call me? 
WYSIWYG: what you see is what you get 
Y: why do you ask? 
YM: young man 
YMMV: your mileage may vary 
YTMND: you're the man now, dog 
YW: you're welcome 
ZOMG: same as OMG

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