Internet slang  

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Internet slang (Internet shorthand, cyber-slang, netspeak, or chatspeak) refers to various kinds of slang used by different people on the Internet. An example of Internet slang is "LOL" meaning "laugh out loud". It is difficult to provide a standardized definition of Internet slang due to the constant changes made to its nature. However, it can be understood to be any type of slang that Internet users have popularized, and in many cases, have coined. Such terms often originate with the purpose of saving keystrokes or to compensate for small character limits. Many people use the same abbreviations in texting and instant messaging, and social networking websites. Acronyms, keyboard symbols and abbreviations are common types of Internet slang. New dialects of slang, such as leet or Lolspeak, develop as ingroup internet memes rather than time savers.Some people only use LOL for fun. Many people use this internet slang not only on the Internet but also face-to-face.

See also

• TL;DR
• Computer-mediated communication
• Cyberculture: social culture contained and created within cyberspace
• English language spelling reform
• Internet linguistics
• Internet meme
• Jargon File
• Languages used on the Internet
• List of acronyms
• List of Chinese Internet Slang
• Netiquette
• Padonkaffsky jargon, a description of Russian Internet jargon
• SMS language, a description on language as used in SMSes. Relevant to Internet slang due to transfer of slang into SMS conversation.
• Tironian notes, scribal abbreviations and ligatures: Roman and medieval abbreviations used to save space on manuscripts and epigraphs
• Troll (Internet)