Internet Terminologies Being Used In Daily Conversation

[Baburra]

I'm not one to dictate how others should speak, but for some reason whenever I hear someone in real life utter internet phrases and terms, I cringe. I honestly can't pinpoint what it is about this that bothers me so much, but it just sounds so unnatural and forced. Anyone here share the same sentiments, and do you have any specific examples of ones you particularly hate hearing uttered in the physical world, or does it not bother you one bit?

[Guest isabbbela]

I don't feel like it comes out natural when people say LOL. When you write it it's great, but saying it is so stupid... just laugh, don't say you are laughing!

I also hate when people are talking and will say something "hashtag" something... like really? You are not a walking and talking twitter....

[Miya]

I use words like WTF when I don't want to cuss 

There was also this girl in my high school who said "lol" (she actually pronounced it, not say L, O, L)all the time.

[LauraM]

I don't feel like it comes out natural when people say LOL. When you write it it's great, but saying it is so stupid... just laugh, don't say you are laughing!

I also hate when people are talking and will say something "hashtag" something... like really? You are not a walking and talking twitter....

I agree on both points.  It's especially strange to hear people using "hashtag" in everyday speech.  It reminds me of how children will overuse words they have heard but it's clear that they don't fully grasp the meaning of the words as they speak them. 

To the larger point, I think this kind of transposing of Internet terms and slang into spoken conversations is an unfortunate trend, as it's already brought about an erosion of spelling and grammar.  I think it's also a threat to critical thinking and creative thinking to rely on these kinds of crutches instead of using language that is more precise and descriptive. 

[MyDigitalpoint]

This topic recalls me early days when I used to dial a wrong number and someone there used to bring into the brief conversation something like "sorry I have to connect to the Internet and have to hang up."

Many people use the world "Internet" and associated technologies as a way to bluffing being really ignorant people or newcomers to the virtual world.

[Hardison]

I have never heard anyone use Internet "slang" in real life. Thank goodness. I don't think I would be able to keep myself from laughing out loud. I have seen characters on TV shows use it and it just seems so silly.

[Shana]

I agree with so many of you in this thread!  It is just so unnatural to say letters out loud like you were typing into your computer.  Why say "LOL," if you really were laughing out loud someone would hear you doing if you are speaking to them.  The whole point in typing it into your computer when commenting and conversing is because the people you are talking to cannot hear you and you are letting them know what your are doing in response to what they said!  Oh, and when people say "hashtag" out loud at all!  That's just silly, you are not a walking talking version of twitter.

[Rosa]

I honestly can't stand it either but it's a changing world and I believe the best/worst is yet to come. Thank goodness we are free to disagree, so not appreciating internet terminologies in our daily conversation shouldn't be much of a problem.

[Gelsemium]

That's just the way it goes, and you're now mentioning internet, but TV has the exact same effect as internet and other mainstream technologies affect the way we think and talk. So yes, the expression "Like" will be among us for a long time I think.

[Linguetronix]

I cringe when I hear terms like "LOL" and "OMG" being used in daily conversation too, but the sad truth is, that is what makes English special! This is how the language has always evolved and always will. It grows and blends as people speak it since it doesn't have an institution to "preserve" the language the way French or Spanish does. And that's what makes it great!

[SpringBreeze]

Hmmh... good question. It doesn't bother me that much to hear it. But at the same time, it does sound cringe-worthy weird to hear words like LOL, WTF, LMAO, and I heart you said outloud. One word that I've gotten used to in a odd sort of way is OMG. But I'd never use it myself in speech.

[sidney]

I really couldn't care less about how other people speak, whether they use internet terms or not. I hear those terms that were mentioned here all the time, and I'm not affected at all when I hear it. Live and let live.

[trenchant]

It doesn't bother me too much.

Most of the time, when I see people using internet slang or terminology in spoken speech, it's used very sarcastically.

Though even if it's not, I see these words every day, so it ends up amusing me more than annoying me.

[Ultip]

I don't use terminology used on the Internet in real-life conversations. In fact, I don't like it when people do. It is unprofessional and quite honestly, annoying. Although sometimes it is fun to joke around with terminology such as 'swag' and 'yolo', but apart from that, I really do not like it.

[Gelsemium]

I really couldn't care less about how other people speak, whether they use internet terms or not. I hear those terms that were mentioned here all the time, and I'm not affected at all when I hear it. Live and let live.

LOL, yeah, it's just the way language evolves, it absorbs everything around it, the essence of the times we are living and if we are living in a high tech period it's just natural that the languages reflect that.

[Lasonax]

I agree, to a certain extent.

I find using words such as "rofl" and so on to be quite annoying to hear in real life, or in spoken speech whatsoever. But a laid back "lol" from the right person can sometimes sound natural. It really depends on who is saying it and when, but generally I'd advise everyone to use regular speech when outside of a chatting room...

I also think that forums like these should be considered a step up from "normal" chat rooms. As in, I don't think people should use "lol" and such too much on forums. I'm not someone who complains directly to anyone about it, I'm just saying what I think when I'm asked.

[babyleans]

i dont mind if someone uses text speak when they're talking especially if it's something vulgar. for example i was watching CNN and this guy said "he should STFU" because obviously he couldn't have said the F word.

[eppie]

I cringe when I hear terms like "LOL" and "OMG" being used in daily conversation too, but the sad truth is, that is what makes English special! This is how the language has always evolved and always will. It grows and blends as people speak it since it doesn't have an institution to "preserve" the language the way French or Spanish does. And that's what makes it great!

For me OMG is fine, I hear it very often (even from TV commercials) so I gotten use to it. But LOL? hello! why would you say it if you're already doing it.  It's just silly. 

Note: I thought this topic is about URL/HTML/Hyperlinks/etc.  :grin:

[skywatcher]

I think it's alright for me so long as it's in the proper context. After all, as the others said, language is constantly evolving, so I guess we'd really reach the point that adapting these things become commonplace.

For example, you could just easily laugh instead of screaming "LOL" (not /el-oh-el/, but, as in, /lohl/). That's something I really couldn't get. I also don't think "WTF" (as in, /double-u-tee-eff/) is more appropriate in the context of the conversation than the actual "what the eff."

We also use other Internet terminologies in our conversations. Not just for computer-related discussions, but for some parts of our daily lives. For example, when someone we make fun of in the clique wears something we didn't expect, we usually say, "oh-no-TD" (a play on the OOTD). We also commonly use the "hashtag" remark when we're about to say something funny. We typically say names of memes whenever we try making fun of someone within our own group (which we commonly do to each other). We even make up memes from what we're

So I guess unless it's not appropriate for the occasion, Internet terminologies are fine - just not to the point that people would recklessly use those things just for the sake of getting a term out of their mouths (we'd really get to sense those instances).

[003]

I think that it's just good. I mean we shouldn't just keep static and confine ourselves with the things of the past, to the conventions we have been accustomed. We should keep exploring and find the things that will define who we are. Things that we do today make our generation's identity.

[sidney]

LOL, yeah, it's just the way language evolves, it absorbs everything around it, the essence of the times we are living and if we are living in a high tech period it's just natural that the languages reflect that.

Yeah I agree. I would actually be more inclined to be irritated hearing a certain tone or pitch of voice, as to just hearing a specific word.

[g2narat]

I'm not one to dictate how others should speak, but for some reason whenever I hear someone in real life utter internet phrases and terms, I cringe. I honestly can't pinpoint what it is about this that bothers me so much, but it just sounds so unnatural and forced. Anyone here share the same sentiments, and do you have any specific examples of ones you particularly hate hearing uttered in the physical world, or does it not bother you one bit?

It only bothers me if it's overused. Like, if someone uses it as some sort of catch phrase then I find it annoying. I know someone who says "WTF" all the time and it's pretty annoying. I don't mind if it's used naturally in conversation though.

[whnuien]

There is nothing more annoying to me other than when my friends keep saying "I LIKE" during a real life conversation. I keep on telling them that that is only on Facebook and it is so unnecessary but instead they'd reply me with "I SHARE" to what I'm saying.

They really are making me hate Facebook sometimes!

[Peninha]

LOL, I guess your friends LIKE to annoy you and that they have been SHARING that with everyone you know...  Either cases, I think the best you have to do is to disconnect and accept it, it's here to stay...

[Flopster]

Most internet words like "lol", "rofl" and "lmao", when said in real life, make me cringe so hard I turn into a pretzel! It just doesn't seem right using them out of an environment where speed is necessary. If you are going to talk say the whole phrase or I'll think you don't know the language!