I still don't quite get "lol"
 

I mean, I get it when it is used normally. You post something funny, and I post back "LOL."

But I don't get it when it is used as a tic when someone is typing. Speech tics, I get. Some people throw "like" and "um" and "uh" into their speech without really knowing that they do it. I am sure that I do it a lot. And there are lots of psychological reasons that we do it.

But how can you need to do that when you type?

Here's the example that I noticed today, though the problem is legion. A guy on facebook posted in his status update that he is in desparate need of a job and is asking for any leads that anyone has.* Someone commented back:


I mean, is "lol" really appropriate there? If your friend had just told you this in a bar, would you laugh out loud at them?

Indeed, does any non-Tourette's person laugh out loud as much as some people type "lol?"

I just don't get it. And I find it annoying.


*Yeah, I think that it is weird to post for all of your facebook friends that you need a job really badly. But maybe I have never been that desparate. I don't know. That's a whole other thread, though--the way-too-much-personal-information way that some people use facebook

ROFL

Sorry, that was kinda obligatory. I don't LOL or ROFL or that stuff, but I can probably be accused of abusing smilies. :)

It seems to be used kind of like "heh" a lot, like if you were to kind of do a "heh" in the middle of what you are saying out loud. I don't really know, but when it is used like that it does bug me a little, too.

It looks like it was used there kind of as a smiley would be - to soften the tone of the statement. To let the guy know he was being somewhat in jest with his "you must be desperate" comment.

What I don't get is people actually saying 'lol' while they clearly are not laughing.

Btw, in dutch, 'lol' is actually a real word and synonymus for 'fun' (ik heb lol = I'm having fun/I'm having a good time).

Meh.

LMAO.

Yeah, I use it in place of a "heh" or ":)" or just when I don't know what to say, or am amused... it has a lot of uses, almost never meaning "laughs out loud." If I really mean "lol" then I'll use a "LOL."

OMGWTFBBQ!!11!

what's wrong with posting on facebook that you're in desperate need of a job? get your network of friends to work for you in finding a job. i think that's actually smart - as long as you don't abuse it

'poste' LOL

I only type "lol" when I am punching somebody in the face.

Same here, luckily my computer is hands-free.

I agree, that's a perfect way to use it. I see people getting tips and help of all sorts through their statuses. A friend just posted that she needed to get a new mattress for her kid who outgrew their toddler bed. A friend had one that she was wanting to get rid of, bingo. I would do the same if I was looking for work. woudln't you ask a friend one on one, "hey, heard about any job opportunities?"

several years ago, a coworker used to think that LOL means "Lots of Love", and used to get really, really pissed off at all sorts of people hitting on her inappropriately until finally someone set her straight.

good times. lol.

This is really nothing compared to the 48-year-old dude I know whose status message said "balls deep in a married latina RIGHT NOW hope she doesnt squeal lol".

For me it is even worse and shows that i expend more time talking in boards than with real persons due to me working on internet and from home. Sometimes, when talking with real people, i have been about to say "LOL", but thankfully my brain stopped just in time to not to say it.

I only use "lol" when I'm being sarcastic or ironic. I'll usually type out "haha" if i find something actually funny or "heh" if i'm token-laughing.

My mother thought "lol" meant "lots of love"--she sent my brother a text message once while he ws recovering from a back injury "hows your back feeling lol". Of course my brother and I only know of lol as meaning its standard internet meaning, so we found that quite funny and give my mom crap about it jokingly.

pics plz k thx

This deserves an LOL! Ahahahaha, oh man that's hilarious :D

so basically I've missed nothing

I think the problem with communicating by text, on the internet or anywhere else, is the lack of emotion. That's why things are often taken the complete wrong way.

The statement "Yeah, thanks" can be sarcastic, serious, or whatever. If I'm communicating with a friend and it's a very casual conversation I might put "Yeah, thanks... lol" just to make it clear that I'm being completely casual in my response and not being a dick.

You always know just what to say. lol

or as Scott Norwood might say "l l o"

Funny...if you wrote that to me I would take it as being a sarcastic (though not dick-ish) response.

Rather than meaning "laugh out loud", I think a lot of people use lol to mean "this phrase serves as an indicator that the content of my post is meant in good humor". They'll just insert that shit randomly in any and every sentence to make sure you understand that they're being "funny", which is somewhat ironic as the number of LOLs contained in any post/email is always inversely proportionate to the actual amount of humor contained within.