About This Quiz
Nowadays, it's common to see initialism like BFF, ICYMI, CU, TBH, and others on Facebook, Twitter, and in text messaging. While not everyone is 100 percent sure what a specific abbreviations stands for, most are common enough that if you see the abbreviation once, you will see it again in another forum.Â
The abbreviations we use in texting and on the internet aren't as new as they may seem. Some like ASAP and FYI predate the internet by decades. Others were created during the early days of the internet. Many of these abbreviations were created either before the internet went mainstream or as it was gaining popularity.Â
In 1989, the World Wide Web officially launched. However, there were already people connect to early versions in the 1980s. At the time, people communicated through Usenet. It has been years since Usenet has been the primary way people communicate on the internet, yet its legacy lives on. Terms and abbreviations created on those message boards remain in common usage. If you've ever been on the internet, you've run into an FAQ, a flame war, or received a piece of spam. You've also witnessed people talking about things that happened IRL.Â
Do you spend a significant amount of time on the internet? Are you familiar with its lingo? See how much you know with this quiz!Â
To express that they find something so funny that they are rolling on the floor, someone may also use the abbreviation ROFL. If someone says that they are ROFLMAO, they are saying their laughing their *butt* off.
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The earliest usage of LOL occurred in the 1980s. At the time, it was used on Usenet boards.
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OMG can also be said to stand for "oh my goodness' or "oh my gosh." The first recorded usage was in 1917. It was used in a letter a British Admiral sent Winston Churchill.
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BTW is an abbreviation used for British Traditional Wicca. It is also used by the international Air Transport Association for Batu Licin Airport, which is located in Indonesia.
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Recorded cases of "IDK' date back to at least 2002. It is part of what is now called SMS language.
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In 1986, people started abbreviating "in my humble opinion" as IMHO. IMO simply means in my opinion, while IMNSHO means "in my not-so-humble opinion."
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If someone says, TBD, they are saying that something is "to be determined." TBA has been used since the 1950s.
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The more profane version is WTF. That variation has been around since at least 1985.
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While FYI is commonly used in text speak, it is not a new invention. The earliest recorded usage was in 1941.
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ICYMI is an example of an initialism. Initialisms are not pronounced like they are words.
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YMMV mainly used in electronic communications. You are most likely to come across the abbreviation in text messaging or email.
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Some people add L8R, translating to later. So altogether, its' CU L8R!
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If you don't want to use AFAIK, you can use IIRC instead. It means "If I recall correctly."
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In September 2010, BFF was added to the New Oxford American Dictionary. While the concept has been around forever, the term was coined in the mid-1990s.
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BRB is used to express that you will return soon. It originated in the 1990s.
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TL; DR is often used dismissively. However it can also be used before a summary of a long post.
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CU is an abbreviation for see you. In l8r. The middle three letter are substituted for an 8.
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People have been using LMK as an abbreviation for "let me know" for at least 15 years. It is unlikely to be used in spoken communication.
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GTG is sometimes rendered G2G. It also has two meaning: good to go and got to go.
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Although it is more commonly seen in texting, JK is sometimes spoken aloud. JK is also used as an abbreviation of Jakarta, Indonesia.
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MSG commonly means monosodium glutamate, which is a flavor enhancer, as well. It is frequently used in the New York City area for Madison Square Garden.
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On the internet, "O RLY?" is often meant sarcastically. It often appears with an image macro of a snowy owl.
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Peeps is a shortened form of people. It was used as early as the mid-1800s.
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Sry is an abbreviation of sorry. It simply removes the o and an r.
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Usually, TMI is used to mean that the person didn't need to hear what you said. Often, the information is embarrassing.
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Ur can be used for both your and you're. The former shows possession. The latter is a contraction for you are.
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One theory suggests that TTYL started in 1980s England. This theory also states that TTYL originally stood for the "ta ta, you all," a British way of saying goodbye.
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NP can mean Notary public in the United States. In chemistry it means neptunium, an element.
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In 1955, ASAP entered English. It was originally U.S. Army jargon.
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NVM is short for nevermind. It is also an abbreviation for non-volatile memory.
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If you know what IRL means, you can say you're meeting someone IRL. You can also say you're having RL problems, which means real life problems.
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Shaking my head is often used when someone has no words for what they perceive as someone else's stupidity. Often times, it's a response to something obvious.
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TBH can be to ease into an insult or express a sincere opinion. LBH means let's be honest.
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While NBD usually means no big deal, it sometimes mean never back down. It can also mean next business day.
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In internet slang, for the win is used to express that something is the best or is awesome. The expression can also mean a certain profanity the world.
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