omg, fyi, and lol are now considered words by the Oxford Dictionary

[vector]

Oxford is the United Kingdom... not the U S of A

 

[Tenzo]

Oxford is the United Kingdom... not the U S of A

Actually it has both British and American pronunciations.

 

[Zeonix]

I wonder what the British pronunciation of lol is.

....

 

[Grega]

Its LOL the ROFL one is different though. ROFL is LOMB in british. Laughing Off My Buttocks

 

[harSens]

Lol shouldn't be pronounced..

 

[vector]

Actually it has both British and American pronunciations.

i was responding to Akation's post "So are Americans the only people using abbreviations like these? " obviously Americans arent only ones using it ... esp when the definitions are added in an English based institute

 

[Almighty_Gir]

[video=youtube;J7E-aoXLZGY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7E-aoXLZGY[/video]

 

[Zeonix]

Oxford is the United Kingdom... not the U S of A

Actually it has both British and American pronunciations.

I wonder what the British pronunciation of lol is.

Lol shouldn't be pronounced..

Precisely.

@Gir: There's a distinct difference between being pedantic so far as the usage of certain words in certain situations is concerned and replacing words with acronyms for the sake of expediency. If I'm supposed to lower myself to their retarded standard, where does it end? Should I stop listening to good music and instead spend my money on the Black Eyed Peas?

Also, UrNIsJMMsmmallOOIsjjdmanD

 

[Shaladanra]

I lol'd

 

[Raeku]

I lol'd

I guess it is inevitable that "words" like "lol" & "omg" would become more integrated into the English language. However, just because they have been published in dictionaries, does not mean that they will be used in everyday practice.

If ever I have to read through a corporate EDP / contract and I find any slang words or "lol words" I will eat my hat.

 

[Akation]

i was responding to Akation's post "So are Americans the only people using abbreviations like these? " obviously Americans arent only ones using it ... esp when the definitions are added in an English based institute

You missed the point.

 

[Deman]

Lately there has been in increase in people using text acronyms in spoken word. This trend, if it continues, will likely result in me committing many great acts of violence.

 

[Z Power]

Lately there has been in increase in people using text acronyms in spoken word. This trend, if it continues, will likely result in me committing many great acts of violence.

rofl u iz mad LOL.... sum1 nedz 2 cam u dun.....!!!11!~

 

[Avenger]

Lately there has been in increase in people using text acronyms in spoken word. This trend, if it continues, will likely result in me committing many great acts of violence.

First: Neither "lol", nor "fyi", nor "omg" are acronyms. They are abbreviations. An acronym is made in a way so that it can be said. Like NASA. You don't say N-A-S-A, you say it as if it were a word. An acronym is never spelled out. Using acronyms would be fine with me. These aren't acronyms. They're unnecessary and annoying abbreviations.

Second: On the topic of that video earlier with Stephen Fry - it would appear he didn't bring up the consequences of making things like these fine to use. For instance, artistic language could die out. It's not "colourful" language; in fact it's a simplification of language. If there's one language that needs no further simplification, it's English. Dumb it down a few more steps and you'll be left with a language that is ... boring, even more so than what it is today.

 

[sub]

Get off your high horse.

Seriously, I can barely hear you from up there.

 

[Avenger]

I'll have you know I only ride elks.

 

[Deman]

First: Neither "lol", nor "fyi", nor "omg" are acronyms. They are abbreviations. An acronym is made in a way so that it can be said. Like NASA. You don't say N-A-S-A, you say it as if it were a word. An acronym is never spelled out. Using acronyms would be fine with me. These aren't acronyms. They're unnecessary and annoying abbreviations..

That is kind of funny because the people I'm talking about vocalize "lawl," "rawfl," and "awmg."

 

[Zeonix]

First off, an acronym is an abbreviation, much like initialisms, where the first letter of a name or phrase is used to create a shorter variant. Secondly, there isn't a universal definition for either. Third, your pedantry is precisely what girs vid was referring to, made only worse by your lack of a grasp of the subtlety of the English language. Fourth, I've heard people pronounce words like roflmao and spell acronyms like RIAA.

Aiaisghhh!

 

[Avenger]

That is kind of funny because the people I'm talking about vocalize "lawl," "rawfl," and "awmg."

I'm curious why you haven't severely hurt these people yet. Are they close friends or family?

First off, an acronym is an abbreviation, much like initialisms, where the first letter of a name or phrase is used to create a shorter variant. Secondly, there isn't a universal definition for either.

This is redundant. My point was that "lol", "omg", and "fyi" aren't acronyms (though, fair enough, one might argue that "lol" counts as one). There is no such thing as a "universal definition" for anything, so that's also kind of a useless thing to write.

Third, your pedantry is precisely what girs vid was referring to, made only worse by your lack of a grasp of the subtlety of the English language.

And I stand up for that pedantry. Furthermore I don't think you have any grounds to say I grasp the subtlety of the English language. I think it's important to maintain some form of accuracy in writing. There is no sense in adding slang and so forth to dictionaries - slang is ever-evolving, and unless it's widely used by a broad spectrum of the population for a long period of time, then it's just ludicrous.

Fourth, I've heard people pronounce words like roflmao and spell acronyms like RIAA.

It's curious how all the people I know who do that are unemployed and lack education. I'd ask if we should add "whassup" to the dictionary, but I see they already did that. I'm glad my language is regulated by official channels, because this **** is just moronic.

 

[Zeonix]

If an acronym is the product of initials from either a name, or as it would apply in this case, a phrase, the term acronym easily applies to lol, ROFL, omg and just about any other variation one can think of. The rule you're stating is a purely self-imposed one, which goes back to there being no universally established rule for the term. There are quite obviously universally approved definitions in the English language, hence the existence of the dictionary.

You may stand for pedantry, but it is the worst kind of pedantry. You'd be the one to argue that a universally approved definition isnt really universally approved because we haven't met extraterrestrials. That is neither beneficial nor educational to the parties involved.

Maintaining accuracy in writing is important, which is why listening to your opinion on acronyms would be a mistake. As for the rest of that paragraph, you're merely mirroring my previous posts, though I will say that there is a difference between slang and whatever one would call words like lol. Let your pedantic flag fly with that one. The distinction is purely a personal one.

Your language is also spoken by but a fraction of the people who speak mine, and so there are far less "foreign" and cultural infusions, which ultimately lead to further evolution of a language.