Have you ever wondered what LOL meaning is? You may have encountered someone saying “LOL” in an online chat, in a text or perhaps seen it on a social media site such as Twitter or Facebook.
LOL Meaning
- I am not really interested in the conversation so I will use “LOL” to make you think I am still interested and paying attention.
- I will pretend to be amused even though what you are saying is not funny.
- Using it as a conversation filler, similar to nodding your head, or saying “yeh” in a real conversation, because I have used it so much its just something I say to indicate I am still listening.
An example of usage of the new LOL meaning is as follows:
Person #1: Was so funny, Mike fell into the lake yesterday.
Person #2: LOL
or
Person #1: Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the other side.
Person #2: lol.
Origin of the new LOL meaning
It is difficult to find the first known usage of the LOL. However, its origins arise from the 1960′s when it was the acronym for “Little Old Lady”. The first known use of the modern meaning “Laughing Out Loud” appears to be from a message typed by Wayne Pearson in the 1980′s discovered in the archives of Usenet. According to Wayne Pearson who has since commented on this usage:
On March 24 2011 LOL became formally recognised in the Oxford English Dictionary.
Variations of LOL meaning
There are various similar acronyms in use such as ROFL meaning Rolling on the Floor Laughing. This was simply a mutation used by the early users on GEnie.
Variations have typically been introduced by the younger generation seeking more hip, exaggerated or meaningful ways to communicate their feelings in the absence of being able to make facial expressions or noises face to face. For example ROFL implies that it is much more funny than LOL, but it is also one of those acronyms that is commonly used as a straight replacement to LOL.
Do you ever use LOL or ROFL, and if so in what context?
3 Responses to “LOL Meaning – Ever wondered what LOL means?”
January 19, 2013
Karen WiseLol hella hard.
February 13, 2013
JonLots Of Love
February 16, 2013
Violetta WentworthVery informative article. I like how you have managed to track down the origin of LOL use. I also agree that its quite common in general conversation now!