How loudly do you have to be laughing to LOL now?

[phlegm]

When is the appropriate time to use "LOL"? Does any audible laugh warrant it? I'm wondering because I keep seeing "LOL" being used almost like punctuation.

For example, "Hey! LOL! How are you?"

Does what you say even have to be funny anymore, or can you just LOL instead of pausing with a comma? LOL! :D

[mscalisi]

I was thinking the same thing with the way people use the f-bomb. LOL.

...how about a new term sLOL. It's like LOL, only silent ;-) sLOL

[JJuggle]

I will defer to Miss Ayerley and/or harper on this one.

[maestro8]

Does what you say even have to be funny anymore
Laughter does not always correlate with humor. Some people laugh when they are nervous. Others laugh when they are upset. Psychologists have linked inappropriate laughter to certain neurological disorders.

Needless to say, in these fora, I'm sure we see all of the above cases.

I'd venture to say those in the last category are the same whose fingers twitch when they see an array of colorful smiley faces, and end up including a rapid succession of them in every post (i.e. :) ;) :D :o ).

By my own personal standard, an audible laugh of at least 40 decibels must precede any LOL, otherwise it's just a WTF (Wow That's Funny).

[adjuggler]

WTF (Wow That's Funny).
Maybe we have different definitions of wtf?

[maestro8]

Maybe we have different definitions of wtf?
Yes.

I've heard it expressed as "Whew, that's funny!" as well.

It must be a regional thing.

[harper]

This is an AWESOME thread.

[Seager]

Yes.

I've heard it expressed as "Whew, that's funny!" as well.

It must be a regional thing.

Try as you might, people know what WTF means it I don't think you'll be able to change it by positive example. Maybe imagine the F as fudge?

[JJuggle]

This is an AWESOME thread.
Thank you, Greg. One down.

[forrestunifreak]

Eh, LOL is a small grin at best.

[oneisenough]

I generally treat a LOL as LQTM (laughing quietly to myself). I never use lol, rather "haha" which doesn't imply that I am audibly expressing humor:p

[BillyTheMountain]

If you ever walk through a room with 800 cubicles, and 800 people at their computers who are supposed to be working, all you hear is people LOL.

You wonder how anyone gets any work done.

[critter]

By my own personal standard, an audible laugh of at least 40 decibels

Any genuine laugh heard is LOL.. Yes, even in the woods when you're all along.

[beeper]

I prefer Ltmq...

(laughing to myself quietly)


Because if you add an exclimation point you look like an idiot, which is why lol would be better as a replacement for LTMQ! Also, if something isn't really all that funny to deserve an "ltmq", and you have already used "ltmq" in previous conversation, then "ltmemstb" is appropriate. It stands for " laughing to myself even more silently than before".

Much more complicated, but it sure is more appropriate for what people really are thinking.

[ivan]

I think beeper is well on his way to true self-expression.

[mornish]

I think beeper is well on his way to true self-expression.

That just made me rofwlqtmsemqtbwlmaoa.

[siafirede]

LOL OMG WTF BBQ!!!!!!!11!!1!!1!!!!!!11!!!one!11!!one!!1!1

[phlegm]

Laughter does not always correlate with humor. Some people laugh when they are nervous. Others laugh when they are upset. Psychologists have linked inappropriate laughter to certain neurological disorders.

That's a good point, but I've never thought of nervousness as something to convey in writing, at least not in an obvious way. Do people really write "LOL" when they're nervous? What's there to be nervous about? Are the pressures of conforming to the rules of grammar and correct spelling so overwhelmingly stressful?

Another thing: do people really roll on the floor laughing? And do they then wet their pants? I'm not sure I've ever rolled on the floor during a laugh, and I know I've never wet my pants from laughing. Am I still allowed to pretend to ROTFL, in writing, if something is really, really funny, or maybe if I'm really, really nervous? Should I instead ROTFFL, i.e., Roll On The Figurative Floor Laughing? Can you ROTFL without LOL, or does the silent convulsing on the floor make people wonder what's wrong with you, in writing?

[maestro8]

That's a good point, but I've never thought of nervousness as something to convey in writing, at least not in an obvious way. Do people really write "LOL" when they're nervous?
It could well be unconscious... the writer feels laughter welling up and LOLs all over their post, not knowing the nature of the laugh.

What's there to be nervous about? Are the pressures of conforming to the rules of grammar and correct spelling so overwhelmingly stressful?
It all boils down to some sort of insecurity. Did I use the right smiley? Is my post too trollish? What will people think of me?

[johnfoss]

LOL is three letters, to be used whenever the author wants. There is usually no way to prove whether any actual laughter occurred.

Same as most everything else we write in here, especially in JC.

LOL.

[thejdw]

usualy used now to shows the joke tone you would have in your voice during speech.

for example:
"hes an idiot"
"I know you are lol"

[justin]

It could well be unconscious... the writer feels laughter welling up and LOLs all over their post, not knowing the nature of the laugh.


It all boils down to some sort of insecurity. Did I use the right smiley? Is my post too trollish? What will people think of me?
lol

[tobbogonist]

Its lolzords or its nothing.

ever since lol began we (being myself and other people) have had a running joke about loling out ones mouth and all down ones top, having to catch it all in ones hands.

[Into the blue]

I lol'd so hard at one of Ivan's jokes once a little bit of wee came out.

[ivan]

I lol'd so hard at one of Ivan's jokes once a little bit of wee came out.
Oh yeah? Where'd it go?

[uni57]

My nephew (by the way, hi, I'm back from vacation) told me that once, while nowhere near a computer, he caught himself actually saying the word LOL instead of really laughing. I don't know what to make of that. He's a bit unusual (not that it runs in my family -- needless to say).

[Seager]

Pronouncing abbreviations IRL (lets see how many I can use here) is mostly funny, IMOP, if you make sure to actually say any swears that may come up. WTF becomes "Dubya Tee F---." Why is that funny? Beats me - it shouldn't be, and it's probably only funny to my cronies and I. I would bet it's definitely not funny to TCCPOTUC (The Curmudgeonly Cranky Posters of the Unicyclist Community) who tend to complain about such things and "kids these days" - but then do they find anything funny?

"That comma was in the wrong place! HAR HAR HAR!"

(In jest, in jest! Oh.. I mean LOL, plz dnt h8t me)

Sorry - sidetracked - relating to my original sentiment: I've always thought that the phrase "F---ing A" seemed a little backwards. Why pronounce the F word and then not the A? F is way worse than A, after all.

[Jerrick]

Sorry - sidetracked - relating to my original sentiment: I've always thought that the phrase "F---ing A" seemed a little backwards. Why pronounce the F word and then not the A? F is way worse than A, after all.

I always had fun replacing the A with other vowels. Or sometimes I say both words fully.

[unicycledood]

I think beeper is well on his way to true self-expression.

Yeah I pretty much laughed my ass off while rolling on the floor laughing rather loudly when I saw this.

[unicycledood]

I say lol after I say something that is a joke/might be found funny.
Or just so people know whatever I'm saying is ment in good nature.

[padst3r]

lol has now been replaced by 'Jerry Jackson'.If you say lol once more in this thread you will be banned for eternity.BTW Jerry Jackson jerry jackson's alot

[unicycledood]

Jerry Jackson.

Yeah jerry jackson is a cartoonist and pretty much says lol after everything he says without actually laughing. Jerry Jackson. omgrofliciouswtfcucumberlmayonaisetamponburger.

[cathwood]

I'm not sure I've ever rolled on the floor during a laugh, and I know I've never wet my pants from laughing.

Then I'm guessing you're not a woman who has had at least one baby and not done her pelvic floor exercises for long enough afterwards. There's definately some dribbling that goes on during laughter then.

[BillyTheMountain]

Then I'm guessing you're not a woman who has had at least one baby and not done her pelvic floor exercises for long enough afterwards. There's definately some dribbling that goes on during laughter then.

when i read that, I laughed so hard i peed my pants.

then i got back to my kegel excercises.

is having a baby like someone unicycling on your pelvic floor with metal pedals? roflmao :D :D :D

[phlegm]

Then I'm guessing you're not a woman who has had at least one baby and not done her pelvic floor exercises for long enough afterwards.

Good guess! LOL! ;)

[BillyTheMountain]

Good guess! LOL! ;)

phlegm,

i haven't seen you at the gym in the pelvic floor exercise class.

And your pelvic floor was getting really pumped! Like huge!! Like a pelvic floor on steroids!! Like you could snip the tip off an italian sausage with one contraction!

are you just exercising to the videotape at home now?

billy

lolroflmao

[phlegm]

And your pelvic floor was getting really pumped! Like huge!!

I know! It's from all the rolling on the floor!! ROTFPUMPF! (Rolling On The Floor Pumping Up My Pelvic Floor)

[tobbogonist]

My nephew (by the way, hi, I'm back from vacation) told me that once, while nowhere near a computer, he caught himself actually saying the word LOL instead of really laughing. I don't know what to make of that. He's a bit unusual (not that it runs in my family -- needless to say).

unfortunately i am guilty of this, around some of my more 'tech-savvy' friends..

most people are a bit unusual when it comes to comparing them with another people.

[maestro8]

You guys make me want to ROFL (Read Other Forums Less)!

Keep it up!

[tobbogonist]

You guys make me want to ROFL (Read Other Forums Less)!

Keep it up!
you and your acronyms are on fire.

[Seager]

Someone said "Tampon Burger" in this thread and I don't think anyone but me noticed.

[unisteve]

Someone said "Tampon Burger" in this thread and I don't think anyone but me noticed.
I hope you feel a bit vindicated, Seager, because I noticed it right with you. It made me chuckle, but I'm still unsure as to which acronym to use to describe the sensation.

[Unicycle-Emele]

qol quacking out loud

[dudewithasock]

I hope you feel a bit vindicated, Seager, because I noticed it right with you. It made me chuckle, but I'm still unsure as to which acronym to use to describe the sensation.

You're Chuckling Until Next Time!

[Klaas Bil]

In Dutch, this is a non-problem. The Dutch word "lol" means "fun", and doesn't have to be associated with Loud (or even Laughter, for that matter).

[tobbogonist]

You're Chuckling Until Next Time!

Fast, Unicyclists Censor that Kid!

[unicycledood]

Oh oops, did I say something offensive? I simpely pressed all the keys on my keyboard without thinking. I'm as surprised as you that it spelt out actual words. Amazing.

[SkierAlex]

lol is useful when you're not entirely serious or being slightly funny. If something actually makes me "LOL" then I usually say rofl or lmao, lol.