9 Internet Abbreviations Decoded

  • TL; DR – ‘Too long; didn’t read’. First appeared on the Internet in the early 2000s when online discussions took place and some posts were thought as being too long, this abbreviation was first used.
  • IRL – ‘In real Life’. This term came into existence in the 1990s, when ‘online life’ was still in its nascent stage. It talks about the life in and out of cyberspace.
  • GPOY – ‘Gratuitous picture of yourself’. This abbreviation was first used as a Tumbler tag and is mostly accompanied by a picture or a selfie.
  • NSFW – ‘Not safe for work’. This abbreviation is mostly used at the workplace to warn about inappropriate content mainly pornography and other explicit content which should not be seen at the workplace.
  • TBH – ‘To be honest’. Has been in use for around almost a decade and is used to express personal beliefs. It is also used to offer honest opinions about others.
  • SMH – ‘Shaking my head’. Dating back to 2004, this abbreviation is mostly used when something is found to be stupid. It is used to express disapproval, disbelief about something or dissatisfaction about social reality.
  • NBD – ‘No big deal’. Is used when you wish to say that something is not worth worrying about. It could also be used when a person may brag about something and is usually used towards the end of the sentence.
  • JSYK – ‘Just so you know’. Has been in use since 2005 and is normally used when a person wishes to give some useful information to others or could be used to warn/inform about something.
  • IMO – ‘In my opinion’. Is used state own opinions or when one feels assertive. It is being used from the early 2000s.
TrueEditors

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