Chat Abbreviations

There are hundreds of chat abbreviations. It is like another language and young people are masters of it. Following are some explanations and examples of common abbreviations. 

Abbreviations, Initialisms and Acronyms

An abbreviation is made when you take a word or words and shorten them.  Examples are: St. for street, lb. for pound, and min. for minute. Special abbreviations are acronyms and initialisms. 

Initialisms are simply the first letter of the important words in the name of something, like IBM, CBS, or CNN. They do not form another word. Most chat abbreviations are initialisms. Some initialisms are acronyms.   

Acronyms are abbreviations using the first letter of each word, or each important word. In an acronym, the letters form another word, like NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization), WHO (World Health Organization) or NASA (National Aeronautics Space Administration). Most chat abbreviations are not acronyms because the letters do not make a word.

In summary, initialisms and acronyms are abbreviations. Initialisms use the first letter of each word in the phrase. Acronyms are special initialisms because the initials make up a new word.

Chat Abbreviations

It makes sense that people who want to save time and save wear and tear on their fingertips and thumbs would invent a few chat abbreviations. But there are many more than a few. Following are some examples of abbreviations that are used in chatting, texting, and emails.  

Chat Abbreviations and Acronyms

This first group is some of the more common abbreviations about things in general.

• @   At
• 2G2BT  Too Good To Be True
• 2moro  Tomorrow
• 2nite   Tonight
• 4ever Forever
• ADBB   All Done Bye Bye
• AFC   Away From Computer
• ASAP   As Soon As Possible
• B4   Before
• B4N   Bye For Now
• BC   Because
• bcoz   because
• BTDT   Been There Done That
• c ya   see ya
• CM   Call Me
• CUL8R  See You Later
• DISTO  Did I Say That Outloud?
• G4I   Go For It
• gratz   Congratulations
• GTG   Got To Go
• J2LYK   Just To Let You Know
• KISS   Keep It Simple Stupid
• OMG   Oh My God
• peeps   people
• PLS  Please
• PLZ   Please
• sk8r   skater
• soz   Sorry
• T@YL   Talk At You Later
• THX  Thanks
• TMI   Too Much Information
• TTYL   Talk To You Later or Type To You Later
• TTYT   Talk To You Tomorrow

The next group of abbreviations let the other party know a parent is watching.

• 9   Parent is watching
• MOS  Mom Over Shoulder
• PIR   Parent In Room
• POMS   Parent Over My Shoulder
• PRW   Parents Are Watching

The following abbreviations concern feelings.  These are G-rated.

• <3    heart
• sweet<3  sweetheart
• BFF    Best Friends Forever
• FF    Friends Forever
• H&K    Hugs and Kisses
• HUGZ    Hugs
• I <3 U   I Love You
• i h8 it   i hate it
• XOXO    Hugs and Kisses

Lastly, there are so many abbreviations that refer to laughing that they also needed their own group.

• ALOL    Actually Laughing Out Loud
• CSL    Can't Stop Laughing
• CSN    Chuckle, Snicker, Grin
• GOL    Giggling Out Loud
• FOFL    Falling on Floor Laughing
• LOL    Laughing Out Loud -or- Lots of Love
• ROTFL    Rolling On The Floor Laughing
• ROTFLOL Rolling On The Floor Laughing Out Loud

Modern Communications

Speaking with someone through emails, chats, and texts has dramatically changed the way people communicate. You rarely see anyone anymore without a phone, and it is usually in their hand. In fact, this instant communication is getting out of hand, pardon the pun. Some states have enacted new laws to ban cell phone use while driving.  

Cell phone use is banned while driving in California, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Washington, District of Columbia, and the Virgin Islands. 

The District of Columbia and 28 states limit cell phone use for new drivers. 

D.C. and 18 states do not allow school bus drivers to use a cell phone when there are passengers on the bus.

D.C., Guam, and 30 states ban texting for everyone who drives. Eight other states ban texting for new drivers and two ban texting for school bus drivers.

Some states have distracted driving bans so many are adding cell phone use to the list of distractions. More laws will probably be forthcoming as the dangers of cell phone use while driving becomes more apparent.