ListProc: Acronyms & Smileys
Emailing can mean a lot of typing. The world of email has developed its own typing shortcuts. The following list will help you navigate the email acronyms, although many email discussion lists will have their own acronyms and shortcuts. Many discussion groups periodically post a list of their abbreviations for newcomers.
Acronyms |
| AFAIK |
As Far As I Know |
| AKA |
Also Known As |
| BTW |
By the way |
| FAQ |
Frequently asked questions |
| FWIW |
For what it's worth |
| FUA |
Frequently Used Acronyms |
| FYI |
For Your Information |
| IAE |
In any event |
| IMO |
In my opinion |
| IMHO |
In my humble opinion |
| IMCO |
In my considered opinion |
| IOW |
In other words |
| JM2C |
Just my 2 cents |
| LOL |
Laugh out loud |
| NRN |
No reply necessary |
| OTOH |
On the other hand |
| PMFJI |
Pardon Me For Jumping In |
| ROFL |
Rolling on floor laughing. |
| RSN |
Real Soon Now (which may be a long time coming) |
| RTFM |
Read the #@$*&^ manual |
| SITD |
Still in the dark |
| TANSTAAFL |
There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch |
| TIA |
Thanks In Advance |
| TIC |
Tongue in cheek |
| TWIMC |
To Whom It May Concern |
| WYSIWYG |
What You See Is What You Get |
| YMMV |
Your Mileage May Vary (you may have a different experience) |
| YWIA |
You're welcome in advance |
Another feature of communication via email is emoticons. Also known as smileys, these constructions (when viewed with your head tilted to the left) help show emotions in an environment where body language and voice inflection are not available. Here are some of the most widely used emoticons to help you get started.
Smileys |
| :-) or : ) |
A basic smiley |
| ;-) or ; ) |
A winking smile |
| :-( or : ( |
Frowning or sad |
| (-: or ( : |
Writer is left-handed
(tilt head to right) |
| :D |
Laughter |
| {:-) |
Writer wears a toupee |
Prepared by Carine Ullom of Academic Computing Services, The University of Kansas. August 1999.
