How Much Techno IM Geek Speak Do You Know?

I received an email message from my mother today. Mom’s a computer newbie, does email, browses, and can create documents in Word.

To her, PC doesn’t mean politically correct, and it doesn’t mean personal computer, either.

She signed up for GoogleTalk and started to download the application. It asked, “Run or Save?”

She didn’t know which to choose as neither made sense, so she did the typical thing. Nothing. Then asked me.

Her simple problem matched a conversation I heard recently between our babysitter and her boyfriend.

It was English but I didn’t know what they were saying to each other. It’s a whole different world between generations.

I sat down and wrote out as many common acronyms and geek speak phrases as I could remember.

Then I did some online search and came up with more than I’ll ever remember. Ever. Take a look.

Most of us know about a company’s CEO, or CFO, both of whom can spread competitive FUD during an MSNBC interview.

Who among the older generation knows the differences between the wireless standard 802.11a, b, g, n et al? Not many.

Instant messaging is becoming very popular among the young. This is a language that’s anyone’s guess as to meaning.

For example, what’s AAR? At any rate. BTWU&M? Between you and me. See the problem here?

It’s like reading words in English but with most of the consonants and vowels gone. They’re missing, so just guess the meaning.

I was just getting the hang of all the Smileys in iChat, now I get notes from my next door babysitter in a language only the post tower Babylonians would love.

Some phrases are not difficult for me, but would bring my mom to tears. “Mom, boot up your computer.”

“Alexis, what the hell does that mean? I’d like to boot it once in awhile, but I’d only hurt my foot.” See?

BOOTED in IM language means kicked out of a chat room. BMA is bite my ass. I’ve managed to add a few to my own email.

BTW is by the way. FWIW is for what it’s worth. But I had to look up EG. That’s Evil Grin, but at least there’s an emoticon for that.

Bambi once threw LMFAO to describe her feelings about something I did.

I can’t imagine her ass falling off, though. DEGT.

When I told her that she responded with, ROTFLMAO. See? It’s yet another acronym for IM. YAA. If you don’t learn them, YBS. You’ll be sorry.

I was at Wal-Mart picking up another truck bed loaded with diapers, and a Wal-Mart employee, a young man, helped me load the packages in the back.

I told him I do this every week. He laughed, and said, “Whoa, that’s… uh… too bad, lady.” But I could see that he really meant, TSFY instead.

Remember when X’s and O’s meant hugs and kisses? Or, was it a football play diagram? YMMV. It’s now H&K anyway.

Do you Geek Speak? Do you iChat and use just the emoticon/smileys or have you adapted some IM Speak into your own language?

Here’s list of AIM acronyms for you to chew on for awhile, and a list of IM acronyms from Student Slackers. CUL8R, Alligator.