Better Than "Badunkadunk" Anyway

It's Not All Bad for Lolophobes


I've already chronicled the new inclusions to the Oxford English Dictionary, including all the texting acronyms that have become insanely popular...like LOL. While language purists have decried its inclusion, saying things like the inclusion of "words" like this signal "...the death of the dictionary" and "...a hallmark of creeping illiteracy," the fact is, these forms of communication are everywhere, and may have something of a purpose.
I mean, when I send a text message or an email, I want to make sure the recipient knows the emotion behind my words...a failure to make that clear can be quite problematic. For my money, nothing beats a good old-fashioned phone call, but I have to admit that texting is too easy...and when one has only so many seconds of life left (as I do), time is important.
In a development that I just don't get, people have begun to pronounce the letters "LOL" in speech as if they actually made up a word. "I wqs lolling at that joke" just doesn't get it, as far as I'm concerned, but there it is anyway. David Crystal, author of Language and the Internet takes issue with that since he feels that saying it as a word "doesn't sound anything like laughter." I agree.
Come to think of it, I doubt I've ever used it in an email or a text message...I'm not uncomfortable with it, I just think that as a composition instructor, I should be more precise (as if anyone notices). And I certainly do not fit into the category of grandparents ( I think this is ageism!) for whom "their first internet word is "LOL." Puuhhlllleeeze! Grandparents are far more tech savvy than that.
If you are duly chastened and looking for alternatives for your next text, there are a few. If you need explanation for any of them, go to urbandictionary.com for help.

the obvious emoticon :D :)
a host of other acronyms like ROFL, LMAO, and BWL.
of course, the more obvious possibilities like ha haha heheh.

...and I don't EVEN want to talk about "badunkadunk" which I heard yesterday for the first time. Thank God that is too long for texting!