I think my views on emoticons are well known. I can’t stand them.
Today, I’m launching a brave attack on lol.
I realise I won’t be supported and may be castigated. But my plea is for a world where people can not only freely express their views (as long as they’re not offensive and personal attacks) but also can do it in a way that shows individual expression.
I am a collectivist about actions. But I believe in individual expression. I wish we could exercise it more when communicating via txt, email, facebook, twitter and blogs.
So I say beyond lol… use your words
PS: Facebook and Twitter responses don’t seem to be working in my favour so far.
PPS: Read this in urban dictionary about lol. I rest my case
Update: Had a number of people, particularly on Twitter change their minds once they read urban dictionary on lol.
Hat-tip @socialspace (Twitter)
Any chance of introducing a bill to ban this odious phrase? Should be a strike offence.
Walley Tolley strikes again!
Sorry, I thought I’d clicked on Trev’s video and then I scroll up!
I love LOL, I will admit to hating – hmmmmmm, it’s all over cyber space. Yes I use mmmmmm, but it’s always in the question inflection.
Clare – I wouldn’t be so quick in using Urban Dictionary as a reference…
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=labour
I hate ‘meh’. Means nothing to me.
Please ban anyone who uses those crappy little things. Also anyone who must not have a ife for the amount of time they spend commenting on this blog – (for their own good as they are a sad addict)
What is lol? Is it Laugh Out Loud, Lots of Love or Ludicrsousiosity over ludicrous?
Laughing out loud. Or Lots of laughs.
Or
Maybe it could be:
Learning our lines
Leading onerable lives
Leading ordinary lives
Licking our lips
Leaping over luddites
Living outside logic
I hate meh too, even though all my friends say it!
I do like – my bad? though
LOL for me is always laugh out loud.
@M onty – agreed about addiction, though I’m normally quite busy outside of this site and end up tired.
lol
@Nicola Grrrrrr
I love Grrr.
That aside, I don’t actually like it either.
(But still use it, for I am a hypocrite
)
Congratulations on the brave stand Claire
In fact if the Labour party put this in their party manifesto they would have my vote forever
Of course we could next move onto TXT spelling and poor grammar
I’m with you Raymon, txt spelling and poor grammar are ruining the English language.
Mind you the Party may have to change its name to the
“Old Grumpy Farts Party”
Laugh out loud
Am also basically against the craze of lol…
To be fair though, it can serve a purpose at times. I don’t really mind it unless it’s overused. We all use phrases that have been used before and sometimes express ourselves in a way that’s common – that doesn’t dwindle our individual expression though.
IEMASOTOTTAUTPDEU
(I’m even more against some of the other things that are used that people don’t even understand).
Here you go, Colvin
http://www.noslang.com/
Cheers Spud. Will actually come in handy. Though it’s weird that a website called noslang.com only serves to help people understand what e-slang means and perpetuate its use.
ROFLMAO!
Any attempt to stem the tide of the usage of language by actual people is doomed to failure. Should we begin calling you Clare Canute henceforth?
Personally I hate how everyone pronounces “cervical” as “sirviacle” when it should be pronounced “kervikal”.
^__^
I just read your link, I love and we even moderate that abbreviation out Spud – Trevor , I would write the words but that would get me thrown in cyber slammer
Its a well known fact that people who use emoticons are little girls and/or people who have cute names for all their stuffed animals.
BLiP – almost everyone on here uses emoticons, I’m surprised that YOU would say this
I’m not a little girl!
And neither are Ianmac, P hil, Trevor, Chris Hipkins, Monty, James, Dylan, J eremy, Paul, argh! Too many names! 
Post script – I hope others rebutt your comment!
Post post script – What has gotten into you man?
Have responded – damn comment is in cyber prison! suffice to say I don’t agree
YBT’d
Labour of love
Lots of Labour
I like your ones Clare.
Here’s a little extra to give heart attacks to them what believes in “purity of language” :
http://speaklolspeak.com/
Lol is particularly annoying if you have sent a long text/email or whatever and that is all someone replies with.
I hate text language too – texting is meant to be quick, it’s not if I’m spending five minutes trying to decipher whatever the hell is on my mobile screen!
BLiP
What does a full stop by itself mean, as you often use it? Can’t explanation anywhere.
Learner On Line!
You could join the Greens and have LOL banned Clare, along with the myriad of other things they want to ban.
Gee, kids and their slang, eh?
Clare, not only are you showing just how out of touch you are but you’re supposed to be the shadow spokesperson for telecommunications, are you not? You’re not really getting the hang of this internet thing, are you?
I see a lot of grumpy intolerant people posting in this comments thread. Typical of labour voters?
“Had a number of people, particularly on Twitter change their minds once they read urban dictionary on lol.”
You mean they fell for it? 
Well some of us still like LOL and use it to show appreciation of a fine joke
When I think about it what bothers me most about that link is that it puts people down.
I can think of only one recent – like in the last few months – where I’ve used it and it wasn’t here. You will find it used on blogs and MBs with indented messages and which have an edit function. It usually means that the commentator has thought better of the comment or placed it under the wrong Reply and gone back to remove it. Since you can’t actually delete the comment, the usual practise is to just leave a full stop. It sort of just means “oops”. Its bad practise to change a comment after someone has replied, or, if you do, then its polite to add the word, in caps, “EDIT”.
Speaking of which, why hasn’t Red Alert listened to “the people” and put an Edit function in, eh?
Just winding you up, little fella.
That’s a relief
@Blip We have listened to the people and we will introduce an edit function just as soon as we gather together the $$ to do it and a few other things. Promise
Listen or languish
Oh what about “likeit or lumpit” (that’s a good one). My father used to say that!
Warning Mattyroo. Any more of those comments and you’re taking a break. Clare
Thanks, BLiP. From context I thought it meant “me too”. I could have used the edit function, leaving out word “find”, in my 5.29.
Learning On Line.
Hell I thought it meant lots of love – explains reactions.
LOL
Promised Clare I’d admit on here I *hate* lol and tend to use ‘haha’ instead…..
I’m also uber anal in my text messages, preferring the full use of apostrophes, capitals, etc.
and I’m back in moderation????
Help I’m being attacked by lollies (organised lols) on facebook
@P atrick LOL
@Clare – chortle ( smile).
I’m careful to use LOL only when I find something genuinely humourous…
You may shun lol, but there is always rofl and lmao waiting in the wings! That being said, I’ve heard some horror facebook stories where the person has posted a sad status and only to have an older facebook user replying lol thinking it means “lots of love”. It came off as them laughing at their misfortune.