If you scratch your head when seeing EMBM (early morning business meeting), you’re not alone. Texting has completely changed how we communicate. We’ve gone from using full sentences to adding emojis, dropping punctuation, and replacing common phrases with an alphabet soup of acronyms.
Although we’ve incorporated some popular text acronyms into our everyday language, like LOL or YOLO, other abbreviations have become a bit more far-fetched, like 4AO, which means “for adults only.” Sure, text abbreviations might help save our thumbs, but some of these shortcuts have gone from simple phrases to unrecognizable clumps of letters that come at the cost of understanding.
Preply, an online language learning app that connects experienced tutors to learners worldwide, conducted a study to see which abbreviations are most confusing in Reddit threads, TikTok comments, and other digital media. So if you routinely think confusing text abbreviations are NAGI (not a good idea), read on to learn about the ones most Americans hate.
Platforms with the Most Complicated Acronyms
If you hop on Reddit, you’ll end up finding the most complicated acronyms, as 1 in 4 users are unsure about what those acronyms mean. Phrases like TLDR and NSFW are quite common on this platform, but not every Redditor will understand every acronym that gets used. Then when you dive into subreddits, the confusion can be so unclear that some users even go to Google to figure out what those text abbreviations mean.
X, also known as Twitter, houses the second most confusing text abbreviations, which isn’t too surprising since you’re limited to 280 characters per post. To fit thoughts into one post, you might employ a flurry of complicated acronyms, but doing so leaves 1 in 5 users saying they’re routinely confused. When you’re dealing with character limits, some people give up on clarity to avoid running out of space.
Aside from Reddit and X, the top 5 digital platforms with the most complicated acronyms are TikTok, online forums in general, and Instagram. Using acronyms certainly saves time and characters, especially if you face a limit on how much you can post, but it can take a toll on those you’re trying to reach. Communicating quickly online with text abbreviations isn’t always the most effective when it comes to making connections. It can leave users confused and frustrated, and if they don’t understand your content, they might hit that unfollow button.
Text Acronyms Americans Hate
Whether you use text abbreviations or not, some acronyms get used so often that they become a regular feature across platforms and even generations. But most Americans can agree that some abbreviations are so annoying, they refuse to even use them.
The most annoying acronym for Americans is LMAO, or laughing my a** off. While 31% of Americans say they find LMAO annoying, it’s also the third most common abbreviation to be understood. The second most annoying abbreviation is GRATZ, or congratulations, while the third most annoying abbreviation is IANAL, or I am not a lawyer. Plenty of people might do a double-take when faced with a text featuring IANAL. So, if you tend to use text abbreviations, you’re better off being selective about the ones you include.
While some of these abbreviations might be annoying, others are downright confusing. The text acronym Americans understand the least is EMBM, or early morning business meeting, with only 3.79% of Americans saying they understand it. The top 5 most confusing abbreviations also include AYOR (at your own risk), RLRT (real-life retweet), WTPA (where the party at?), and KPC (keeping parents clueless).
Interestingly enough, three other text abbreviations that Americans also understand the least are acronyms about evading the attention or understanding of parents. These include PITR (parent in the room), POMS (parent over my shoulder), and PAW (parents are watching). These three may be functioning exactly as intended.
Some text abbreviations are generally recognized, like LOL. Other abbreviations are far too long and confusing for most people to understand. Before you use an abbreviation, it might be best to think about who you’re communicating with to see if they will be able to understand your meaning.
Generational Abbreviation Trends
As the ones who grew up surrounded by technology like smartphones and tablets, you might expect Gen Z to be the generation that understands text acronyms the most. But it was millennials in this study who picked up on what each acronym meant the best. Growing up in the times of Y2K, it makes sense for millennials to be the most savvy about text abbreviations.
While Gen Z may not understand text acronyms the best, they certainly understand when to use those abbreviations and when to avoid them. Around 53% of Gen Zers surveyed had answered outright "no" to allowing text abbreviations in a work setting. The last thing employers would like to see in professional emails is the use of LOL, and Gen Z realizes that the use of text acronyms may not be a good idea “WH”(during work hours).
Those in older generations tend to have more of a problem with the use of text abbreviations. Around 23% of Gen Xers find text acronyms annoying and were the most annoyed by the use of LOL. According to the survey, 0% of Baby Boomers said they feel "very confident" in understanding Internet slang or abbreviations. What you might see as a way to streamline communication might be an entirely new language for someone else.
Text abbreviations can certainly be a fun timesaver to use. Not only do they allow you to text faster and use fewer characters, but they can also help punctuate emotions. While digital language may have evolved along with technology, it’s important to remember that not every person has changed along with it.
If the person you’re texting doesn’t understand the acronyms you’re using, you might waste time by trying to explain it to them. Some people could struggle with RBTL (reading between the lines) when it comes to these confusing clumps of letters, and you don’t want people to have to Google what you mean. So, the next time you’re communicating with someone online or in text, remember some language might not translate the way you’ve intended.
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