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Lack of texting savvy offers reason to LOL

These days, it has occurred to me, people are less likely to talk in words, and more likely to talk in letters. You know what I mean. The people I refer to are not my father's cohort, but typically, my sons'. And their language consists of LOL.

These days, it has occurred to me, people are less likely to talk in words, and more likely to talk in letters.

You know what I mean.

The people I refer to are not my father's cohort, but typically, my sons'. And their language consists of LOL. And TMI. And BTW, OMG and TGIF.

This, of course, is text talk, a language I did not speak when I was my sons' age. Rather than say LOL, I did the oddest thing: I laughed. Out loud. (Begs the question whether there's any other way to laugh, but that's a column for another day.)

If I wanted to tell a friend that I would talk to her later, I did not say TTYL. I said the strangest thing: "I'll talk to you later."

At that time, of course, no one had the ability to text, so people would communicate in one of two ways: by telephone, or by looking at each other and opening their mouths. This was an earlier version of instant messaging. It was remarkably effective.

I knew what RSVP meant - we used those letters way back then - but I would not have imagined that there would come a day when people would say PEBKAC (problem exists between keyboard and chair) or ROTFL (rolling on the floor laughing).

Where new-age acronyms are concerned, I am a new-age newbie. Not long ago, when a much younger relative texted me and said FC, I had no idea she was saying "fingers crossed." For all I knew, it could have been "fat chance." Or "frilly corset." Or "flaky cod."

Should she be inclined to say OATUS to me, it would never occur to me that she was saying "on a totally unrelated subject." For all I know, OATUS might stand for "out and taking up skydiving."

SEP? That's "someone else's problem," according to a website of common texting acronyms. CWOT? That stands for "complete waste of time."

Who would have thought? Not me, apparently. I do send text messages from time to time, but I seldom speak in letters. I write the old-fashioned way and - get this - even use punctuation.

But then, I am not up with the program. When it comes to acronyms, I am out in left field. Or perhaps I should say: OILF.