Twitter Acronyms: What Do They Stand For?

By Amy Turman

Twitter Acronyms: What Do They Stand For?

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    Amy Turman said

    Any people that are new to twitter will definitely want to brush up on their twitter acronyms to not only save characters (you are limited to only 140), but also to know what people are talking about. Here is a list of the most commonly used twitter acronyms.

    RT – ReTweet

    RetweetReweeting is a common way to quote someone’s tweet. Now with new twitter, it is less likely that you will see the old acronym of RT @twitteruser. Instead, twitter now will just post someone’s tweet on your page. However it’s an easy way for you to add your commentary while retweeting someone else.

    Example: I love cats! RT @google You need adorable kitties now! Find them near you: search [kittens] on your phone – or just meow http://goo.gl/Wlb35 #meowmeow

    related: PRT – Partial Retweet (where you quote a part of the tweet in order to add some context to your tweet)

    Example: I love cats – they’re my favorite animal! PRT @google You need adorable kitties now! #meowmeow

    DM – Direct Message

    On Twitter a Direct Message (DM) is like a small 140 character email that you can send to a fellow tweeter (that follows you) privately. You can use it as a command in a conversation.

    Example: @Batman sounds like a plan to stop the Riddler! DM me the coordinates to meet up!

    @ – Mention

    Mentioning is when you tweet at someone. Adding an @ before the username – like @username – will not only add a link to that person’s profile, but will also add you to the mentions list on their profile as well. Mentioning and interacting with the twitter community raises your klout and gets you more followers. You can mention anyone on twitter.

    Example: I love @Barbie‘s shoes! She has the best style.

    trophyFTW – For The Win

    For the win is twitter language for something that is incredibly awesome and that you think should be noted. You can say this about clothing, pop culture trends, etc. and with a sarcastic tone, or a completely serious tone. Here are a few examples:

    • I went to @Starbucks today. Venti cappuccino FTW!
    • Watching the #marchmadness tournament. UConn FTW!
    • @People Magazine just released their sexiest man alive issue – William Shatner FTW.

    IRL – In Real Life

    IRL is common when talking about fantasy or celebrities. It stands for "in real life" and can also be used either sarcastically or seriously. For example:

    IMHO – In My Humble/Honest Opinion

    This is something that people put at the end of their tweets in order to make sure their followers know that it’s their opinion. It’s a much better option than "I think that…" Examples of the use of this acronym are:

    • She shouldn’t have worn THAT dress to the Academy Awards IMHO.
    • IMHO Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie should adopt more children.

    NSFW – Not Safe for Work

    If you are posting something on twitter that people should not open at work, it is common courtesy to put NSFW at the end of the tweet. Inappropriate work content could include raunchy humor or inappropriate links and graphics.

    twittervia @ – Refers to who you got your info from

    Adding "via @" to the end of your tweet is another way of retweeting. It is a less formal way that doesn’t require you to quote the entire tweet of your source. If you take a link from someone else on twitter, you should usually add a "via @" to the end.

    Example:

    Officials have called future tsunami warnings in Japan. via @latimes

    Other Self-Explanatory Acronyms:

    • b/c – Because
    • w/o – Without
    • LMK – Let me know

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