Twitter Translated: A Field Guide to 20+ Twitter Speaks

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Twitter is a language on its own.

Secret, confusing, and ‘special’….

What does ‘<<‘ means? or ‘HT’? or how about ‘LOL’?
It is all secret codes and secret handshakes.

Twitter Translated is understanding the Twitter

Designed to keep you in the dark.

We all got thrown into the deep end of the pool.

No baby pool or guides that offered ‘go here for learn how to Tweet’. No 20 minute intro videos from Twitter on language and etiquette. Those tools would help the newly converted.

Defined: Twitter Translated Acronyms and Abbreviations

To help, I have compiled my list of the most common Twitter acronyms and abbreviations.

This is not a “Be All To End All Twitter Guides to Twitter Speak” post. It cannot be.

The Twitter universe is far to dynamic and fast-changing. No one guide can cover it all.

The first question is how do you say a lot in 140 characters? You don’t. And that 30 word window narrows when retweeting or forwarding a message.

How do you have a deep conversations with peeps? You don’t. But, you do you best and use short language.

The Twitter language has developed a full complement of symbols, acronyms and abbreviation.

Language Identifies Us

Our language identifies us. If it’s countries or professions. Each language and jargon that separates the insiders from the outsiders.

Twitter is not the exception.

Understand the jargon and lingo and you understand the language. Understand the language and you become fluent.

Required reading on Twitter Etiquette – what your customers want to hear from you and the things you should avoid.

Beginners Lingo – Twitter Translated

@

Breaking news on @wsj #LoveIt

The “at” (@) symbol proceeds every person’s, business and brands name on Twitter. The @ symbol also is used to mention another Twitter account on Twitter. ( @WSJ). Without the @ WSJ has different meaning. When used in a Tweet it is hyperlinked to that user’s profile.

#

#HaveYouSeen #Funny #Crazy via @UrbanRenstrom

The Hashtag. The Hashtag or pound symbol highlights keywords, topic, and add emotion or make a point in a tweet.

Hashtags turns the word into a link — a link to all other tweets that contain the same hashtag.

RT

Perfect Picture RT @siodhna: Good sign for those “shopping”

ReTweet, or RT. Means the tweet you’re seeing was forwarded. Just like a email forward. Often the forwarded tweet has comments included.

DM

“you can DM me at @UrbanRenstrom for #SM help”

A Direct Message from one user to another. And visible only to the sender and receiver.

MT or MRT

MT Loved your post on webdesign @Prism_Digital #design

Modified Tweet. The tweet you are seeing is not the original. It has been modified in some way and forwarded.

^

“Thanks for connecting with and for the comment ^UR”

The hat sign or caret, control, up–arrow, or chevron. The ^ is used to show the tweet was sent by a person on behalf of a group. Usually from an account used by many people (often a company or organization). Often the Twitter bio states “Tweets by ^JS, ^AG, ^IM. Sometimes it‘s at the end of a Tweet and precedes initials, to show which user sent the tweet (e.g., ^JS)

AB/ABT

About. Is really what is mean, and is abbreviation for the word about.

CC

Carbon Copy, CC brought forward from paper memos, fax machines and email messages. The @TwitterHandle used in a tweet will get a person’s attention, but, some situation may call for a “ did you see this www.interestingarticle.com cc @BobTwitter”

CX

Stands for Correction. Which I’ve used many times, as my fingers are “narrow challenged” and I often mistype on my smartphone.

HT

Hat Tip. Used as recognition of contribution from somebody. It is an old school sign of honour ‘I tip my hat to you’ for the suggestion, or direction, or idea.

FF

@UrbanRenstrom Thank you for following us. #FF

Friend Friday or Follow Friday. Usually used with the hashtag. So #FF and then a list of those which you suggest to follow.

<< or >>

Want some diversion for your afternoon look at this: bit.ly/DoesNotWork << very funny

Used in a tweet to direct a remark towards the preceding or following link, comment, person. As in that there was funny.

Experienced Vocabulary

TBH

To Be Honest. Always a red flag to me. Are you now being honest?

TBH does capture a sentiment that is difficult to capture in as few words: dissent. TBH on Twitter is often used to make a converse opinion on or a confession about a topic at hand, but it can also be used to make another point about a common topic.

LMAO

Laughing My Ass Off. Use as you like for situation where you would laugh your ass off.

LOL or lol

Laugh out Loud. When you obviously have found something that tickles your funny bone and makes you laugh out loud.

IRL or MIRL

In Real Life, Meet In Real Life. Remember that thing we all did before FB, Twitter et. al.

OH

Overheard – is this gossip? This use is context specific.

$

$ uses before letters is the financial ticker symbol which represents a publicly traded company. $MSN, $GOOG.

Tweetup

Whilst not an abbreviation the meaning is a meeting on Twitter centred around a subject defined by the moderator and all tweets must include the #Hashtag to be part of the tweetup.

SM

Social Media. Used with the hastag symbol #SM.

SMM

Social Media Marketing. Used with the hastag symbol #SMM.

SB, SME, SMB

Small business, small medium business, small medium business. Often with the hashtag #SME.

NSFW

Not Safe For Work. Does this need explanation?

NTS

Note to Self. Is a note to self don’t forget something important.

This.

This is more a Twitter call to action than a comment. As in read this!!!!

TBH

To Be Honest an acronyms and abbreviation list is never-ending.

Super-Sophisticated Savvy Statements

ICYMI

In Case You Missed It. Used by people or news outlets to reference to a piece of media/news that has already published or is otherwise not as fresh as it once was.

+1

Is the Goolge+ equivalent of a Facebook like. And its cross network affirmation that a statement or message is endorsed or promoted.

TL;DR

Too Long Didn’t Read. Is another vocabulary spill-over. This time from Reddit. TL:DR offering users on the website a one-sentence summary of an unusually long post. Long does not mean rambling BTW.

SMH

Shaking My Head – in surprise, disbelief, shock etc. The phrase ‘Shaking My Head’ is full with sentiment strong or verbose. You choose the definition you seek.

Need more resources? Try

Internet Slang .com
Urban Dictionary
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