These are a couple of popular and quick ways used in text messaging to show that someone is leaving their computer, laughing, and other expressions.
Shortcuts Indicating Someone Has Left Their Computer
The shortest break is known as "brb" (be right back) The most common breaks used under this category are when one is going to grab something quickly or is going to use the restroom. This phrase shouldn’t be used for a break that will take longer than 10 minutes, and it usually implies that the messenger will be left on. It is possible for someone to type "restarting my comp, brb."
If a break is going be going to be longer than 10 minutes, but less than an hour, the phrase "bbiab" (be back in a bit) can be used. This phrase isn't as popular as the other shortcuts for leaving the computer, but it is typically used for activities such as: going out to eat, preparing and eating dinner with family, running to the store or post office. Someone who uses this message may or may not log out of their messenger, but they clearly intend to return.
For a longer break, the phrase "bbl" (be back later) is very common. Someone who uses this phrase is typically going to log off the messenger for at least a couple of hours. Different activities under this category are work, sleep, and long errands. The person may log back in the same day or the next using this expression.
For an overnight break, a common phrase is "ttyl" (talk to you later). This is often used as a goodbye to indicate they'll be on the following day. This can be used by someone who is logging off for the night or the other person talking to the person signing off.
A common phrase undefined by time is "afk" (away from keyboard). This message can be sent to someone to indicate that they are going to leave their computer. This can also be used as an away message, an auto response when the messenger is idle. You can send this to someone, as in “going afk” or set it up as an away message. An "afk" can last a few minutes or a few days, as long as the messenger is open. Either way, it means you’re going to stay logged in to the program, but you’ll no longer be sitting at the computer.
Shortcuts Indicating Laughter
A very common way to indicate laughter is "lol" (laughing out loud). The person who types this may not be literally laughing, but it does indicate they are amused, have smiled, or even chuckled. It’s a quicker way to write “haha.”
Another way to write "lol" is "lawl." "Lawl" means the same as "lol" because it's how the phonetic spelling for pronouncing "lol." People who write "lawl" are either being sarcastic or they are trying to be more original than "lol".
To indicate that a joke is funnier than a mere "lol," the phrase "rofl" (rolling on the floor laughing) can be used. Although this is becoming more outdated and less seen, it usually indicates that person has laughed aloud.
The highest level of laughter is "lmao" (laughing my ass off). This phrase is usually reserved for the jokes that make the person's eyes water from laughing so hard. Not everyone laughs this hard to use "lmao," but people use it to indicate that they genuinely found it funny. Sometimes "lmfao" is used, but it's the same as "lmao" except more profane.
Other Expressions
A versatile expression for anger, disbelief, or confusion (depending on the situation) is "wtf" (what the f*). Another equally versatile expression is "omg" (oh my god). These two phrases are often put together as a single phrase "omg wtf" and it depends on the situation to determine the mood of this expression.
There are some other shortened phrases that are used in a sentence and are fairly self explanatory. A common phrase is "atm" (at the moment) and is usually used in the response "nothing atm" to the question "What are you doing?" Another phrase in the middle of the sentence is "bc" (because).
When someone text messages "omw" (on my way) it means they are headed to the designated place. This can be used as a response to the question, "Where are you?" or "Are you coming over?" In addition to text messages, this phrase is also very popular in online gaming.
Miscellaneous Rule
The majority of these shortcuts are lower cased, and are only capitalized to indicate the use of an exclamation point(!) or yelling. Usually, the only phrases seen capitalized are the laughing shortcuts (LOL, ROFL, LMAO).
Many of these expressions are easy to incorporate in text messaging and most are fairly popular and found frequently during online chatting.
For more text phrases check out: Urban_Dictionary
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