A Parents Guide To Teen Online Acronyms: (Teen speak)

What exactly is an Acronym?

An acronym is a pronounceable word formed from each of the first letters of a descriptive phrase. An acronym is actually a type of abbreviation.

Here's an example of an acronym: North Atlantic Treaty Organization = NATO

Because teens seem to live in the fast lane, they've made the most of today's available technology and like generations before them have come up with their own language.

Anachronisms are nothing new, but in this digital age they've made it easy to convey more information with less keystrokes.

And since teams routinely juggle multiple chat sessions, using anachronisms enables them to keep up the jumble of bombarding messages.

Here are some typical examples of some of the more common and acronyms commonly used by teens today chat rooms rooms, text messages and on cell phones.

These anachronisms are universal across both online and in text messaging.

  • 121: one to one

  • ADN: any day now

  • AFAIK: as far as I know

  • AFK: away from keyboard

  • A/S/L: age, sex, location

  • B4: before

  • B4N: bye for now

  • BAK:

  • BF: boyfriend

  • BFN: bye for now

  • BG: big grin

  • BTA: but then again

  • BTW: by the way

  • CID: crying in disgrace

  • CNP: continued (in my) next post

  • HDOP: help delete online predators

for more information about online and acronyms and to get a free copy of software that can help you decode what your child says in their text and other instant message type communications, please visit: Teen Chat Decoder.com


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