Wtf Illustrations

Internet slang shortcuts save time for the writer but take twice as long for the reader to understand, according to a study by psychologist Nenagh Kemp at the University of Tasmania.
Linguistic analysis
Shortis observes that LOL is a means of "annotating text with stage directions". Hueng, in discussing these acronyms in the context of performative utterances, points out the difference between telling someone that one is laughing out loud and actually laughing out loud: "The latter response is a straightforward action. The former is a self-reflexive representation of an action: I not only do something but also show you that I am doing it. Or indeed, I may not actually laugh out loud but may use the locution 'LOL' to communicate my appreciation of your attempt at humor."