Many of my tweeps (Twitter people) have asked me lately about various acronyms, odd lingo and twords (Twitter words).
I’ve compiled below a shortlist of the most popular terms many active Twitterers, including myself, use in everyday tweets.
First, what is a tweet? If you’re new to Twitter, I appreciate even the word “tweet” may sound odd! It’s your 140-character “instant message” or “mini/micro-blog post” that you send out into the world… particularly to your followers (fellow Twitter members who “subscribe” to your tweets).
For a crash course on getting set up on Twitter and using it effectively for business networking, presence-building, branding and connecting with your marketplace, see these two related posts:
- Twitter Buzz! Quick Tips for Business Peeps and
- How To Increase Interaction With Your Facebook and Twitter Network.
You may also enjoy my friend @CoachDeb’s hot NEW publication The Twitter Handbook!
Twords (Twitter words)
I encourage you to familiarize yourself with many of these Twitter terms so (a) you can understand tweets sent to you! and (b) when you need more characters to say what you want to say, you can always shorten with a few abbreviations!
1 = one, won
2 = to, too, two
4 = for, four
4ward = forward
4U = for you
ab or abt = about
B = be
b4 = before
b/c = because
BFN = bye for now
bgd = background
BR = best regards
BTW = by the way
chk = check
cld = could
clk = click
da = the
deets = details
DM = direct message
EM/eml = email
EMA = email address
fab = fabulous
fav/fave = favorite
F2F = face to face (as in meeting someone in person)
FYI = for your information
fwd = forward
GR8 = great
IC = I see
IM = instant message
itz = it is
IRL = in real life
JK or j/k = just kidding
JSYK = just so you know
IMHO = in my humble opinion
K = okay
kewl = cool
L8 = late
L8er = later
lmk = let me know
LOL = laughing out loud
LMAO = laughing my ass off
mil = million
Njoy = enjoy
OH = overheard
OMG = oh my god/gosh
peeps = people
pple = people
props = proper respect (see 4th definition here)
plz = please
R = are
ROFL = rolling on the floor laughing
RT / Retweet = when you repeat a tweet from someone else
RU? = are you?
shld = should
thx/tx = thanks
TIA = thanks in advance
tweeps / tweeple = peeps / people (on Twitter)
TY = thanks (my hubby’s name is Ty, so I prefer thx for thanks, hehee!)
ttyl = talk to you later
ttys = talk to you soon
TYT = take your time
TYVM = thank you very much
Tweetup = an in-person meet up of Twitter members
U = you
u’ve = you have
ur = your
V2V = voice to voice (as in chatting on the phone)
w or w/ = with
w/e = weekend
wazzup?/whaddup? = what’s up?
wld = would
wth = what the heck
wtf = what the f*** (hopefully you don’t see/use this one much!)
woz = was
w00t! = an expression of joy/excitement!
yep/yeppers = yes (lol, okay I know yeppers isn’t *short* for yes!)
yr = your
YW = you’re welcome
YVW = you’re very welcome
For more ideas, see these resources:
- Chat, E-Mail, Web, and chat room slang and acronyms.
- Chat and SMS Text Acronyms
- Twitter Glossary (see huge list of Twitter words under “T”!)
- Twitter in Plain English – by Lee LeFever of CommonCraft.
- Twitter Tweet Sheet – for all mobile device users, this is a fabulous cheat sheet of Twitter commands.
- Find fab peps to follow and add your own Twitter ID too on the Twitter thread at my Facebook Fan Page!
Got more twords and acronyms to add? What did I miss?! 
Add yours in the comments below and/or ask me to find the meaning of any acronyms!
Great twitter dictionary Mari! I’m going to send this to my new twitter friends who have no idea what I’m talking about 1/2 th e time.
~ ElizabethPW
Elizabeth Potts Weinstein’s last blog post.. Ep #57 Put the Law of Attraction Into Action in Your Life & Business
Nice list. Very helpful. Thx!
Nice list Mari. Sure ‘d love to use them all. And i love the special characeters in ur tweets.
TY 4 this Mari, I have not been able to translate some of my incoming tweets!
Catherine
Catherine Behan’s last blog post.. Why Does My Man Think He Is Always Right?
Excellent! And I see many of the words I use on your list.
Leesa Barnes’s last blog post.. Profit Purpose & Beyond with Sarah Robinson
This is great, Mari! I’ll forward to all my friends who don’t “get it.” Will also add one more: MWTIWMTOT – My Wife Thinks I’m Wasting All My Time on Twitter! lol
Lou
Love this list.. only wish it woulda been around back in 1998 when I started IMing.. and looking like an idiot to all these pros who were half my age… lol.
[...] and even those ubiquitous emoticons is poisoning the English language. Mari Smith’s Twitter Lingo Demysified includes a list of the most popular terms that many active Twitterers use in everyday tweets, to [...]
Ahhh Mari, you’ve done it again: found a way to provide the sweet satisfaction of simple of understanding!
Lissa Boles’s last blog post.. 3 Things You Need to Know
yr post woz very kewl. tyvm 4 sharing.
Loving the list Mari! My daughter (16) is laughing saying “Wow! you guys don’t know this!? Adults are weird.” So right now I’m ROFL.
TTYL LOL
Gina
Gina’s last blog post.. Want More Referrals? Get a CAT
@MariSmith I just luv how “yeppers” could be short for “yes” hee hee
Seriously, thx 4 da code!
@HeatherOlson
Just remember YMMV with this list.
John Johansen’s last blog post.. jljohansen: Going to be doing some "Back to School" shopping for my wife and I this afternoon. At least, that’s what it feels like.
This is a gr8 list Mari! I find that I’m starting to write emails in Twitter lingo and that could be a problem! I’m losing my ability to write proper sentences!
Blog on!
Denise aka The Blog Squad’s last blog post.. BlogWorld TweetUp on Friday
Twabulous!
Your tweets are a h00t! Thanks for sharing.
Is it really necessary to remember all these
thx for the tweet speak lesson! I know it will come in use! bfn
Very useful tutorial here! Thanks. I’ve just registered for twitter.
Mari, what a great list! I thought I was pretty “up” on the lingo… Apparently not.
Ros’s last blog post.. Biz Book Recommendations?
Mari, You are a great example of under commit and over perform! I love how you always provide your audience and readers with soooooo much content! Thanks for educating us all and being a great pioneer in the New Media world!
Angie A. Swartz’s last blog post.. Copyblogger, Brian Clark Advises Authenticity Over All Else
[...] Update 9/29/08: Twitter Search and Twellow. Also, thanks to Mari Smith… Twitter Lingo Demystified. [...]
Excellent, thanks! I can see I’ve got a lot of practicing to do.
*Ahem* wazzap?
nice job. some of these even i did not know.
[...] Twitter lingo demystified. You’ve seen all the abbreviations. Here’s what they mean. Except OH – that, I found out yesterday via Twitter, means “Overheard.” From the ever-smiling Mari Smith. [...]
I heard about your blog from SixFigureMomsClub.com. This is really helpful to those struggling to understand “twitterspeak” and definitely complements my article on socialmediasavvyblog.com about “Dr. Twitter”, Warren Whitlock. Thank you for what you do. I’m now following you on Twitter and happy to have found you as a FB resource!
Great Resource. Many people misinterpret the reason for using Twitter let alone the acronyms.
[...] http://whyfacebook.com/2008/09/11/twitter-lingo-demystified/ (from Mari Smith the Facebook expert and super nice lady! twitter: @marismith ) [...]
Great post! put this on my twitter: http://www.twitter.com/mckennasmark
[...] your Twitter Lingo as noted by @MariSmith. A must have to fit your tweets in 160 [...]
[...] http://whyfacebook.com/2008/09/11/twitter-lingo-demystified/ (from Mari Smith the Facebook expert and super nice lady! twitter: @marismith ) [...]
[...] 9/29/08: Twitter Search and Twellow. Also, thanks to Mari Smith… Twitter Lingo Demystified. Share and [...]