25

Electronic Laughter: A Definitive Guide

April 28th, 2010 - Uncategorized - 25 Comments »

Communicating laughter electronically in the exact way you want it received is nearly impossible. Not only do you have to decide on a method you’re comfortable with, but you also have to take into consideration how the other person will interpret your method. Well, look no further. I’ll tell you how we interpret them.

LOL
Are you a 13-year-old girl on AIM? If the answer is no, then please stop using LOL to communicate laughter. I would rather write a three-page essay on why your joke was funny than use those three letters. Oh, and while we’re on the subject, we’re on to all you ROTFL users. We know you’re not actually rolling on the floor. You can’t even reach the keyboard from there.

;)
What is this? Are you winking at me? Is that a wink? Look, I don’t know if you remember, but a couple seconds ago I just attempted some humor. This is not the time to flirt. And men – I can’t believe I even need to address this – emoticon use is never acceptable when communicating with other men.

haha
I can’t read this without assuming sarcasm is involved. All I hear is “Ha, ha. Very funny, wise guy” as the Debbie Downer trumpet groans in the background.

That’s funny
This is my go-to in person when I can’t even muster up a courtesy laugh. I give the person my most convincing “That’s funny” (with an eyebrow raise, of course) and try to change the subject as quickly as possible. Now, when someone texts me that, I spend the next 20 minutes seriously doubting the career path I’ve chosen.

[Silence]
Last night I was confronted by two of my friends about not responding when they texted me something hilarious. I tried rattling off some excuse about how I couldn’t think of anything funnier to add so I just didn’t respond at all and how they should take that as a compliment, but even I wasn’t buying my BS. As a starved-for-comments blogger, I should know better. A lame response is better than no response at all.

Ha!
This is where I’ve landed. I use it for two main reasons. One, it closely resembles how I really laugh (one quick, short burst of air followed by nothing). And two, I just can’t bring myself to use any of the others.

Have I made a poor choice? What do you use?

On another note, my friend Jon posted one of our videos on his site today. Click here to take a gander.
___

Post sponsored by Atlanta Personal Injury Attorney, Robert N. Susko

  • http://www.eyespeak.com benj

    Ha!

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/groovinkc groovinkc

    This plagues me nearly everyday. I'm a "haha"-er but I don't like it. I've been pondering another alternative for years. I'm tempted to just tell the person, "I'm laughing right now." There really isn't a good way. They all sound lame.

  • http://tsholo.wordpress.com tsholo

    i use lol…a lot. and no, i’m not a 13 yr old.

    i also use “hee hee”…don’t know why.

  • nate

    I actually got an email response from you yesterday that lead with “Ha!” and I remember thinking I appreciated it because it was so accurate to your real-life laughter. i could just see you with that single burst of laughter followed by 5 or so seconds of silent, open-mouthed smiling.

    and so, to this post, i say – huh huh huh huh, clap, huh huh, ahhhh.

  • http://830eyes.wordpress.com Katie

    I typically go back and forth between one ha or two, but now I think I'm going to have to go with one all the time so I don't sound sarcastic – thanks for the insight.

    However, if I find something silly in a childish kind of way, sometimes I go with hehehe instead. I should probably just drop that one from my repertoire.

  • Leigh

    I prefer the hahahahahahahahahaha. Because that's how I laugh when something is funny and I like the way it sounds when I type it. If it's not funny, I don't respond. That's why, sometimes, I don't comment on your blog.
    jk lol emoticon

  • http://YouTube.com/tomaroflys Matt Gusto

    I totally agree with everything (ESP the smilie faces…. Wow….) but I like to use ‘haha’, simply because, it too, closely resembles my chuckle. I would put, exhaling quietly, but…. No one would get it and I’d be left explaining myself and even then, I probaly couldn’t do it well anyway.
    By the way, if you’re using LMAO, stop. It’s dumb and only about 25% of the internt using population uses it. And that 25% is mainly gamers. And, well… That’s another subject for another day.

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/joshlafayette Josh LaFayette

    "HA!" That's my go to.
    Another very irritating thing is when people use "LOL" as an electronic vocal filler:
    this was a good post lol i had fun reading it lol

  • Jeremy

    ROTFLMAO – Good Post!

  • http://TehLemonsmith.com Tyler Smith

    I have a prerecorded video of me laughing, and will send it out when something is funny. It's electronic, it's personal, and it's REAL.[youtube PLG2TLxnPEUhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLG2TLxnPEU youtube]

  • http://intensedebate.com/profiles/ashleybruns Ashley Bruns

    You can't forget about the mischievous "hehehe"! It's that sneaky little laugh at ourselves. ie. Ha! I'm so funny. hehehe.

    Classic laugh-at-your-own-joke electronic laughter.

    • http://www.metacognician.com Kendra Golden

      I'm so down with that. I was thinking that I used hehe to laugh at others but after reflection it's always when I'm trying to convey that I'm funny.

      The one I most prefer getting from someone else is puahuahua from my friend Tony. I should take that as a cue that I should return that favor to others who make me laugh. :)

      (How weird. I completely typed in that smiley without even thinking. It just happened without my conscious assent.)

  • Jeff Crain

    you should have addressed how ridiculous the "bahaha" and "hehehe" is. When I see someone using these I first judge them. Then I slowly develope the urge to kick them in there shins. I'm more of a "hahaha" guy.

  • http://www.adaupdates.blogspot.com Scott

    I use my ha's in terms of a scale ranging from one ha (ha) to four ha's (hahahaha), where 1 ha equals something like a grin and 4 ha's equals a IJPIMPAL.

  • http://intensedebate.com/profiles/sweetannieskitchens sweetannieskitchens

    How about bahahaha! Like it was so funny the laughter came bursting out of your mouth. No? I've got nothing.

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/evdaddy evdaddy

    i use "ha!" this most as well, but sometimes i use "haha" and let the reader interpret it themselves. i also like, IJPIMPAL which stands for "I Just Peed In My Pants A Little."

  • Jenni

    I work with college students, and it seems that these days "lol" has replaced punctuation for many of them. Case in point: "I'm having trouble signing up for my classes lol Would you be able to help me with my registration sometime lol" What is this? When did this become acceptable?
    This post was hilarious, by the way.

  • http://jerothforjesus.blogspot.com/ Ross

    I typically use LOL, even though the internet rarely makes me laugh out loud. But this post did.

    P.S. Also not a 13 year old girl. I may have to switch to "hahahaahah" in which I just hit H and A quickly and see what happens.

  • http://www.evanforester.com Evan Forester

    I think it is important to not the difference between "haha" and "ahaha." The first, as you pointed out, indicates sarcasm. Whereas the second (the latter?) does not. The extra "a" at the beginning indicates a breath was taken because the impending "haha" is so powerful. I have also never used emoticons. There are about 3 instances where I typed one in, but I knew I couldn't live with myself if I hit the enter button so I deleted it.
    Anyway, nice post Tyler ;)

  • http://www.evanforester.com Evan Forester

    I think it is important to not the difference between "haha" and "ahaha." The first, as you pointed out, indicates sarcasm. Whereas the second (the latter?) does not. The extra "a" at the beginning indicates a breath was taken because the impending "haha" is so powerful. I have also never used emoticons. There are about 3 instances where I typed one in, but I knew I couldn't live with myself if I hit the enter button so I deleted it.
    Anyway, nice post Tyler ;)

  • http://alwaysfloss.blogspot.com Susan

    Sadly, I often use many of the above. And I use them knowing how ridiculous they are, but I am lazy.

  • Michele Arnold

    "Tee hee." implies impish deviousness. "Heh heh" carried a haughty air. "Bwah ha ha." makes me want to drum my fingers together like Mr. Burns. Then there's just "Funny!" (with a mandatory exclamation point to offset any questionable sarcasm).

  • stacikristine

    I honestly don't think I've every used LOL. It always makes me want to roll my eyes. And I agree with Jenni–kids use it for everything! "I'm gonna be a little late lol sorry lol" "we like went and like talked to him lol" Oh–and that's another thing. I hate that kids actually type "like" now! But that's off-subject.

    I usually stick with the hahaha or haha or "that made me laugh so hard!"

  • Lauren

    I HATE lol. Not cool. But I am a "haha" person. The funnier it is, the more I put. But that's kind of how I laugh anyway.

  • Kurvsh Bachain

    "That's funny" is the worst. I find it disrespectful when people say it and don't even laugh. I heard "Now, that's funny!" "This is funny!" and "Wow, Funny!" about 1000 times at Catalyst