The etymology of slang

I wrote about Internet slang yesterday -- the origins of such terms as FWIW, BRB, and LOL. It was an interesting exercise trying to track down how these terms started. Many of the comments so far -- very polite and helpful, for the most part -- have mentioned two main ideas.

The first is that the piece is essentially an etymology of slang abbreviations in the digital age, but does not include the shorthand used on HAM radios or in the military. I agree to some extent. It's an interesting debate. If I say BRB in an online chat, it means something different from the original etymology. In a way, the digital age created new meanings for old terms. Today, BRB has lost much of its original intent. We say BRB for just about anything -- switching over to another online chat, pouring coffee, answering the phone. It's very possible that the original usage, as telegraphese, really meant you are going somewhere physically and will be right back. I remember playing computer games at work in the 90s and BRB meant I was leaving the game, but part of the reason was that -- back then -- we didn't just sit at a computer all day, so we'd go somewhere and come back.

I think this is happening with other words as well. I think "friend" has all but lost its original meaning. What we really mean is "add" as in, I am adding you to my Digg account or in Facebook, but I know you are not really my friend. But add is not a powerful enough word -- we could "add" numbers, or letters -- but we "friend" people. Unfortunately, this can carry over to the physical world: I "added" you as a physical friend to my list, but that doesn't mean I am going to actually talk to you on the phone or meet you in person.

Anyway, the second idea that has come through on comments is no surprise at all: people have wildly different ideas and recollections about where these terms originated. And, many are wondering why their favorite term was not listed. I have to be honest and say I left out a few on purpose. I know that WTF is incredibly popular, but I'm not really into that one. I did include RTFM because it has such a distinct etymology that you can trace it back to the days when software companies actually sent manuals with their product. The bigger the manual , the more you paid -- up until you get into software that costs $100,000 and a manual is not enough, you need to hire a consultant. Of course, Adobe still does include thick manuals, and I love them. I just got CS4 and I read several of the thick manuals and enjoyed them. I'm pretty sure Adobe is one of the few who does still include manuals. I just got a review copy of Maya and it just has a DVD for training, but no manuals. The Web, and online help, have taken over.

Here's a question to answer in comments: what is your favorite abbreviation? Or, which one do you use most often during a typical day?