xo?

[Paula]

Hi,

 

Um, I have a rather stupid question. I think this is some kind of international thing that hasn´t been used in my culture but I´ve been running into it lately in the internet. What does things like "xo", "xoxo" etc. mean after the person´s signature in letters or do they mean anything at all? Anyone know some place that has them explaned? Just wondering. Thanks!

[Paulie]

x means kisses

 

o means hugs

 

similarly, lol means "laugh out loud"

 

I think these things are pretty foolish

 

The absolute worst of them, however, is when people put '69" after their username, screenname, on bumperstickers, etc.

[Tony T]

The xoxo is shorthand for "kisses and hugs" or "I love you."

 

The xoxo existed in America long before the Internet came on the scene. So did the number 69, which after a name can signify the year of birth but has also long been associated with homosexuality. Someone with a 69 next to their name or on their Tee Shirt could be associated with a gay issue by people who are familiar with this.

 

However, we live in an Internet world now and our complex lives require great brevity.

 

When typing messages in Email or in instant messages, emoticons and other shorthand help us express our feels, helps the reader understand that something we have written is just a joke. For instance:

 

You are a super butthole for believing that.

 

You are a super butthole for believing that (LOL).

 

You are far less offended by the second line and a lot more likely to be in better spirits if I let you know I am joking by the LOL (laughing out loud or lots of laughs).

 

Many people like to put smily face emoticons at the end of sentences they mean to be happy and brighten someone's day For a complete list of emoticons, what they mean, and how to use them, use any good search engine and enter: "emoticons" in the search field and press "GO". For America Online subscribers, simply use keyword: "emoticons" for a complete listing.

 

Maybe it's a bit silly but there have been many people in this forum who do not understand my sick sense of humor who have taken me very literally when I meant something as a joke and just forgot to write LOL or put a at the end.

 

If you want yourself to be understood just a bit better, I think it's a good idea to use these handy symbols. And I feel anybody who thinks they're foolish should be banned from using the Internet (LOL)!!!

[Taressa]

Hey Tony,

 

Clear something up for me... I thought that 69 represents a man and a woman simultaneously involved in um...uh... head-to-crotch activity - - not so? Wouldn't be the first time I've been the dark on sexual slang but maybe it's a regional thing?

 

By the way your answer regarding the "dick" question today was a classic. Classy use of humor with an awkward question!

 

xoxoxoxo o (an extra hug for the laugh)

 

Taressa

[Tony T]

Well, I suppose 69 can mean whatever definition you assign to it. I have heard it used the way you describe as well. There is no end to the coded slang that we pass along from time to time.

 

Thirteen has always been considered unlucky by those superstitous, 7 is held very holy by many religious. Ten is supposedly the highest rank of attractiveness assigned to a women...thus, a perfect 10. And on and on.

 

I remember when I was in the seventh grade, if a guy wore the color green on Thursday, he was said to be gay.

 

To me, 69 is pretty meaningless because in my state, lottery numbers run from 1-53.

[billy the kid]

ok what does 99 mean other than it comes after 98 and before 100 and is divisiable by 3?

Well, I suppose 69 can mean whatever definition you assign to it. I have heard it used the way you describe as well. There is no end to the coded slang that we pass along from time to time. Thirteen has always been considered unlucky by those superstitous, 7 is held very holy by many religious. Ten is supposedly the highest rank of attractiveness assigned to a women...thus, a perfect 10. And on and on. I remember when I was in the seventh grade, if a guy wore the color green on Thursday, he was said to be gay. To me, 69 is pretty meaningless because in my state, lottery numbers run from 1-53.

[Lucille]

Back to the xoxox thing:

 

In Australia we use it to mean kisses and hugs after we sign off in a letter (to friends and family, not business of course). It does not originate from the Internet as I have been using it since I was old enough to write (let's just say the early seventies). I was actually surprised when I discovered that other countries didn't use x's and o's.