The evolution of internet speach

[Volga]

When did LoL change from meaning Lots of Laughs or Laugh out Loud to: I really don't have anything important to say ?

Context:

18 Shammy LFG... LOL

WTB thing of the uber.. lol

and while on this topic WTF is a LUL ?! (I'm assuming lulz has nothing to do with reducing agro on mobs?)

Anyhow...

lol

[Ingrum]

I saw my first "lol" at the beginning of my very first Starcraft game a month after it came out.

Here's a wikipedia page for ya. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LOL

[Toony]

When did LoL change from meaning Lots of Laughs or Laugh out Loud to: I really don't have anything important to say ?

Context:

18 Shammy LFG... LOL

WTB thing of the uber.. lol

and while on this topic WTF is a LUL ?! (I'm assuming lulz has nothing to do with reducing agro on mobs?)

Anyhow...

lol

Lulz is kind of like lol lite, lul even more so? Heck I dunno.

[Barkingturtle]

Lulz are an end unto themselves, my friend, and you'd do well to remember that always. Hope I've evaporated any and all confusion.

[Humerox]

Lulz is like Lawlz lite. Maybe.

Well...they both have z's, anyways.

Zomg.

[azeth]

when it comes to the internet, mo' Zs mo' bettah

^ factz

[Rogean]

Http://www.rogean.com/images/lulz.jpg

[yaaaflow]

4chan posters spotted

[uraniumrooster]

I was inspired by this thread to do some research intolulzography (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=lulzography&defid=3739216)

Here is the evolution of Lulz as far as I was able to determine.
lol (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=lol)
lols (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=lols)
lolz (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=lolz)
lawl (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=lawl)
lawlz (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=lawlz)
lul (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=lul)
luls (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=luls)
lulz (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=lulz)
epic lulz (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=epic+lulz)

Some contrasting data here leads to a few different conclusions:
1. Lul and its derivatives (luls, lulz, etc) are simply a corruption of the abbreviation Lol, from the phonetic Lawl.
2. Lul and its derivatives are in fact their own abbreviation for Lame Uncomfortable Laugh.
3. There are also a few altering views on the derivatives. Generally the -s ending (lols or luls, interestingly there is no officially recognized -s form of lawl) is recognized as a plural form of the base, while the -z (lolz, lulz, lawlz) is a more "spunky" variant of this plural form. Alternatively, the -z ending may also stand for "zebra", which would give Lulz the possible interpretation, "Lame Uncomfortable Laugh, Zebra".

It is generally accepted however that lulz are the one and only good reason anyone does anything, leading to the popular phrase "Did it for the Lulz".

[Straif]

Http://www.rogean.com/images/lulz.jpg

QFT

[Waedawen]

QFT


Yet only So Many can comprehend that.

[h0tr0d (shaere)]

When did speech become speach. /shrug

[Walabaego]

When did speech become speach. /shrug

Amazed this wasn't caught earlier :P Grammar trolls, I r Diss A Point.