Perhaps the idea evolved from newspaper personal advertisements, where it became "hip" to use catchy abbreviations. They shortened the message, so the ads cost less. For instance, a person might advertise that he was a "DJM", a "divorced Jewish man", "ISO" meaning "in search of," and N/DWF" a non-drinking white female, for a "LTR," that's a long-term relationship.

Now, in many e-mails on the computer, there's a whole new kind of "lingo", as such language is called. Recreational users understand it perfectly, but it may mystify others.

To go with a story about computer-talk, PC World magazine and the magazine's website, PCWorld.com, produced a long glossary of these terms. PC World senior editor Aoefe McEvoy says the lingo is especially popular among users of what's called "instant messaging". Short blocks of text that are typed and shared, back and forth, among friends. "Some people who like to save time, like to be funny, use these abbreviations, not because they're lazy but because they've got eight computer conversations going on at once," she explained. "Some of them, you might guess what they mean. For example, a lot of people think 'LOL' is 'lots of love,' which it is not."

No, 'LOL' in computer lingo stands for 'laughed out loud'. Fifteen-year-old Rose Bellandi, a high-school student in Syracuse, New York, likes to use this computer jargon in her online conversations. She says the slang comes naturally when you've grown up in the cyber age.

Bellandi: "I use, like, 'TLTL', which is 'too little, too late.' There's stuff like 'BRB', 'I'll be right back." An N and M is 'never mind.' It's just easier than writing the whole thing out.'"

Landphair: "How about 'J/K'?"

Bellandi: "Just kidding."

Landphair: "Just kidding!" You knew that one right off the top of your head!"

Bellandi: "Yeah, I use it a lot. I use 'VEG,' which is 'very evil grin.' And 'IMAO.' That's 'in my arrogant opinion!'

Landphair: "'In my arrogant opinion'?"

Bellandi: "There's also 'IMHO,' which is 'in my humble opinion.'"

Landphair: "And your friends would understand immediately what you're talking about?"

Bellandi: "Yeah, they would."