--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: 'LOL' is one of several texting…" description: "\"'LOL' is one of several texting expressions that convey nuance in a system where you don't have the voice and face to do it the way you normally would...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfa/john-mcwhorter-25821_comedy_lol-is-one-of-several-texting-expression_2470476.jpg" --- # 'LOL' is one of several texting expressions that convey… ![“'LOL' is one of several texting expressions that convey nuance in a system where you don't have the voice and face to do it the way you normally would.” quote by John McWhorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfa/john-mcwhorter-25821_comedy_lol-is-one-of-several-texting-expression_2470476.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfa/john-mcwhorter-25821_comedy_lol-is-one-of-several-texting-expression_2470476.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfa/john-mcwhorter-25821_comedy_lol-is-one-of-several-texting-expression_2470476.jpg) > “'LOL' is one of several texting expressions that convey nuance in a system where you don't have the voice and face to do it the way you normally would.” [John McWhorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcwhorter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Texting adds emotional nuance through abbreviations, emojis, and tone indicators, compensating for lack of vocal cues. **In simple terms:** Text shortcuts convey feeling. Key Takeaway Use expressive shortcuts to clarify tone. Themes communication digital culture emotion Mood playful informative Type observational analytical When to use this quote - online chats - customer support - remote teamwork - social media posts Key Concepts pragmatics semiotics social media Questions to Reflect On - How do you ensure clarity in text? - What symbols best convey sarcasm? A Different Perspective Overreliance may cause misinterpretation without context. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Convey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/convey/) [Convey Nuance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/convey-nuance-756381/) [Expressions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expressions/) [Expressions Convey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expressions-convey-756380/) [Face](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/face/) [Normally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/normally/) [Nuance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nuance/) [Several](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/several/) [System](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/system/) [Texting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/texting/) [Texting Expressions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/texting-expressions-756382/) [Voice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voice/) [Voice Face](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voice-face-756383/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Where](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/where/) [Would](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) ## Related quotes > [I just can't stand the sound of my voice sometimes, or how my face looks. There are always a few times at every premiere…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-anne-moss/i-just-can-t-stand-the-sound-of-my-voice-sometimes-or-how-my-face/) [Carrie-Anne Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-anne-moss/) > [The one on Fresh Hell is a little easier, because we make it up. It's a strange kind of hybrid of the real me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-spiner/the-one-on-fresh-hell-is-a-little-easier-because-we-make-it-up-it-s-a/) [Brent Spiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-spiner/) > [When you have to get into the character each morning, give it your voice, your face, it was torture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-abril/when-you-have-to-get-into-the-character-each-morning-give-it-your/) [Victoria Abril](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-abril/) > [The way we tell our stories on stage is that we use spoken word to convey action, and in movies, we use visual images…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-letts/the-way-we-tell-our-stories-on-stage-is-that-we-use-spoken-word-to/) [Tracy Letts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-letts/) > [Anybody who has something sensible or worthwhile to say should be able to say it calmly and soberly, relying on the words themselves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/anybody-who-has-something-sensible-or-worthwhile-to-say-should-be/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [At the age of 60, I am less experimental and more mature. I want most of all to convey my understanding of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orhan-pamuk/at-the-age-of-60-i-am-less-experimental-and-more-mature-i-want-most/) [Orhan Pamuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orhan-pamuk/) > [We were not fathers also to convey the promise, as Abraham was; nor although the promise, as collectively taken, had belonged to us, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-goodwin/we-were-not-fathers-also-to-convey-the-promise-as-abraham-was-nor/) [Thomas Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-goodwin/) > [It's technically extremely difficult to get down what you really mean, not what you think you mean, or what you think sounds good, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-prawer-jhabvala/it-s-technically-extremely-difficult-to-get-down-what-you-really-mean/) [Ruth Prawer Jhabvala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-prawer-jhabvala/) > [How can we teach our children to be responsible beyond themselves and care for other human beings' welfare and for the welfare of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-reuben/how-can-we-teach-our-children-to-be-responsible-beyond-themselves-and/) [Gloria Reuben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-reuben/) > [“A plan is the transport medium which conveys a person from the station of dreams to the destination of success. Goals are the transport…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/a-plan-is-the-transport-medium-which-conveys-a-person-from-the/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [I believe if you want to convey a complex philosophy, it's advisable to keep it simple: day-to-day lingo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amish-tripathi/i-believe-if-you-want-to-convey-a-complex-philosophy-it-s-advisable/) [Amish Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amish-tripathi/) > [With film, you have very limited tools to convey subjectivity - voiceover, the camera's point of view, good acting - but even the very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-boyd/with-film-you-have-very-limited-tools-to-convey-subjectivity/) [William Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-boyd/) > [“There are certain truths that occurs to us, which we cannot convey in words, but requires a personal experience to grasp more vividly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/there-are-certain-truths-that-occurs-to-us-which-we-cannot-convey-in/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [I have zero interest in performing in films to try to convey any kind of message. My job is to be entertaining. There's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-willis/i-have-zero-interest-in-performing-in-films-to-try-to-convey-any-kind/) [Bruce Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-willis/) > [I would spend hours absorbing every intonation, every inflection - how the singer would convey a sentiment and how it would sound coming out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kat-edmonson/i-would-spend-hours-absorbing-every-intonation-every-inflection-how/) [Kat Edmonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kat-edmonson/) ## More by John McWhorter > [“Modern Our Father, who is in heaven, blessed be your name. Give us our daily bread today. All three of these languages were rich,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcwhorter/modern-our-father-who-is-in-heaven-blessed-be-your-name-give-us-our/) [John McWhorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcwhorter/) > [As far as I'm concerned, and this is a big theme of mine, I'm not interested in white people loving me. It's an unrealistic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcwhorter/as-far-as-i-m-concerned-and-this-is-a-big-theme-of-mine-i-m-not/) [John McWhorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcwhorter/) > [“We’re all Dennis Hopper now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcwhorter/we-re-all-dennis-hopper-now/) [John McWhorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcwhorter/) > [ “\[I\] would argue that native-born blacks are so vastly less "African" than actual Africans that calling ourselves 'African American' is not only illogical but… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcwhorter/i-would-argue-that-native-born-blacks-are-so-vastly-less-african-than/) [John McWhorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcwhorter/) > [People banging away on their smartphones are fluently using a code separate from the one they use in actual writing, but a code it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcwhorter/people-banging-away-on-their-smartphones-are-fluently-using-a-code/) [John McWhorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcwhorter/) > [“The difference between educated people and uneducated people is that educated people have been opened up to the notion that you can disagree without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcwhorter/the-difference-between-educated-people-and-uneducated-people-is-that/) [John McWhorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcwhorter/) > [Most languages spoken by a few thousand people are so complicated they make your head swim; a Siberian yak herder's language is much more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcwhorter/most-languages-spoken-by-a-few-thousand-people-are-so-complicated/) [John McWhorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcwhorter/) > [“Poetry that tames language into tight structures and yet manages to move us comes off as a feat, paralleling ballet or athletic talent in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcwhorter/poetry-that-tames-language-into-tight-structures-and-yet-manages-to/) [John McWhorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcwhorter/) > [“The late twentieth century has been the locus of a new lurch on English’s time line in America, where oratorical, poetic, and compositional craft…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcwhorter/the-late-twentieth-century-has-been-the-locus-of-a-new-lurch-on/) [John McWhorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcwhorter/) > [“I am not 'African American' —I am black American.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcwhorter/i-am-not-african-american-i-am-black-american/) [John McWhorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcwhorter/) > [Rap and spoken word have reawakened the country to poetry in itself. Texting and Twitter encourage creative uses of casual language, in ways I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcwhorter/rap-and-spoken-word-have-reawakened-the-country-to-poetry-in-itself/) [John McWhorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcwhorter/) > [It would be good if teachers could genuinely understand that black English is not mistakes, it's just different English, and that what you want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcwhorter/it-would-be-good-if-teachers-could-genuinely-understand-that-black/) [John McWhorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcwhorter/) > [As languages go, English is pretty user friendly. If you look at a tiny language spoken somewhere that most of us have never heard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcwhorter/as-languages-go-english-is-pretty-user-friendly-if-you-look-at-a-tiny/) [John McWhorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcwhorter/) > [Black English is simpler than standard English in some ways; for example, it often gets by with just 'be' and drops 'am,' 'is,' and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcwhorter/black-english-is-simpler-than-standard-english-in-some-ways-for/) [John McWhorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcwhorter/) > [“Our sense of what American English is has upended our relationship to articulateness, our approach to writing, and how (and whether) we impart it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcwhorter/our-sense-of-what-american-english-is-has-upended-our-relationship-to/) [John McWhorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcwhorter/) [Explore all 22 John McWhorter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcwhorter/) ## More Comedy quotes > ['Mad TV' is one of my most favorite shows of all time and is a huge part of my obsession with sketch comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-dawson/mad-tv-is-one-of-my-most-favorite-shows-of-all-time-and-is-a-huge/) [Shane Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-dawson/) > [You can laugh at me, but I understand show business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ksenia-sobchak/you-can-laugh-at-me-but-i-understand-show-business/) [Ksenia Sobchak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ksenia-sobchak/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I wouldn't want people to laugh at me. That's why I have to give all that I can, and at least produce something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhao-wei/i-wouldn-t-want-people-to-laugh-at-me-that-s-why-i-have-to-give-all/) [Zhao Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhao-wei/) > [“Our world will not die as a result of the bomb, as the papers say, it will die of laughter, of banality, of making a joke…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/our-world-will-not-die-as-a-result-of-the-bomb-as-the-papers-say-it/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [I've been funny my whole life. This is a gift God gave me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-morgan/i-ve-been-funny-my-whole-life-this-is-a-gift-god-gave-me/) [Tracy Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-morgan/) > [“Laugh and grow strong”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ignatius-of-loyola/laugh-and-grow-strong/) [Ignatius of Loyola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ignatius-of-loyola/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [There's a difference between delivering real funny and just silly funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-rel-howery/there-s-a-difference-between-delivering-real-funny-and-just-silly/) [Lil Rel Howery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-rel-howery/) > [Oh to that corkscrew, the useful tool to unlock the treasure of wit, the treasury of laughter, the front door of fellowship, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-guzaldo/oh-to-that-corkscrew-the-useful-tool-to-unlock-the-treasure-of-wit/) [Andrew Guzaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-guzaldo/) > [“Men circle like bees around honey, buzzing to communicate their sexual despair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-h-krueger/men-circle-like-bees-around-honey-buzzing-to-communicate-their-sexual/) [Carla H Krueger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-h-krueger/) > [I do love to laugh!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-giudice/i-do-love-to-laugh/) [Teresa Giudice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-giudice/) > [I really enjoy making people laugh; I've discovered that's a great technique. That's as powerful as stirring their sorrow, stirring their compassion, because that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/i-really-enjoy-making-people-laugh-i-ve-discovered-that-s-a-great/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) [Browse all 19,795 Comedy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "'LOL' is one of several texting expressions that convey nuance in a system where you don't have the voice and face to do it the way you normally would.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John McWhorter" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcwhorter/lol-is-one-of-several-texting-expressions-that-convey-nuance-in-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Comedy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcwhorter/lol-is-one-of-several-texting-expressions-that-convey-nuance-in-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfa/john-mcwhorter-25821_comedy_lol-is-one-of-several-texting-expression_2470476.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfa/john-mcwhorter-25821_comedy_lol-is-one-of-several-texting-expression_2470476.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfa/john-mcwhorter-25821_comedy_lol-is-one-of-several-texting-expression_2470476.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“'LOL' is one of several texting expressions that convey nuance in a system where you don't have the voice…” — John McWhorter", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John McWhorter", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcwhorter/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "'LOL' is one of several texting...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcwhorter/lol-is-one-of-several-texting-expressions-that-convey-nuance-in-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcwhorter/lol-is-one-of-several-texting-expressions-that-convey-nuance-in-a/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```