Archive for the ‘Dating’ Category
Language in the Era of Tweeting and Texting
September 21, 2009
When it comes to online dating, punctuation and word choice can make all the difference. That’s the finding of a recent study conducted by OkCupid.com, an online dating service that currently attracts 3.3 million users. Using 500,000 first contact messages pooled from their site (with names stripped from the messages), the site founders analyzed specific words and phrases to see which led to further correspondence and which brought the “e-courting” to a screeching halt.
The report gives a voyeuristic glimpse of people’s private online social practices. In the process, it also serves as a miniature Idiot’s Guide to online dating. General trends from the report indicate that, in order to ensure a positive response to your digital flirtations, it’s important to be literate, casual, and not too forward. Avoid netspeak terms like “ur,” “ya,” and “wat,” the study says. The exceptions to the no-netspeak rule: terms that represent laughter, like “lol” and “haha.” Just like in the real world, a sense of humor counts.
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