In response to Aaron Goldblatt's question about the impact of the Infobahn on
language.  (Hi, Aaron)  As a first cut, this falls into two obvious categories:
linespeak, used only by on-line communicators, and terminology that has gotten
into the general vocabulary.
 
Linespeak presumably fills the same needs as all in-group jargon, namely
differentiating the ins and the outs.  Btw, imho, lol, all the smilies (or
do you call them emoticons?) exist purely on-line, or in guidebook type
articles.  No doubt all the ones that have been defined in NEWSWEEK are no
longer current in lineworld. and have been replaced with newer, un=interpreted
phrases.
 
Offhand,  I can't think of anything that
s gotten into general usage, though "on-line" has been an analogy for getting
something up and running for some time.
 
I suspect that it takes a while for a new vocabulary set to enter the popular
consciousness.  Has anyone seen the first signs of on-line usage creeping
into the off-line world?
 
Ann Mintz
Orlando Science Center
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