Acronyms or Electronic Shorthand - abbreviations for commonly used phrases in e-mail and instant messaging. Includes combinations of letters and numbers, symbols, and unconventional use of caps and asterisks. Some common acronyms: & or + = and $ = dollars, money * = emphasis (put on either side of *important* word) @ = at 2 = to, too, two ALL CAPS = shouting b4 = before brb = be right back cuz = ëcause (because) f2f = face to face jk = just kidding kewl = cool l8r = later lol = laugh out loud nm = not much oic = oh I see r = are ttyl = talk to you later u = you wuz = was Emoticons - Also refereed to as "smileys." Symbols used to indicate emotion by depicting facial expressions. To read an emoticon, tilt your head 90 degrees to the left. Some common emoticons: :) = smiley, pleasure, agreement :( = frown, dismay, disagreement :-? = frustration :-^ = tongue in cheek  Flaming - rude, angry, or hostile e-mail messages sent as a reply, usually in response to a misinterpretation of a message. Instant Messenger (IM) - a program used for synchronous communication or "live" chat. America On Line (AOL) IM is the most common program. Also used as a verb: instant messaging. Also referred to as "chatting." Listserv - an electronic mailing list devoted to a particular topic. To participate members send a message to the server (listserv) which e-mails it to all list members. Anyone can create a mailing list at Yahoo! Groups <groups.yahoo.com>. Paralinguistic or Extralinguistic Cues - visible or audible social cues (such as facial expression, body language, or vocal tone) used in addition to words to convey meaning. Pedagogy - the art or science of teaching; teaching methods (Oxford English Dictionary, 1971). Rhetoric - Skill in using eloquent or persuasive language (Oxford English Dictionary, 1971). Synchronous - simultaneous communication or "live" electronic chat. Usenet - Internet newsgroups; discussion groups devoted to a particular topic; the most recent version of electronic bulletin boards. Messages can be sent to individual members (like a listserv) or be kept in an archive on the World Wide Web which users can access at will (like an old-fashioned bulletin board). Google Groups <groups.google.com> is one example.