Tone Indicators in Online Communication

Tone indicators are commonly used as a way to indicate what tone you are speaking with over text, or on online forums and platforms like Discord or Reddit. This can help avoid situations where one misinterprets what someone else said and gets upset, offended, or hurt unnecessarily. However, with the amount of tone indicators used online, it can be hard to know what one may mean at first. Just know that it is always okay to ask what someone what they mean! The more you ask, the less confusion there might be.

Below are some common tone indicators and their meanings. Tone indicators are always at the end of a message and start with a forward slash (/) followed by one to three letters. Some tone indicators have multiple versions, which will be listed if that’s the case. They have been listed alphabetically by what the indicator stands for.

• • /c = Copypasta: A copypasta is internet slang for a very long piece of text people repeatedly send by copy and pasting (rather than typing it out), usually to be funny or troll someone.
    • A common example of a copypasta is the script of The Bee Movie or other types of “memes.”
  • /cb = Clickbait: This indicates a link or message sent isn’t true, and was likely written in a way to incite a reaction or get views.
  • /f = Fake: This means the text or link was made up.
  • /g or /gen = Genuine: This means the message given wasn’t sarcastic, and the person who sent it means it wholeheartedly. It can be used for questions or statements.
  • /hj = Half-joking: This means the message sent is a half-joke, not meant to be taken fully seriously.
  • /hyp = Hyperbole: This means it is a great exaggeration, not meant to be taken literally. /j = Joking: This means the message sent is not meant seriously at all.
  • /lh = Lighthearted: This means the sender is not being serious in the slightest, usually in a cheerful way./li = Literally: This means the message should be taken at face value.
  • /l or /ly = Lyrics: This means the sender is quoting a song.
  • /m = Metaphorically: This is a type of statement when someone comparing two things in a non-literal way.
  • /neg = Negative: While the wording might infer otherwise, the sender means it in a bad way.
  • /nbh = Nobody here: This is used when someone is ranting about people in their lives, but not about specific people in the chat. It is used to put people in the chat at ease, so they know they didn’t cause the rant.
  • /nm = Not mad: This is used when someone is correcting a statement or stating a fact to show they aren’t upset with the other person.
  • /p = Platonic: While the wording might seem romantic, the sender means it in a friendly, non-romantic way.
  • /pos = Positive: While the wording might infer otherwise, the sender means it in a good way.
  • /ref = Reference: This means the message is referencing and/or quoting something else, like a movie, TV show, book, or other content. If you don’t understand the reference, you can either ask for clarification or ignore the message.
  • /rh or /rt = Rhetorical: This is used when the question given is not meant to be answered.
  • /r = Romantic: This is used instead of the indicator for platonic, so the statement reads as it is meant to be. The statement is meant to be romantic.
  • /s = Sarcastic: This means the statement is meant in a mocking way.
  • /srs = Serious: This means the message should be taken completely at face value.
    • An example is if someone is setting a clear boundary, they may end the message with this so that others know they aren’t joking.
  • /t = Teasing: This means the sender is poking fun at someone else or joking, in a friendly way.

This is not a full list. You can always ask what a tone indicator means. The most common ones used are often: /gen, /j, /lh, /nm, /p, /pos, /ref, /s, and /srs.