Internet vernacular is awesome! FTW!

Yesterday, in my Entertainment and Cultural Commentary class, we were discussing slang and phrases that define a certain era. We went into a deep discussion on what has been (and still is) the most relevant type of slang within the past five years.

We came to the conclusion that “Internet speak” defines our current times.

Is it sad that terms such as “LOL” and “OMG” will forever resonate as the idioms of the 21st century?

That aside, we were coming up with more and more textisms that oversaturate our everyday vocal attire: BRB, TTYL, ROTFL, etc. Then, we came upon the term, FTW.

When my students told me that this meant, “Fuck the World” – I was taken aback. Not because I am some vocabulary Puritan, but because I, being the dork that I am, looked it up and read that it meant “For the Win”.

All my students started laughing at me. I never felt like a uncool and unhip university instructor until that very moment. They were pointing, laughing and then they dumped a bucket of pig’s blood on me.

Okay, not really.

Nonetheless, every time I’ve seen FTW in the feed on my Facebook, it made sense that it translated to “For the Win”. Sure, I was skeptical because it sounded kind of lame, but when someone writes, “Banh mi FTW!” I figure they like banh mi so much that they think they are winners – which is positive. It’s uplifting. It gives a sense of accomplishment and that we shouldn’t take the small things in life for granted.

I could see how “Fuck the world” can translate – “Banh mi fuck the world.” Which is basically saying, “I got banh mi mother fuckers – I got some and you don’t – what you know about that?!”

After my students stopped laughing at me, we looked it up on UrbanDictionary.com and – lo and behold – my translation of the cyber acronym was on there as well.

I could’ve gloated and said “I told you so! FTW!” but I didn’t. I am a gentleman.

Still, I can’t help but wonder what is the real meaning of FTW when you use it? Better yet, why can’t there just be one single meaning for FTW?

Then again, why even use it? It’s almost as bad as saying FML.