‘CUL8A’ (see you later), ‘G2G’ (got to go), ‘BRB’ (be right back), and ‘ROFL’ (rolling on the floor laughing); I’m sure you’ve seen them all. But what do they mean? The English language is ever-evolving – much to some people’s dismay.
These days, people have less time, but thanks to the internet – or internet slang – they still have the ability to speak their mind. So what does TBH mean?
‘TBH’ is another one of these. For those of you who do not know, the internet slang ‘TBH’ stands for ‘to be honest’. This is mostly used in debate forums, or opinion pieces. Known to cause issues of interpretation, sarcasm is almost impossible to transfer over the world wide web. This is where TBH comes in handy. It allows people to show when they are saying something that should be taken completely as it is written. E.G. ‘TBH (to be honest) I think we used to be good friends, but things have changed :(.’
What demographics
However, it is also important to remember that, with the majority of internet slang users being teenagers (more specifically teenage girls), ‘TBH’ can be used to speak the posters offensive opinion, while expecting it to be taken as a fact.E.G. ‘I don’t like you at all, and TBH (to be honest), no one else likes you either.’
Facebook is turning 10 this year, but it has only been in recent years that a new trend called ‘like for a TBH’ has surged in popularity. While tweens (pre-teens – ranging from 10 to 12 years old) are almost obsessed with this trend, it can lead to online bullying and can lead to a lot of hurt feelings.E.G. ‘TBH are my best friend.’Or,E.G. ‘TBH I don’t really know you and I don’t really like you.’
What does it mean when everyone uses OMG, TBH , BRB all the time.
The internet is not the only place that these language short-cuts are taken, however. Text messenging has also been progressed by the use of ‘internet’ slang. With so many young adults growing up using only slang, it is no surprise that the education system has taken a big hit. While it may be quicker, it is by no mean the most beneficial.
But wait! Don’t blame the current generation of teenagers for the demise of the English language. Sources have discovered that acronyms have been recorded in use as far back as 1917. British Admiral Lord Fisher wrote a letter to Winston Churchill, and included the term ‘OMG’ (Oh my G*d). The same also goes for ‘LOL’. The current, most common, usage translates to ‘laugh out loud’, but this acronym has been in use for many years, and originally translated to ‘lots of love’.
A few other internet uses for ‘TBH’ can be found by a google search, though their uses are far more uncommon. It is used by Tracey Brunstrom & Hammond, and TBH Capital Advisors, for example, companies that give financial and project management and advice. Additionally, some companies and services use ‘TBH’ as ‘to be hired’, which symbolizes jobs/fields that have yet to be filled.
TBH there will probably come a time when ‘TBH’ stands more for something else, but for the mean time, it simply conveys someone’s opinion which may or may not be used in an offensive manner.