I vacillate over using LOL, unless I actually did laugh out loud, but I’d rather write “Ha ha!” A long string, as my writer pal, Erin Enberg, points out, can be especially effective, as in Hahahahahahahahaha. Lorrie Moore wrote an entire page of hahaha in a short story (the title escapes me. Lorrie is also great at turning a cliché on its head). On rare occasions I have used ROFL, but I much prefer LSHIPMP, because I have laughed so hard I peed my pants, whereas I have never rolled on the floor laughing.
But I’m sorry. I have a hard time taking anyone who uses the word “squee” seriously.
I’ve seen it many times in tweets and blogs, and its popularity seems to be growing. I suppose it’s a cutesy way of saying that one squealed in happiness. “I actually won the lottery! Squee!” Personally, I can’t imagine anyone over the age of three squealing. Letting out a yippee, maybe. Giving a whoop of hooray, okay. Squee? No.
My friend Jason McCarty wrote to me, “If you listen to Jhonen Vasquez, squee is actually a sound made in fear.” So I did an internet search (no better use of time in the afternoon for a writer), and according to Wikipedia, Vasquez’ wrote a fictional character known as Squee after the noise he makes when frightened. This is from a comic titled Johnny the Homicidal Maniac. Squee also carries around a small teddy bear that he named Shmee. Shmee tells Squee that all his fears and nightmares are inside him in a dream.
In this sense, squee is an onomatopoeia, a word that that imitates or suggests the source of the sound that it describes. Think hiccup or chickadee.
That’s precisely why I have a hard time taking anyone who uses squee seriously. Come on. Who makes a sound like that? No one I know.
I’m not sure that I have ever actually heard a human use the word squee. Perhaps maybe a bird or other small mammal. Personally, I am sick of LOL. If I laugh out loud, that’s how I write it. “I laughed out loud when I read your blog post … ” I have PMP on many occasions, but I’m nearly 54 so it’s expected. I have however LOLASMT (leaned over laughing and slapped my thigh). Funny post – IEISMITTTTC (I enjoyed it so much I took the time to comment).
Squee is strictly used in print– on blogs, posts and comments. I have laughed so hard that I spit on the keyboard. I hear you on the PMP. Yep. Thanks for taking the time to comment, Karen. “See” you on Twitter!
I kinda think squee is more an expression of a feeling. Have you ever been so excited you squinch your eyes shut and tense up…maybe even curl your fingers into your palms, your mouth a huge stupidly happy wide grin? That’s squee. (Don’t do this in front of someone unless you don’t care that they think you’re demented. Or perhaps suffering chest pain.)
But you are right…I never actually make a noise to go with it. Hahahahahahah! 🙂
Fun post, Linda.
I never squinch my eyes.
Squee as an expression of a feeling:
She felt squee all the way down to her toes.
It was a squee moment.
Her squee mounted.
Doesn’t work for me.
😉 <– had to make sure I added the winking smiley. Thanks for the clarification, Cynthia! And I agree, we wouldn't want to actually squee in front of someone!!