Have you ever sent a lengthy text only to be greeted with a simple “WDYM?” Here’s what that online term stands for, and how you may use it to show your bafflement.
What Exactly Do You Mean?
“What Do You Mean?” is the acronym for “?” It’s an abbreviation for asking someone to clarify a message you don’t understand in online chat rooms and social networking platforms.
“WYM” or “what you mean?” is a less frequent spelling. People commonly write it in lowercase “WDYM” rather than capital “WDYM” like other acronyms that were popular in the age of direct messaging.
Did you Do the Homework Yet?
If a friend asks, “Did you do the homework yet?” and you don’t know if there is any homework, you might answer, What Do You Mean? This allows you to convey your confusion in a clear and straightforward manner.
This term is similar to a lot of other online acronyms that we’ve already explored. The most apparent comparison is IDK, which stands for “I don’t know” and is a similar term for befuddlement. “I don’t get it,” or IDGI is another way of saying you don’t understand something.
What Do You Mean not only requests an explanation but also implies that the other person’s statement is irrational or incorrect? Someone can say, “Did you know that Apple invented the first computer?”
You may respond with “WDYM,” not to learn more about the issue, but to point out that what they’re saying is completely incorrect. What Do You Mean?
Historical Background
This is a newer acronym than the others we’ve discussed. While many internet slang phrases originated in the 1990s and early 2000s, evidence shows that WDYM gained popularity in the late 2000s. “What Do You Mean?” reads the initial explanation of What Do You Mean on the online slang word repository Urban Dictionary, which was published in 2007.
The Emergence of SMS
The emergence of SMS text messaging and direct chat services like AOL Instant Messenger coincided with WDYM’s existence. As a consequence, among youngsters at the time, most used internet abbreviation. What Do You Mean eventually became a common phrase on the internet and on social media platforms such as Twitter and TikTok.
Online Catchphrase
The term “what do you mean” has been around for a long time, but it has only recently gained prominence as an online catchphrase. It’s the de facto approach to get someone to explain something you don’t understand.
Especially if you think they’re sending you confusing signals. Justin Bieber, the pop sensation, even penned a song called “What Do You Mean?” about a love partner who isn’t making sense.
Miscommunication and WDYM
Miscommunication is the main reason why What Do You Mean is so popular on the internet.
When you’re conversing with someone else over the internet, keep in mind that what you’re saying might not necessarily come out the way you intended.
You can also be confusing the person you’re messaging if you don’t pick your words carefully.
Let’s assume you’d like to congratulate your new acquaintance on his or her new work. You want to do it in a lighthearted way, so you send a message that says, “Congratulations on selling your soul to the devil!” Unfortunately, if they don’t grasp what the joke is about, they may not reply to you or, worse still, they may find your message offensive.
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Simple and Quick Approach
WDYM is a simple, quick approach to explaining things and making sure you’re both on the same page.
If you’re having a discussion with someone and don’t understand what they’re saying, responding with “WDYM?” is usually a smart idea.
There’s also a method to saying What Do You Mean in a way that indicates rage rather than perplexity. If someone writes you an obnoxious comment, for example, you may respond with “WDYM” to get them to explain themselves.
This term is comparable to the expression “what do you mean by that?” which is a common reaction to someone who is being disrespectful without realizing it. What Do You Mean is usually written both in upper and lower case, however, it is more famous if you write it in upper case.
Popular Internet Slangs
We have researched some popular internet slang that would come into action. Some are given below:
Sorry, I didn’t get it. WDYM?”
Can you tell me WDYM by that?”
Well, are you sure about that? WDYM”
“You’re not making any sense, WDYM?”
Summary:
So, we had a well-explained, concise and brief article about what WDYM means. We hope that if you will get stuck somewhere, you would have our article and wording in your mind and get yourself one of the best and most suitable answers according to the happening situation.