A lolcow is a person who is mocked, laughed at and made fun of. In this person, his peculiarities and behavior are the focus of ridicule.
The origin of the expression „Lolcow“ is the English expression „Milked for laughs“.
The term lolcow is a term used in social media. The language in chats and forums is based on many abbreviations and acronyms. Lolcow is a compound term that has its root in English. Abbreviations are an adequate way to communicate information and texts faster and with fewer characters. Digital natives and forum communities are confident in using linguistic subtleties and abbreviations in messages.
What does „lolcow“ mean? Meaning, definition, explanation
Defined is a lolcow, as a person at whom others laugh. The lolcow is usually unaware that they are being laughed at.
For example, an Internet user uploads a photo or video of themselves on a social platform. The user wants to share a precious moment, show their skills or an attractive side of themselves. When uploading the post, it is not apparent to the creator that others might laugh at it. The network community, on the other hand, finds the post hilarious. Not necessarily because it is particularly humorous, but out of schadenfreude or other base motives. The laughing stimulus can be triggered by appearances, movements or statements. Uninhibited laughter is expressed by the acronym LOL. Cow stands for something funny that does not lose its entertainment value, no matter how many times it is watched. Similar to a cow that gets milked over and over again.
Meaning LOLWCOW: LOL and Cow
LOL is an acronym for Laughin out loud. The initial letters form the acronym, which is often abbreviated with three capital letters. For terms that are common in net lingo, a literal translation is difficult. Laughin out loud means laughing out loud or laughing out loud. It refers to an intense and loud laugh.
Cow is the English term for cow. At the same time, cow on the web stands for a funny or comical post. In the context of lolcow, milking a cow is most likely significant. Social media show a special dynamic in the formation of word creations and abbreviations. Tracing the process quickly leads into the realm of speculation. Cows are milked regularly and again and again the cow supplies milk. It is an endless flow of milk production. It is similar with videos and contributions, which inspire to the groundless laughter and with persons, who exhilarate by special peculiarities. Both characteristics have led to the word combination Lolcow.
Lolcow in a discussion group
In forums and social communities, chat is an important means of communication. As in interpersonal conversations, knowledge, non-knowledge and differentiated opinions meet. A phenomenon often creeps into the course of communication. One participant in the discussion group tries to shine with particularly high professional competence. Other participants lower the exchange to a lower level. Pointless argumentation is introduced with forceful expressions. The expert must ultimately admit that the technical arguments have been exhausted. Expertise is paraded and ridiculed for the amusement of the other participants.
The phenomenon is known as flame war. The victim of the flame war has his back against the wall and no longer makes a statement. Up to this point, the statements were milked to generate as many laughs as possible. In German, there is the symbolic concept of the cash cow, which can be milked again and again when there is a financial bottleneck. Similarly, a lolcow can be milked whenever there is a need to generate laughs at the expense of others.