The Philology of LOLCats | Big Think

TL;DR

Analyzing the linguistics behind LOLCats and their impact on internet culture and communication.

Transcript

foreign cats are really interesting for a lot of reasons I love language and I love the image that people have of the internet being a place where you go to see cat pictures and from a bunch of different web communities such as 4chan and some of the other kind of underground web communities people um uh were captioning cats with a text about what t... Read More

Key Insights

• 😺 LOLCats' popularity stems from the humorous captions on cat photos, creating a unique form of online entertainment.
• ❓ The language of LOLCats resembles a creole, showcasing the adaptability and evolution of language in online communication.
• ❓ Through exploring LOLCats, the creator delves into the intersection of language, humor, and internet culture.
• 😒 The creator's use of obscure web culture elements reflects a sense of humor and fun in engaging with online communities.
• ⌛ LOLCats exemplify how internet culture remixes and reinvents content, sustaining its popularity over time.
• ❓ The creator's experience with LOLCats and internet culture highlights the importance of embracing creativity and humor online.
• 😩 Wearing a shirt with a controversial web reference exemplifies the creator's playful approach to engaging with internet culture.

Questions & Answers

Q: How did LOLCats become a popular phenomenon on the internet?

LOLCats gained popularity for their combination of humorous captions on cat photos, creating a unique form of online entertainment that resonated with a wide audience.

Q: What linguistic observations were made about LOLCats?

The language used in LOLCats was compared to a creole, a type of language adaptation for cross-group understanding, suggesting a deeper complexity behind the seemingly simple captions.

Q: Why did the creator liken LOLCats' language to a type of creole?

The creator saw similarities between LOLCats' language and creoles, emphasizing the importance of language evolution and adaptation in online communication and culture.

Q: How did the creator's exploration of LOLCats reflect their views on internet culture?

The creator embraced internet culture's inventive and fun nature, showcasing how elements like LOLCats can spark creativity and humor within online communities.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• LOLCats became popular on the internet due to their humorous captions on cat photos.

• The language used in LOLCats resembles a creole, aimed at human understanding.

• The creator explores the intersection of language, humor, and internet culture through LOLCats.