Since the advent of social networks, Internet users have been communicating via messages. Since then, a number of expressions and abbreviations have been coined for rapid discussion. The most commonly used are: mdr, lol, Ndk, Jtp, etc. No doubt you've received one of these abbreviations during your SMS conversations.
One of your contacts has probably sent you the abbreviation "IDK", even though you may not know its true meaning.
So what does it mean? What are its origins and when is it used? We'll take a look at these points in a few lines.
Where does the word IDK come from?
The origin of this abbreviation comes from the English-speaking peoples of the United States. "IDK" was mainly used to replace the English phrase "I don't know'. Then the expression became increasingly popular.
It made its appearance in the Urban dictionary in 2003, whose definition is the abbreviated form of "I don't know".
Today, the expression is used in French-speaking circles, but also all over the world. Subsequently, with the creation of instant messaging, it became accessible to everyone. It is very easy to adopt with the message to save time.
What is the meaning of this much-used abbreviation?
In French, it means: I do not know" . It's a standard word that's long been part of SMS jargon. The spelling of "IDK" is not fixed, i.e. it retains its meaning regardless of the spelling. It can be written in upper or lower case.
Sometimes, Internet users write the first letter in uppercase and the rest in lowercase. It can be written in different ways, for example: "Idk", "IDk" or "idK". As the expression is French jargon, these spellings pose no problem.
How do I use "IDK" in a conversation?
Its use is basic, simple and easy to use. Since its meaning is clearly "I don't know", it can be used to at any time, but especially when you don't have the answer to a question. That said, when the person you're talking to is waiting for an answer that you don't have, you can write the acronym "IDK" instead of answering with "I don't know".
Neither is it an obligation to use the abbreviation, but indeed, it's all a matter of choice and habit, so if you want to save time, it's essential to opt for its use.
It's important to stress, however, that the use of this abbreviation is not allowed in a professional worldFor example, during job interviews or business meetings, because it can be used perfectly in both written and spoken form.
Other abbreviations to know in 2024
We have compiled for you some of the most commonly used abbreviations on social networks in 2024 :
- LOL (Lot Of Laugh) (the equivalent of mort de rire: MDR in French)
- ASAP As soon as possible
- FYI : For Your Information
- G2G : Got to Go
- TTYL Talk to you Later
- IMO In my opinion...
- MP who (means private message)
There are so many other abbreviations used to limit or shorten a message/comment. At other times, they are used by some to encode messages or to hide the meaning of certain conversations from parents.
By the way, if you think your children are doing something dangerous without your knowledge, find out more... how to monitor your child's phone to better protect it!
