As certain companies move into increasingly informal work environments, seasoned professionals may find themselves confused by some of the contemporary slang and shorthand used by their co-workers. This new vocabulary can be especially confusing if encountered in a text or an email where the letters on your screen are divorced from the tone and other non-verbal cues we pick up on in face-to-face communication. Take the word ‘ouuuu’ for example. While the word may look like someone fell asleep on their u key, this is actually a verbal expression used to convey interest in something that’s been brought to their attention.let us know What Does ‘Ouuuu’ Mean In A Text?
The word ‘ouuuu’ is designed to sound similar to the exclamation ‘ooh’ or ‘ooh!’, which is usually uttered when a person comes across something they find interesting or appealing. It generally has a positive connotation to it, as whoever has sent ‘ouuuu’ is displaying interest or approval at what you’ve said.
While this is one particular spelling that can signal interest in your ideas, ‘ouuuu’ can be spelled in many different ways, and the word’s connotations can change depending on factors like spelling, punctuation, and context in a message.
The Many Variations of ‘ouuuu’ and Their Meanings
One important thing to understand about language over text messaging is that grammar rules can be used much more loosely than they are in other written mediums, with a little negative impact on the communication between the texters. Obviously, many workplaces will still prefer that you text with proper grammar and other written conventions, but younger generations have made great strides in using syntax and grammar ‘errors’ to add expression and tone to their text messages.
Let’s use this knowledge to unpack the various ways ‘ouuuu’ can appear, and what different forms of it may mean. One more important aspect to keep in mind while reading is that often, tone and expression are dictated in a text message just as much by the surrounding conversation’s context as by the spelling and structure of an individual word.
Here are some common variations of ‘ouuuu’ that you might come across, and their associated meanings:
- ouuuu
- The standard example found in this article. Implies interest or enthusiasm towards an idea.
- ouuu / ouu / ou
- The standard example of ‘ouuuu’ with fewer us. Probably the most common variation, and still implies interest or enthusiasm towards an idea.
- ouuuuu / ouuuuuu / etc.
- Variations of ‘ouuuu’ with more us added may imply special interest in an idea or great enthusiasm.
- ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu… etc.
- A hyperbolic variation of ‘ouuuu’ showing great interest or enthusiasm.
- Some people may just text with general enthusiasm in their day-to-day and will add repetitions of the same letter, capitalized letters, or exclamation points as part of their normal way of communicating. They are most likely still interested in what you have to say, but not to the extent that the hyperbole implies.
- ou!
- This may imply a surprise, usually a pleasant one. Generally precedes a follow-up statement from the sender.
- ooh / oooh / etc.
- Spelling variation of ‘ouuuu’ using an h to produce the ‘oo’ sound rather than a u. Generally doesn’t differentiate the meaning of the exclamation.
Appropriate Usage of ‘ouuuu’
If you’d like to start using ‘ouuuu’ in your own text messages, it’s relatively easy to do so. If you’re exposed to an idea or concept that you’re invested in, you can hypothetically begin your text message with any of the variations featured in this article’s previous section, but it is important to keep in mind the context of your conversation as well as the level of professionalism your job expects of you.
For example, if you are a criminal defence lawyer communicating with a client over text and they send you something interesting, it’s probably not the most appropriate time to respond with “ouuuu can’t wait to hear more :)).” In general, slang and shorthand should try to be avoided when dealing with sensitive topics including health care, financial services, funeral services, and any other environments that you would treat with respect in your daily life.
Slang over text (including ‘ouuuu’) is most appropriate when communicating with people with who you know well enough to have an informal relationship. If you are friends with your coworkers and are discussing something with relatively low stakes, it generally will not be inappropriate to respond with an ‘ouuuu’ variation to express your interest.
If in doubt over whether or not using ‘ouuuu’ is appropriate in any given situation, the safest choice to make is to not use it. This rule applies to most slang and shorthand that you may be unsure of.
However, if you would like to actively try incorporating ‘ouuuu’ and other expressions into your text messaging, try running through this list to gauge whether or not the situation is appropriate. Answering ‘yes’ to a question means you can move on to the following question while answering ‘no’ means that the situation probably doesn’t warrant an ‘ouuuu’:
- Have you previously had informal conversations with the person to who you’re responding?
(yes/no) - Is the person who you’re responding to a friend or at least a person who you’re friends with?
(yes/no) - Is your conversation with this person surrounding a serious topic such as death, sickness, financial issues, bigotry, or any other sensitive topic?
(yes/no) - Congratulations! The use of ‘ouuuu’ and its variations would not be inappropriate in this situation.
This shortlist can also be used to gauge whether other pieces of texting slang and shorthand are appropriate to use in any given situation.
Conclusion
Using ‘ouuuu’ and its many variants can help inject personality and tone into a text message, assisting communication between people by mimicking the non-verbal cues that naturally occur when speaking. While this translation of non-verbal communication into plain text can be incredibly useful for conveying energy and implied meanings, it is always important to keep in mind that the person you’re speaking to may be unfamiliar with the new conventions of text messaging. In this case, clear and concise messages will always be a safe choice to make.
