By Lee Chang-sup

These days, dating is often arranged through social networking services (SNS) such as Facebook and Cyworld. Many matchmaking firms are using the SNS for arranging a meeting of young couples. Parents often give their marriage-age children to go to each other’s Facebook or Cyworld sites for a meeting. They check into each other’s social media sites and directly contact when they are mutually interested in each other.

The marriage-age couples do not need the presence of matchmakers for a serious dating or a possible marriage. SNS has often led to marriage of the couples who were otherwise unthinkable in the Internet-less society.

As the Facebook, Cyworld, Twitters and smartphones have become an indispensable medium of social communication, new SNS jargons, which are yet to enter the dictionary, are permeating the society. There are many Internet sites that track the new SNS jargons.

``De-face’’ or ``de-friend’’ means the removal of a friendship from Facebook. An ``email bankruptcy'' takes place when one is so inundated with emails that he must delete everything before starting again.

``E-depression’’ refers to anybody complaining about his or her depressive mood on SNS. People become ``e-thugs’’ when they sound tough and scary on the Internet.

Workers say they have to ``go a few extra e-miles’’ when they must work beyond office hour. ``Facebook fever’’ is the uncontrollable urge to check one's Facebook every time one comes in contact with a computer.

``Facebook crush’’ means a crush on a Facebook friend. It explains the unexplainable urge to revise the friend's photos, to see if other friends have written new messages. Facebook or Cyworld fore players refer to those writing increasingly sexy messages on SNS.

There is a time when people have no choice but to add to their SNS someone they do not like. This is not Facebook, but a Fakebook. Many people post an excessive amount of pointless words, documents, pictures saved on their computers that they will never look at. It is``cyber hoarding.’’

``E-mail bail’’ means your backing out or ditching on plans, dates and even relations through the email, not through person-to-person contact.

An ``email tennis’’ means exchange of emails endlessly without any useful outcome.

A ``smartphone shuffle’’ denotes walking slowly or shuffling because he is too preoccupied with tasks being done on his smartphone such as browsing Internet and texts. ``Wi-five’’ is a hi-five that does not involve actual contact, normally over a long distance when a real hi-five is impossible.

The feeling people get when his cellular phone has a new message or missed email, is ``textual satisfaction,’’ a combination of text and satisfaction. ``Texpectation’’ (text and expectation) describes the person waiting for the arrival of texts.

People may be ``textually frustrated’’ when they either get a text from a person they do not like. ``Social plagiarism’’ occurs when people use a story, saying information and anecdote that they received or overheard from another individual they know, and they do not cite the source.

There are many people who send texts randomly and insignificant information only about themselves, as if they are updating their Facebook status. It is status texting. It is a personal advertisement of the senders.

Like slurring words, people may sometimes slur text on the smartphone.

It is ``text slurring.’’ ``Slip of thumbs’’ forces a person to send his message to the unintended recipient.

He may be called ``text-hole’’ (ass hole) when he sends text on his cellphone in inappropriate places like movie theaters or concerts. Many smartphone users frequently touch their pockets to check whether their phones are inside their clothes. It is ``phone groping.’’ Many Koreans are in ``Internet coma’’ or ``obsessive computer disorder’’ as they serf Internet without limit. Christmas messages are often sent through text messages. This greeting is ``Merry textmas, ’’ not Merry Christmas.

``Myspace whore’’ is a person who consumes most of their time on the Internet website. A ``LAN party’’ is popular among college students. They bring their own computers, hook them up and game all night. The password that a person uses for every website is called life password. ``iPhoney’’ is a cute smartphone which copies the look and features of an iPhone.

``iPerbole’’ (iPhone and hyperbole) is the hype surrounding any product Apple unveils. ``i-Peepers have emerged as they try to peep into your iPhone. Drivers can safely drive a car when they give his smartphone to the passenger in your car. The ``designated texter’’ reads all incoming text to the driver. This helps the driver focus on the road for safe driving.

A driver gets ``intexicated’’ when he is sending a message on his or her iPhone while driving. ``iPhone effect’’ takes place when a person in the group brings out his or her iPhone and the rest follow suit, ultimately ending all conversation and eye contact. An office worker wants to impress his boss by sending an e-mail message beyond office hour. This is `notice-me email.''

Lee Chang-sup is the chief editorial writer of The Korea Times. He can be reached at editorial@koreatimes.co.kr.