One word replies

Started by Alfieri September 6th, 2014 12:00 PM
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  • 28 replies

Alfieri

aka Ronnie

Age 27
Male
New York City
Seen June 23rd, 2019
Posted June 23rd, 2019
2,850 posts
9.2 Years
How do you guys feel about receiving a text message from a friend and it's just 1 word?

You send them like 1 or 2 sentences of something funny that happened and all you get is an "lol" or "okay."

To me, it really irks me because that's basically a sign saying I'm too lazy to come up with a reply that'll keep the conversation going. Which is why whenever I get a one word reply or just a emoticon like ":)" or ":P", I pretty much just stop replying.

Nick

Seen 4 Weeks Ago
Posted July 28th, 2021
17,572 posts
18.6 Years
I mean, it doesn't have to be an ongoing conversation all the time. People who think that tend to annoy me. For the most part, I do treat my text messages like an ongoing conversation, but there are times where I just want to get an answer to a question and that's it. And there are times when people send me a question and I answer it and that's pretty much it, whether it's one word or maybe three. Even sometimes just a simple k is all that's needed. Like if someone's like "I'm outside your house now." What the hell are you supposed to reply to that other than k or be right there?

Alfieri

aka Ronnie

Age 27
Male
New York City
Seen June 23rd, 2019
Posted June 23rd, 2019
2,850 posts
9.2 Years
I mean, it doesn't have to be an ongoing conversation all the time. People who think that tend to annoy me. For the most part, I do treat my text messages like an ongoing conversation, but there are times where I just want to get an answer to a question and that's it. And there are times when people send me a question and I answer it and that's pretty much it, whether it's one word or maybe three. Even sometimes just a simple k is all that's needed. Like if someone's like "I'm outside your house now." What the hell are you supposed to reply to that other than k or be right there?
I'm talking about when there is a conversation going on.

Yeah sure if it's a simple question, I expect a simple answer. If it's something like "I'll be right there" I expect a one word reply. Don't take it out of proportion. (y)

However if a friend and myself are having a text conversation, I at least expect them to put some effort into it too instead of me doing all of the talking and them just saying "okay" or "cool."

Nick

Seen 4 Weeks Ago
Posted July 28th, 2021
17,572 posts
18.6 Years
I'm talking about when there is a conversation going on.

Yeah sure if it's a simple question, I expect a simple answer. If it's something like "I'll be right there" I expect a one word reply. Don't take it out of proportion. (y)

However if a friend and myself are having a text conversation, I at least expect them to put some effort into it too instead of me doing all of the talking and them just saying "okay" or "cool."
I don't know how I feel about that.

Sometimes I don't feel like talking to my friends, but I don't want to tell them that I don't feel like talking to them, because I assume it'll hurt their feelings. So I put forth minimum effort into the conversation, and am at least receptive of replying to what they have to say. Normally I'll usually have something to add to it, if I feel there is something to be added.

Limey-chan

Batzu

He/Him
Mt Moon
Seen May 27th, 2021
Posted October 31st, 2020
2,523 posts
14.2 Years
Yeah, in seriousness, there's nothing more infuriating than trying to get a conversation started with someone (or being mid-conversation with someone) only to have them reply with 'k' or 'yea' or an emoticon. It makes me think i've done something to upset them, or that they just don't want to speak to me.

In some cases one-word replies aren't too bad, like if i'm sending a text/message to colleagues, it's better to have them reply with "ok" or "cool" than just not to reply at all, because then at least I know they've read and understood what i've sent them.

Anyone here guilty of doing the same thing to other people though? I know I am, generally it's when i'm busy or distracted (though on Skype, for example, I set my status as 'busy' so people know when i'll be slow in replying). It tends not to be that I don't want to speak to the person, though in some (rare) cases, it may well be why.

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Shiny Bunnelby

Tolerated, but never celebrated.

Age 31
Female
Oklahoma, United States
Seen November 1st, 2015
Posted April 20th, 2015
362 posts
8.9 Years
Yeah, in seriousness, there's nothing more infuriating than trying to get a conversation started with someone (or being mid-conversation with someone) only to have them reply with 'k' or 'yea' or an emoticon. It makes me think i've done something to upset them, or that they just don't want to speak to me.

In some cases one-word replies aren't too bad, like if i'm sending a text/message to colleagues, it's better to have them reply with "ok" or "cool" than just not to reply at all, because then at least I know they've read and understood what i've sent them.

Anyone here guilty of doing the same thing to other people though? I know I am, generally it's when i'm busy or distracted (though on Skype, for example, I set my status as 'busy' so people know when i'll be slow in replying). It tends not to be that I don't want to speak to the person, though in some (rare) cases, it may well be why.
Generally, I just tell people that I don't want to talk, or that I am in the middle of something. A game or a practice session on a piano takes precedence over small talk, in my eyes. But if someone really needs to talk to me, even if it is just to vent, then I will put everything else down. For example, I've had a 9-hour chat on the phone with a friend who was considering suicide. That meant the world to him.

I just don't tolerate somebody making me take time out of my day, only to be smacked with effortless dribble on their end about how bored they are and as soon as they find something to do, they suddenly stop talking, or provide poorly constructed responses that plainly show that they no longer need me for their entertainment. I will drop conversation then and there.
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starseed galaxy auticorn

PC's Resident Auticorn

Age 34
she/he/they
the land of magical unicorns
Seen 1 Day Ago
Posted 1 Week Ago
6,648 posts
18.9 Years
I can't stand it. It makes it so hard to continue a conversation with someone when they are like "Okay" or something. D: Even when I'm IMing someone on Skype, I always expect at least an answer I can answer back to. Sometimes, I can let it slide at times and not really worry about it though. However, I can understand the person may or may not want to talk at the moment. I just think it's better if they say that rather act like it. I have a hard time with social cues too, so it's not easy for me to tell if someone doesn't want to talk to me at the moment by using one word answers. That's one reason why it makes it hard for me.

Manitee

bury me alive

Female
England
Seen January 17th, 2017
Posted November 13th, 2016
266 posts
9.4 Years
It happens a the time to me and especially with one friend. It's like she'll spend hours on the phone to me but whenever I text her a lengthy paragraph she most always answers with 'okayyyy :)'. It ****ing gets on my nerves. This other girl I used to talk to who I also had on snapchat did something that annoyed me so much. I'd send her a text message and she'd go out of her way and reply on snapchat. I mean why would you even bother doing that. So half the time I would never get her message until a few days later because I don't use snapchat that much and when I did see her message it would just normally be 'ye' or 'lol!'
Sometimes, you're better off alone.


Sonata

Don't let me disappear

Age 27
Male
Indiana
Seen 9 Hours Ago
Posted March 25th, 2023
13,619 posts
10.2 Years
I don't really care, I don't reply to people a lot of times anyways so it's whatever. And plus my friends are pimps and got all the *****es so most the time there isn't any time for me to get some love.

Candy

Age 26
Female
In OJ Land
Seen 1 Week Ago
Posted August 22nd, 2020
3,813 posts
14.3 Years
Mmmmmm...

Spoiler:
One word replies from me and that's what you'll probably get.
_
Zhuang Zi
Crash Fever
Seen January 1st, 2023
Posted March 23rd, 2022
3,316 posts
9.2 Years
Yeah that's annoying but I haven't had that happen in the longest time. I guess my friends aren't douche bags lol. A text conversation to me never ends. It is always continuing with long pauses. I hate the awkwardness when you're first texting someone and every time it ends you have to say bye or when you message each other it's a "hey" instead of jumping into what you want to say, but it changes with time I guess.

Kotone

someone needed a doctor?

Female
somewhere ;]
Seen June 29th, 2018
Posted June 14th, 2018
2,787 posts
14.1 Years
omg that is the worst thing ever. if someone replies with one word, i will not respond back to them. it's like "okay guess you don't want to talk."

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S u m m e r y

time will turn us into statues eventually

Age 30
Male
Land of Ooo
Seen May 31st, 2017
Posted September 17th, 2014
33 posts
8.7 Years
Generally, I just tell people that I don't want to talk, or that I am in the middle of something. A game or a practice session on a piano takes precedence over small talk, in my eyes. But if someone really needs to talk to me, even if it is just to vent, then I will put everything else down. For example, I've had a 9-hour chat on the phone with a friend who was considering suicide. That meant the world to him.

I just don't tolerate somebody making me take time out of my day, only to be smacked with effortless dribble on their end about how bored they are and as soon as they find something to do, they suddenly stop talking, or provide poorly constructed responses that plainly show that they no longer need me for their entertainment. I will drop conversation then and there.
Holy **** a 9-hour chat? Props to you! That's like the coolest thing ever. Hope your friend is doing well now.

Personally I get bugged when someone replies to me in one words. I have the habit of texting long elaborate paragraphs detailing from what I did this morning to how I crossed the road today. Now I'm not saying the person needs to reply in me huge walls of texts but at least don't reply stuff like "K" , It's a Symbol for Potassium I know that I learned that In my science class. Or rather just say that you don't want to talk or are busy or something, I'd rather accept that in place of one word replies which I find highly patronizing. </rant>

There are sometimes though I do get a hint that the person I'm texting to is not in the mood perhaps so I let him/her be. I also have a few friends who just don't know what to reply they only like to read and let me do all the talking.
Age 28
Male
Distortion World
Seen December 13th, 2020
Posted February 26th, 2018
2,473 posts
12.9 Years
My closest friends usually reply normally, but I dont mind that much if they reply with ok/lol, I know there is usually a valid reason, even if they are reaaally lazy or have something else to do. I too do that sometimes but I try to keep it a bit longer then just one word.

On the other word, if you are not on my "closest people" list, and you answer me with ok or lol when I send you a long message, especially if Im asking you to do something, they can expect the same from me. Not cos Im spiteful, but because they kind of become less of a priority. :/

"The future you see is the future you get."

Candy

Age 26
Female
In OJ Land
Seen 1 Week Ago
Posted August 22nd, 2020
3,813 posts
14.3 Years
Okay, now for my actual answer:

I have the tendency to reply with one word like "lol" or "idk" or such, not because I'm lazy or what, but more to that I have no idea on what to reply to you. I'm... a tad anti-social after all. But normally I try to reply as much as I can after those one word replies. :/

But it'll certainly make me mad if I wrote a really long message and they just reply with one word... and then not even bother to reply again.
_
Zhuang Zi
Crash Fever
Seen September 18th, 2020
Posted February 18th, 2018
7,741 posts
16.6 Years
How do you guys feel about receiving a text message from a friend and it's just 1 word?
Yeah.                     
That's not even a grammatically valid response to the question.

Shiny Bunnelby

Tolerated, but never celebrated.

Age 31
Female
Oklahoma, United States
Seen November 1st, 2015
Posted April 20th, 2015
362 posts
8.9 Years
Holy **** a 9-hour chat? Props to you! That's like the coolest thing ever. Hope your friend is doing well now.
It was several years ago when this happened and having a headset was a godsend. But last I heard, he's been doing well. We don't talk much anymore, but apparently he hasn't had an episode since the phone call. I'd do it again and again, though. I take suicide and depression very seriously.
"I call dis 'Flight of the Bunnelby'."
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Leviathan

What's the matter? Lives flashing before your eyes?

Age 29
Female
Ireland
Seen 2 Weeks Ago
Posted January 15th, 2023
1,103 posts
9.9 Years
Depends on the context. If I'm simply looking for confirmation on plans or something, short answers are fine with me. If I'm trying to explain an event that happened/a topic I would really like to share with someone, then curt answers annoy me.

Entermaid

Non-binary
The States
Seen November 6th, 2016
Posted October 27th, 2016
2,138 posts
10.4 Years
It's the best way to end a chain of chatting, depending upon what the word is.

I usually go for "sounds good" if making plans, and also implying we will talk later.

Instead of "okay" in the context of instructions, I will say "Will do." after a series of texts to imply we will talk later.

Sometimes a " :) " is endearing alone. Signifies the chat is over and it was a good talk without awkwardly typing it. (Then continuing on and on with the chat)

NEVER, will I ever end a series of texts with a single phrase like "lol", "haha", "lmao", or "XD". To me it signifies that the person has to or wants to go, and it's unfinished and awkward. If you can't or don't want to talk, any longer, that's fine by me, so just tell me you have to or want to do something else (there's nothing wrong with that.)

I personally hate texting, mostly because of the lack of "rules". But hey, everything seems to be full of weird implied rules of etiquette which tend to vary from person to person. Rules is rules.
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Poki

Banned

България
Seen February 20th, 2020
Posted September 21st, 2015
2,423 posts
9.8 Years
Depends on whom I am conversing with, and the topic itself.

If it's just a casual conversation, I wouldn't mind. However, if it requires something more than just a "lol/K", and the person still does it, then it's a ****ing problem. Especially if it's a close friend. If it continues, then that particular person becomes less of a priority, and will experience the same threatment from me. No exceptions. The closer the friend, the worse I get.

Ironically enough, the people I've done this to have started to avoid me because of my one word replies.

Oryx

CoquettishCat

Age 30
Female
Seen January 30th, 2015
Posted December 27th, 2014
13,184 posts
12.2 Years
I do that a lot when people send me stuff. Like, it's a picture of a funny quote, all I have to say to that is "lol" or "haha" or something. Likewise, if you send me a message that you're doing something, that doesn't open up for any conversation, then I'll just say "I see haha" or something equally conversation-ending, because to me that conversation never started in the first place. What am I supposed to say to "I'm at the car wash right now"?

And then sometimes I wish people would just take the hint and stop messaging me if that's all I respond to them. I'm not going to say "listen, I don't want to talk to you because _____, so please leave me alone" because that usually ends in argument about how I should want to talk to them, so I hope I annoy them enough with one-word answers to make them leave me alone.


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