An FBI analyst
When the FBI isn't catching the bad guys, they're figuring out how teenagers talk on the internet FBI

When the FBI is not tracking down federal criminals, tapping phones or secretly hunting aliens, they're compiling an extensive list of how to interpret "leetspeak", or rather, internet slang abbreviations that are usually used on Twitter.

Jason Mathers made a request under the Freedom of Information Act, asking the FBI to disclose all documents that show how the agency defines leetspeak, citing public interest as the slang is commonly used by hackers, and could be useful to computer crimes investigators.

Although the 83-page document is entitled "Twitter shorthand", the FBI's Intelligence Research Support Unit (IRSU), which compiled the 3,000-term glossary, says that it is also to be used as a guide for social media.

The manual states: "With the advent of Twitter and other social media venues, the use of shorthand and acronyms has exploded. [IRSU] has put together an extensive—but far from exhaustive—list of shorthand and acronyms used on Twitter and other social media venues such as instant messages, Facebook, and MySpace."

However, if you were hoping the glossary refers to terms of a clandestine nature, you're going to be disappointed.

The list contains some rather odd acronyms, including common ones like LOL (laugh out loud), BRB (be right back) and YOLO (you only live once), as well as terms like AMOG (alpha male of the group), AWHFY (Are we having fun yet?), BFUT (best friends until tomorrow) or CMAR (cry me a river).

"This list has about 2,800 entries you should find useful in your work or for keeping up with your children and/or grandchildren," the IRSU suggests in the document.

Here are some of the funniest and weirdest terms we've seen on the FBI's list – bet you didn't know some of these:

NIFOC – Naked in front of computer

SHCOON – Shoot hot coffee out of nose

SKI – Spend kids' inheritance

BTDTGTTAWIO – Been there, done that, got the t-shirt and wore it out

J CAT – Category J – mentally unstable person

NFN – Normal for Norfolk (originally a derogatory term used by medical doctors in Norfolk and Norwich hospital in UK for intellectually challenged patients. Now may also mean something more endearing-like quaint)

ICBINB – I can't believe it's not butter

GNSTDLTBBB – Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite

GIYF – Google is your friend

MAP – Man-alien-predator

LOTR – Lord of the Rings

ITTET – In these tough economic times

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