Like any other social networking platform, YouTube also comes with its language and slang that people often use in the comments section and live broadcasts.
Some of them are understandable, while some are so ridiculous that they do not make sense for someone who is a newbie on the platform or does not delve as much as others.
Once such a term is simply the letter “L.” Yep! You heard it right! Apparently, “L” is commonly used on YouTube. So, what does this “L” mean on YouTube?
“L” is the short for “loss” and “W” for the win.” So, generally, on YouTube, people who intend to roast someone in the comments section tend to use “L” or something like “take the L” or “take the loss.” It is a light-hearted teasing or banter of the content creator making mistakes or failing in any activity, e.g., games. As per YouTube content rating, “L0, L1, and L2” signify the extent of explicit language used in a video.
Next time you see some “L” in the YouTube comment section, do not worry; refer to our article for an instant guide. Let’s dive into it to learn more.
Explaining “L” on YouTube
The YouTube comments section is the only place where the viewers of the video can communicate with the creator. So, generally, the audience takes the full opportunity to tell how they feel.
Sometimes, people are positive, while other times, things can take an extremely dark turn to the extent that they can bully, troll, or even cause distress to the creators. So, we can say that YouTube is unpredictable, and one must tread carefully.
Before things take a darker turn, let’s reach the point you are here for! I know you have seen the word “L” somewhere on YouTube or something like “take the L” and now are scratching your heads in confusion.
Well, the meaning of it is not as complicated. It is very simple! L is taken from the word “loss.” That’s it! Nobody has time to write the full “loss,” so they take only the “L” from it.
Generally, people use it in the expressions, “Take the L” – “L” signifies loss. So, it is “taking the loss” here.
It is a gentle, light-hearted banter of the creator who posted the video and failed at something. Initially, it started from the gaming communities, where people ridiculed their loss if any creator failed at their game plays.
The term became so popular that people started using it outside gaming videos in usual content to roast any YouTuber making mistakes on their videos. It is just a harmless roast and does not mean to be taken seriously; that’s why emojis and GIFs generally accompany it.
Now, the opposite of it is “W” for the win, which signifies an appreciation and congratulations in the comments section for someone winning a game or just applause for their efforts.
As per some Subreddits, the “Take the L” or “take the loss” term has been used in black culture. Some claimed that “W” and “L” have already been popular in American Sports, signifying “loss” and “win”. It is only recently that it penetrated the internet world from gaming.
Different Uses of “L”
It is used in trash talk among friends: “If you want an L, I will serve it on a golden platter.” Here, “L” means loss and a friend is teasing another before some game or anything competitive.
The next example is: “I can take you down anytime; be ready for the major L of your life.”
Someone disappointed can also use “L”: “I have got a big L today from Lisa. She flatly refused to go out with me to prom”.
Another use of L on YouTube and other places on the internet is “took an L.” This signifies that something bad has happened to you, and you are not surprised by it as you low-key expected it. For example., “I took an L on the game today. I knew I would fail, considering I am so bad at it.”
Additionally, L has huge significance in YouTube content rating:
- L0 means “no strong language”
- L1 means “strong language”
- L2 means “explicit language”
Conclusion
There, you have all possible meanings of the simple letter “L” on YouTube and elsewhere on the internet. Hopefully, now all your confusion is gone, and you can use these terms in your conversations to appear as cool as others.
Let us know what more internet terms confuse you so we can debunk them in our next article.
