My theory is that it’s due to the tonal ambiguity in writing short messages.
In longer form writing, it’s easier to establish a tone. But with something like a text message, it’s harder to convey, and it’s easier to accidentally come across as being short or harsh. The trailing “lol” is like a little flag that says “hey, we’re friends, and I’m not taking this too seriously, and I’m not mad or offended or anything!”
My theory is that it’s due to the tonal ambiguity in writing short messages.
In longer form writing, it’s easier to establish a tone. But with something like a text message, it’s harder to convey, and it’s easier to accidentally come across as being short or harsh. The trailing “lol” is like a little flag that says “hey, we’re friends, and I’m not taking this too seriously, and I’m not mad or offended or anything!”
Just a theory though lol