Writers of usage guides have roundly condemned ’till as a barbarism (apparently because it seems to have added a superfluous L to the end of until). ’Til, for its part, has been deemed inappropriate in formal writing. TIL and Today I Learned are both reasonably common terms on the internet, especially on social media websites and online message boards. Since TIL has become a common term in reputable publications, it can be used both casually and professionally.
If someone types TIL, a guide to trading bullish and bearish pennants it means they want you to pay attention, or that you may find what they’re about to say very interesting. Like most internet jargon, the expression is not suitable for business dealings. TIL is best used on Reddit or in personal texting, email, or online chatting. On platforms like Twitter, people use TIL in a similar way to Reddit, starting their tweets with “TIL” followed by an interesting fact or piece of newly discovered knowledge. Using the hashtag #TIL can help increase the visibility of the tweet and allow others to find similar posts of interest.
Until and till: Examples in sentences
In this section, you will find examples of how TIL can be used in different types of communication. This will help you understand its application and usage better. Until is usually perceived as slightly more formal than till—possibly because of the mistaken belief that till is just a shortened form of until. You can still use the business of venture capital till in formal writing without being wrong. If you don’t think you can remember till vs. til, here is a helpful trick.
TIL Examples in Conversations, Texting, Social Posts
However, only one of these spellings is correct. ’Til is still viewed askance by many people, at least in formal writing. Til occurs on occasion in the early 19th century, but it is difficult to say whether or not this is simply a variant spelling of till (which was often written with a single L in Middle English). But by the late 19th century an apostrophe has been added to the beginning of the word, and it is found in widespread use (especially when a writer is attempting to replicate colloquial speech). Proper punctuation is similarly a non-concern with most text message abbreviations. For example, the acronym for “too long, didn’t read” can be TL;DR or TLDR.
Consider that till and will both end in ll, and till will always be correct. Til with only a single l is wrong every time. Even though till is often considered less formal than until, it has been in use for several centuries, especially outside the United States, and is perfectly acceptable standard English. Many writers attempt to use an apostrophe in front of ‘til, thinking it acts as a contraction, but to do so is incorrect.
Word History and Origins
This is the norm in every day spoken English, but it presents a challenge in writing. Guess we’ll all just have to wait ‘til June 2015 to find out. No, until and till are both real and correct words.
This use of TIL is most commonly seen in forums such as Reddit or social media platforms like Twitter. An example of this might be someone responding to a comment pointing out that pop singer Dua Lipa’s name is actually “Dua Lipa.” Therefore, they would write, “TIL that Dua Lipa isn’t a stage name.” Until, till, and ‘til are all used in modern English to indicate the time when a particular situation, period, etc. ends, or when something will happen, become true, etc. Until and till are both standard, but, perhaps surprising, till is the older word.
“Til” first started on Reddit, which is a social media site where users share articles, pics, or memes, which are then commented on and voted on by other users. There’s even a subforum for the tag where you can focus on just “til”, or “today I learned”. Another website that made “til” popular is Digg, which is a also a forum site for user submitted news stories. ’Til and ’till are much newer words, having appeared in the language only in the 19th and 20th centuries, respectively. Both are variant spellings of until and till.
Though “today I learned” is by far the most common use of the abbreviation TIL, there are some others that can be found online or in text. Typically the context of the conversation or topic will clue you in on which meaning the person writing intends. If messaging in a professional context with someone at work, or with a customer or vendor outside your company, avoid abbreviations altogether. Spelling out full words shows professionalism and courtesy. It is much smarter to err on the side of being too professional at first, and then relax your communication over time organically.
- TIL stands for “Today I Learned” and usually comes before a fun fact.
- Language evolves over time, so terms like TIL may be incorporated into everyday language as more people adopt this acronym.
- So, when you’re talking with your friends, you can use ’til if you really want to.
- It is widely shunned in all variations of English, and till is widely preferred by opinion and by common use.
- The difficulty people face is determining whether or not till is used as a contraction and therefore requires an apostrophe, i.e., ’til.
More Commonly Misspelled Words
Sometimes the single syllable of till is better for the rhythm of your sentence than the two syllables of until. That being said, you should keep in mind that even though till is perfectly correct and even older than until, not everybody knows that. If you use till, it’s possible that some people might think you’re using an abbreviation of until. That could present a problem in formal writing—not because the word itself is wrong but because of the misconception that follows it. If you think your readers may believe that till is a problem, stick with until.
Whether you’re browsing your social media timeline or you’re a regular Reddit user, you will encounter the abbreviation TIL at some point. TIL stands for “Today I Learned” and usually comes before a fun fact. Explore the origins and use of this abbreviation. Keep in mind that when using TIL, the fact or information you share should be both interesting and accurate.
Whether you’re a trivia buff or just curious about the way language evolves in the digital age, the story of TIL is sure to fascinate and entertain. Additionally, till is a synonym of until, not an abbreviation for it. Unlike popular text and internet abbreviations, till has been used in the English language for centuries and is even older than until. On the other hand, ‘til is an abbreviated version of until that is used from time to time, but till is generally regarded as more correct. While TIL is not a standard English word found in dictionaries, it is a widely recognized slang acronym on social media.
Language evolves over time, so terms like TIL may be incorporated into everyday language as more people adopt this acronym. The social media site, Reddit, has a subtopic category dedicated to “til”, as do forex broker reviews – detailed analysis and customer reviews many social networking sites. Knowledge is power so take a few minutes to learn something new. You’ll end up sounding smarter than your friends. And you get to use that nifty little text lingo too. You’ll become someone who keeps up with the times.
