What does ‘DFN’ stand for?

In a world where many people communicate through mobile phones and the Internet, many words, phrases, and terms are coined each day.  Some of these new terms are also dubbed as ‘urban lingo’ or ‘Internet slang.’  One common practice in today’s high-tech communication is to use various acronyms that could mean different things.  Oftentimes, many of these new terms or acronyms have special meanings to a certain group of people.  In the case of the acronym ‘DNF,’ for example, many people use it over chat rooms and social networking sites, but only so-called insiders of the conversation may actually know what this particular acronym stands for.

For some people who frequently use foul language over the Internet, ‘DFN’ stands for ‘dirty fucking nigger.’  This particular expression is often blurted out when somebody is disgusted or disappointed about another person’s behavior or activities.  Like when a schoolmate always forgets to bring something that he/she is supposed to bring, this particular person may be called a DFN or a dirty fucking nigger.  Although the ‘nigger’ word is included in the phrase, ‘DFN’ is often used without necessarily having a racist connotation to it.

Some people also use DFN to mean “deuces for now.” This phrase is also common in social networking sites or chat rooms.  When the person on the other end of the network, for example, types ‘DFN,’ he/she simply means that he/she is saying ‘goodbye for now,’ or it could also mean that he/she is leaving the conversation temporarily, and that the chatting could be continued at a later time.

‘DFN’ may also mean ‘departure from normal’ for other groups of online chatters and mobile phone texters. ‘DFN’ in this sense relates to somebody who seemed to be behaving in a different way or in a way that is not expected, hence a behavior that ‘departs from the person’s normal behavior.’  In the case, for example, of a geeky person who suddenly becomes the life of the party, this seemingly geeky person may get the comment that his/her behaviour is a ‘DFN’ or a ‘departure from normal.’