What do ***'s mean?

[mit]

Hi
Silly questions I'm sure, but what does it mean when people write chicken or yes etc.....is it to imply sarcasm, or just to emphasis the word? I'm confused ....
mit x

I use it to emphasise the word. Like italics, I suppose... I'm assuming everyone else uses it for that, too

i use ' to emphasise a word as i don't 'need' to hit the shift key too

Yep, that's why I use them - sometimes people use capitals to emphasise words, but that's considered to be SHOUTING, which is rather rude!

I use it for emphasis as I can't type in italics on mumsnet, can anyone?

Thank you ladies!! I'll use them in place of caps & italics.
Glad I got that sorted out!
mit x

oh dear, I capitalize quite a lot for emphasis. Hope I haven't given anyone a headache

Lucky you ks! The weather today is appalling (to me anyway....I'm an English Rose!)..it's 97 degrees and 90% humidity....plays havoc on one's hair!
mit x

I use it for like sarcastic remarks of over emphasis
bring in underling and italics someone

mit, can I just ask (unrelated to the thread) are you i fact english, living in texas, moved to be there with a partner? Don't mean to be nosey. I have a good friend in the mirror of your situation. Btw, I have never used * for anything and I wondered too. Thanks for asking.

The mit method of coping with rididulous humidity: don't go outside, sit inside and enjoy the 24hr/day air conditioning. Then get in a/c car and drive to a/c shops or even better the massive and wonderful a/c Galleria - the shopping mall to beat them all!

Hi Cadbury - I am English, and we're over here because of dh's job - he's British & he works in the oil industry (most of which it seems is now based in Houston). Glad I could help regarding the *'s too!

mit x

That sounds like my way to beat the heat here, mit. Except for our biggest "shopping" mall has 7 shops in it and 1 is a Rite Aid and 1 is a hot dog restaurant and 1 is an office supply store, so that is no fun.

Oh Colinsmommy - how terrible! It's one of the things that makes Houston bearable - having wonderful shopping ...though having no pennies to spend at the moment is disabling my happiness!
I miss John Lewis so much - I would swap the whole Galleria for Johnny Lou Lous - in a hearbeat!
mit x