On the internet nobody can tell what you actually meant.

[andrewducker]

Given the following conversation:

Person A: "OMG THIS EPISODE OF THIS THING I LOVE WAS AWESOME!"
Person B: "Really? I thought it was a bit contrived/boring/silly/not up to usual standards for x/y/z/ reason..."

[Poll #1780923]

Comments

[andrewducker]

As a verbal tic with no meaning?

[star-tourmaline.livejournal.com]

As an expression of mild surprise engendered by coming across someone with a very different opinion.

[theweaselking.livejournal.com]

Something like that, yes.

Also: as a check on "did I miss something?"

[ami-bender.livejournal.com]

Ditto

[alitheapipkin.livejournal.com]

I would take it that way in person unless the person's tone of voice was incredulous, but written I would tend to assume a greater level of surprise and the possibility of pointed disapproval of the opinion I had shared. But then I openly admit I sometimes struggle on the internet because of the lack of tone of voice as clue to what people really mean.

Also, I think the fact that person A is squeeing, rather than just saying they liked something, makes a difference.