Informalaccording

Informalaccording is a term that emerged from online discourse, particularly within communities focused on language and communication. It is used to describe a situation where someone is communicating or acting in a way that is perceived as informal, but there is a subtle underlying expectation or adherence to a more formal standard. The term often carries a nuance of playful or slightly ironic acknowledgment of this dual nature.

The "according" part of the word suggests an alignment or accordance with something, in this case, a formal rule or expectation that is not explicitly stated or strictly enforced. This could manifest in various ways. For example, a person might use casual language in an email but still structure their sentences with grammatical correctness that would be expected in a formal setting. Or, in a social gathering that is generally relaxed, there might be an unspoken understanding of certain etiquette that is not overtly mentioned but is still followed.

Informalaccording can also describe situations where a group has established its own set of informal rules that, while not official, are consistently followed and understood by its members. Deviating from these unwritten rules might be met with a similar subtle disapproval as breaking a formal rule. The term highlights the complex interplay between casualness and underlying structure that exists in many human interactions, especially in digital spaces where norms can evolve rapidly. It captures the idea that even in informality, there can be a form of agreement or adherence to established, albeit unwritten, conventions.