About
^This is a single-word demonstratives and indication used to show agreement with previous posts used on internet forums and image boards. Besides it’s usage as a single-word text post, it has also gained usage with image macros and GIF animations of characters and people pointing upwards.
Background
In linguistics, demonstratives indicate objects the speaker the refers to. Demonstratives are used to either point towards objects in the physical surroundings of the speaker or the listener, or to include abstract concepts where the meaning is something other than the objects in the physical location of the speaker, such as whether something is currently being said or was said earlier. The most common demonstratives used in the English language are this, that, these and those, in which the usage differs on the location of the objects in the vicinity and to differentiate single and plural.
Usage
^This is most commonly found on interent forums and image boards. In discussions and opinion-related threads on these forums, those that agree with a previously made post commonly decide to point out their agreement instead of posting redundant information. Due to the style in which new posts and replies appear on most of these forums, in which new posts and replies get posted at the bottom, the use of a caret is a popular way to point to a previously made post.
On chat clients such as IRC and Skype, the addition of “this” is commonly left out and users post only a caret due to the high speed at which these chats may continue, as they otherwise risk pointing out to a different post.
Notable Examples
Related: Bless This Post
Bless This Post is a similar style comment as ^this in which users point out to a previous post or previously posted content. Likewise to ^this, which is most commonly used in agreement with opinions in discussion, Bless This Post is also regularly used to show appreciation to previously posted content such as fanart.
