A guide 2 txt msgN

f U undRst& dis U shdnt B hR

k?

Phonetic Shorthand

For the most part, any letter or number can be used phonetically when text messaging. Vowels can be removed to shorten words, and spaces can be removed to shorten phrases. A capitol letters is often used to denote that a letter is being used phonetically, but not always. It is also common to deliberately misspell a word  for effect or to save a keystroke, such as ‘dis’ instead of ‘this’. Don’t get too uptight about it, though: there are some established conventions, but there’s no such thing as a spelling error in shorthand. Here are some examples of shortened words:

2nite – tonight
B4 – before
craZ – crazy
l8r – later
NE1 – anyone
OIC – oh, I see
resQme – rescue me
RUOK? – are you ok?
want2 – want to
Y – why?

…you get the idea.

Workplace Messaging

Shorthand and acronyms have long been in the workplace vocabulary. Jargon such as ASAP, EOD and FYI predate messaging, and recent entrants like IM (instant message/ing), LOL (laugh/ing out loud) and BRB (be right back) have made it all the way to the board room. The ubiquity of Blackberries has accelerated the use of workplace shorthand, but the Blackberry’s QWERTY keyboard provides refuge for those who miss their typewriters.

Here are a few more expressions that may come in handy when you are clawing your way to the top:

BAK – back at keyboard
DRIB – don’t read if busy
HIOOC – help I’m out of coffee
NRN – no reply necessary
OTP – on the phone
QQ – quick question
TIA – thanks in advance
WIIFM – what’s in it for me?
WTTM – without thinking too much
YW – you’re welcome

More Common Jargon, Shorthand and Acronyms

Below is just a tiny sampling, check the links at the bottom of the page for more.

B4N – Bye for now
BBS – be back soon
COZ – Because
CUL8R – See you later
GL – good luck
GTG – Got to go
HUB – head up butt
IDK – I don’t know
ILY or ILU – I love you
IMHO – In my humble opinion
JK – just kidding
PLZ – Please
POS – Parent over shoulder
ROTFL – Rolling on the floor laughing
TMI – Too much information
TTFN – Ta ta for now
Y – Why?

And perhaps the most useful of all…

IHA – I hate acronyms

More Fun With Text Messaging

There’s actually a literary magazine dedicated to SMS, appropriately called onesixty *. (SMS messages are typically limited to 160 characters.) The journal is mostly poetry and bad poetry at that, but there are a few gems. Worth checking out.

@ 1st ure msgs xited me
by Paul Scott

a sudn stream of flrty txt
frm 1 I hrdly knw.
bt now as I attempt
2 decifr yet anotha
all I can thnk is
‘I bet shes shit @ scrabble’

Resources