{"id":373,"date":"2012-02-06T09:00:24","date_gmt":"2012-02-06T14:00:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/?p=373"},"modified":"2014-08-01T16:07:55","modified_gmt":"2014-08-01T20:07:55","slug":"texting-in-english","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/texting-in-english\/","title":{"rendered":"Texting in English"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you have a cell phone (and who doesn\u2019t these days?) chances are that you text.\u00a0 Texting (also called \u201ctext messaging\u201d) refers to the exchange of short written messages between two cellular phones.\u00a0 Texting is not the same as calling, because texting uses the written word, while calling or talking over the phone uses the spoken word.\u00a0 The action of texting is referred to by different names around the world, some refer to texting as sending an SMS (SMS = Short Message Service) or TMS (TMS = Text Message Service). In the United States, we refer to the message that is sent via a cell phone as a \u201ctext\u201d and the action is referred to as \u201ctexting\u201d the verb is “to text” and is a regular verb.\u00a0 No matter what you call this action though, people are doing it everywhere and doing it a lot. Texting is so prevalent that a new texting language has developed to convey written messages as quickly and with as few words as possible.\u00a0 I am sure you all know most of this already, but what you may or may not know are some of the abbreviations or text language that Americans and English speakers use when texting.<\/p>\n

Here is a table of some common text messaging abbreviations in English.\u00a0 Please note that most of these abbreviations only have meaning and relevance within a text.\u00a0 They do not mean the same thing or may be misinterpreted if you use them in another context.\u00a0 Also, beware that text language is not considered appropriate in formal written work \u2013 it is a form of slang* after all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
lol<\/td>\nlaugh out loud or<\/strong> lots of laughs<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
txt msg<\/td>\ntext message<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<3<\/td>\nlove, heart (this is a sideways heart)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2G2BT<\/td>\ntoo good to be true<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2MI or TMI<\/td>\ntoo much information<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2MOR<\/td>\ntomorrow<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2NTE<\/td>\ntonight<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
u<\/td>\nyou<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
4<\/td>\nfor<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
?<\/td>\nI have a question. or<\/strong> I don\u2019t understand.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
CB<\/td>\ncoffee break<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
IA8<\/td>\nI already ate<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
SUP<\/td>\nWhat\u2019s up?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
WRU@<\/td>\nWhere are you at?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
WRUD<\/td>\nWhat are you doing?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
ILU or 143<\/td>\nI love you.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
BRB<\/td>\nbe right back<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
W?<\/td>\nwhy<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
HRU<\/td>\nHow are you?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
BF<\/td>\nboyfriend<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
GF<\/td>\ngirlfriend<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
enuf<\/td>\nenough<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
gr8<\/td>\ngreat<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
BCNU<\/td>\nbe seeing you (This means: I\u2019ll see you soon.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
G2G<\/td>\nget together<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
ppl<\/td>\npeople<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
xlnt<\/td>\nexcellent<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
pls<\/td>\nplease<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
B4<\/td>\nbefore<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
CUL<\/td>\nsee you later<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

As you can see most of this English text language is made up of acronyms** for common phrases (for example: LOL for “laughing out loud”), abbreviated*** words (for example: GF for \u201cgirlfriend\u201d or PPL for \u201cpeople\u201d) and numbers, letters, and symbols for sounds (for example: CUL for “see you later\u201d or B4 for \u201cbefore\u201d).<\/p>\n

* slang = a type of language that consists of words and phrases that are regarded as very informal
\n** acronyms = a word formed from the initial letters of other words
\n*** abbreviated words = a shortened form of a word or phrase<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

If you have a cell phone (and who doesn\u2019t these days?) chances are that you text.\u00a0 Texting (also called \u201ctext messaging\u201d) refers to the exchange of short written messages between two cellular phones.\u00a0 Texting is not the same as calling, because texting uses the written word, while calling or talking over the phone uses the…<\/p>\n

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