Texting shaping today's language / LJWorld.com

Archive for Friday, July 6, 2007

July 6, 2007

Text messaging

Texting

Journal-World reporter Erin Castaneda explains why and how she texts. Enlarge video

If a generation's lingo defines the times, then the language in today's text messages reveals there is no time to waste.

Sitting on a couch during a morning break at the Boys and Girls Club, Kelsey Johnson, 12, was texting her friend, who she said was taking too long to respond. She types letter combinations such as "TU" for thank you, or just uses the letter "u" for you.

The avid text messager said the abbreviations for common words are easy to understand.

"The human mind only needs to read the first and last letter to understand a word," she said. "I read that in an e-mail."

Today's mobile phone technology is catering to speed and efficiency. Some maintain that it's cheaper to send texts than to make calls. On average, text messaging costs between 10 and 15 cents, or about $15 per month, depending on the service plan.

Of course, there's a word of caution necessary: Frequent texting can drive up cell phone bills dramatically if you haven't signed up for an unlimited texting plan.

Texting is a quick method to relay information and - to make the process even speedier - users often omit letters or use acronyms, in essence creating a language within circles of friends.

They are refining a lingo that one Kansas University communications professor said has been around for decades.

"Youth are into slang in general," said Nancy Baym, KU communications professor who specializes in interpersonal and Internet communication. "It's a way of setting yourself apart, especially with teenagers, less so with college students. It's a way to have private time with friends even when you're stuck with your family. Secret language is a way to make it that much more private and special."

'Internet speak'

Many phrases seemed to have sprouted from what Andrew Cornwell, 21, Lawrence, calls "Internet speak."

In online chat rooms he learned phrases such as BBIAM (be back in a minute) and AFK (away from keyboard) which has turned into AFP (away from phone).

Baym said text messaging lingo today has roots in the 1920s and really sprouted during early Internet chats.

"BTW (by the way) showed up in the original form of a fanzine, a do-it-yourself magazine in 1920s," she said. "A lot of these things, TTYL, LOL and ROFL go back to early days of the Internet.

"The funny thing with new technology is people think it's new and no one has ever done it, but it's already been done," Baym said. "Someone comes up with it and it spreads."

Texting in the U.S.

Text messaging didn't spread in America until recently, trailing far behind other countries, Baym said. A few years ago in her online class, she asked students if they knew about text messaging and the only response she received was blank stares. She said once cell phone price plans changed about three years ago, it "shifted drastically." Baym also said the X and Y generations are new enough to the technology that she isn't concerned it's ruining the English language, as some critics have said.

"It's part of a great tradition," Baym said. "People coming up with their own strategic ways to communicate that marks them as members of a group."

According to the Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association, 158 billion text messages were sent in the United States in 2006 and approximately 300,000 text messages are sent per minute.

Text prediction

Zach Sims, 21, of Lawrence, who sends and receives anywhere from 500 to 1,000 messages a day, said he shortens most words by weeding out vowels and punctuation. Anything that starts with a number, he'll use the numeral instead. He uses "prolly" instead of probably and prefers "ha" to LOL.

"I think girls are supposed to put LOL and K," he said. "It's feminine."

Sometimes he has to explain lingo to friends, but they soon catch on.

Sims also has taken advantage of text prediction software called T9 (text on nine keys).

"It took awhile to get used to it," he said. "When I send slang words, it doesn't predict them."

Text prediction is a feature on his and many cell phones that recognizes words when the user types and it automatically completes the word. Tegic Communications developed T9 in 1995. The idea is to make it easier and faster to type on numeric keypads. T9 software combines groups of letters on each keypad with a fast-access dictionary of words and recognizes words the user wants to type.

Learning the lingo

For those who haven't deciphered the language of text messages, Baym's advice is to visit a texting dictionary at www.netlingo.com.

For some users, any help is welcome.

Brady Wyatt, 20, from Washington, Kan., said he tries to use the lingo.

"My girlfriend confuses me sometimes," he said. "She sent me a message that said 'NBD.' I had no idea what that meant. It's 'no big deal.' I had to ask my roommate, and he laughed at me."

Discussion

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6 July 2007
at 12:30 a.m.

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theifoncross (Anonymous) says…

This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.
6 July 2007
at 4:27 a.m.

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latinlab (Anonymous) says…

Hey spywell, when you say “I have found that texting is for kids, who can't talk in class but text each other while there suppose to be learning.” Do you mean “they're” suppose”d” to be learning? Maybe you were texting too much in class.
Texting is for people who DON”T have time in their hands. People who don't have time to say hi, bye and all the protocol. It's also for people who work and don't like to talk on the phone at work or if you're in a concert, or want some secrecy.
spywell, edit your posts…
everybody else…love the text message.. it's here and it's better.
6 July 2007
at 7:17 a.m.

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Marshalus (Michael Stanclift) says…

500 to 1,000 text messages per day!? And I thought the 5 to 10 that I send was excessive…
6 July 2007
at 9:21 a.m.

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Jamesaust (Anonymous) says…

YGBKM. Its NBD. :-D
6 July 2007
at 9:37 a.m.

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mommaeffortx2 (Anonymous) says…

I have enough problems with writing so forget trying to figure out new way to write I will stick with reg. word when texting, takes a little longer but what the hey.
6 July 2007
at 9:38 a.m.

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mommaeffortx2 (Anonymous) says…

???? Jamesaust.
6 July 2007
at 11:25 a.m.

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feeble (Anonymous) says…

The avid text messager said the abbreviations for common words are easy to understand.

“The human mind only needs to read the first and last letter to understand a word,” she said. “I read that in an e-mail.”
=========================================================
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aka “parallel letter recognition”. Interesting theory in Linguistics/Cognitive Psychology.

Famous example in support of the this theory:

Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at an Elingsh uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht frist and lsat ltteer is at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae we do not raed ervey lteter by it slef but the wrod as a wlohe. ceehiro

Famous counter-example:

“Anidroccg to crad cniyrrag lcitsiugnis planoissefors at an uemannd, utisreviny in Bsitirh Cibmuloa, and crartnoy to the duoibus cmials of the ueticnd rcraeseh, a slpmie, macinahcel ioisrevnn of ianretnl cretcarahs araepps sneiciffut to csufnoe the eadyrevy oekoolnr.”

btw, ianal.
tbh ymmv.

6 July 2007
at 11:29 a.m.

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Confrontation (Anonymous) says…

afaic idgara. imho ym iz a rino

(As far as I'm concerned, I don't give a rat's a$$. In my honest opinion, your mom is a Rebublican in name only.)
6 July 2007
at 11:56 a.m.

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crazyks (Anonymous) says…

Interesting examples, Feeble…I had no problem with the first one, but still haven't deciphered the second one.

You think it takes less time to text than it does to call someone and say hi, bye, etc., latin? You still have to call the other person's number, even to text them, don't you? And it takes a nanosecond to say all the stuff you mentioned, even verbally.

And if you think there isn't protocol (I prefer to think of it as manners) you have to follow even when texting, you're wrong.
6 July 2007
at 12:01 p.m.

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salad (Anonymous) says…

texting is part of the whole modern youth cultural wasteland that includes mindless & violent video games, sagging pants, over indulgence, riced-out cars, and the need to fufill an artificial sense of self-importance. I'm glad this generation didn't have to fight WWII, we'd have lost for sure.
6 July 2007
at 12:49 p.m.

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mommaeffortx2 (Anonymous) says…

People english please some of us are old and tired and do not want to figure out code so once again ??????? :) What ever happened to pig latin?
6 July 2007
at 1:24 p.m.

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feeble (Anonymous) says…

crazyks

“Anidroccg to crad cniyrrag lcitsiugnis planoissefors at an uemannd, utisreviny in Bsitirh Cibmuloa, and crartnoy to the duoibus cmials of the ueticnd rcraeseh, a slpmie, macinahcel ioisrevnn of ianretnl cretcarahs araepps sneiciffut to csufnoe the eadyrevy oekoolnr.”

“According to card carrying linguistics professionals at an unnamed university in British Colombia, and contrary to the dubious claims of the uncited research, a simple, mechanical inversion of internal characters appears sufficient to confuse the everyday onlooker.”
6 July 2007
at 1:38 p.m.

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ksmom (Anonymous) says…

y dos e1 get so upst w/ txtng? nbd 2 me. ttyl8r
6 July 2007
at 1:45 p.m.

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Confrontation (Anonymous) says…

There are those times when you don't want to talk to someone on the phone, but you want to find out some information. For example, everyone has at least one friend who will talk forever and never shut up and end the conversation. Texting saves at least one hour in that situation.
6 July 2007
at 2:11 p.m.

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grimpeur (Anonymous) says…

1000/day. That's almost 40/hour. For 24 hours. Why go outside?

Eyes front when you're walking down crowded hallways, dolts. Put the damn thing away for just a sec, mmkay? Oooh, I'm sorry, did I knock that out of your hand AND bust your lip at the same time? Gosh, maybe watch where you're going next time.

Yes, here in the civilized world we let folks off the elevator first. No, of course you didn't notice anyone else.

Reminds me of the tourists experiencing their vacations thru the viewfinders of their video cameras, or the jumbotrons at stadiums. If it ain't on TV, it ain't happening. Different medium, same dependency.

If it ain't in a text-message, it ain't worth hearing about.

6 July 2007
at 3:19 p.m.

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WereAllMonkeys (Anonymous) says…

3Y3 d0n'7 r34ll4 g37 \/\/h47 4ll d4 b07h3r 1$ 4b0|_|7, 17'$ n07 l1k3 17 1$ 7h47 h4rd 70 |_|nd3r$74nd 7h1$ $7|_|ph. r34lly, $3r10|_|$ly, 1f j00r k1d$ 7yp3 7h1$ $7|_|ph, 4nd 7h34 pr0b4bl4 d0, 17'$ 4ll 0v3r j00 h4v3 l0$7. p34c3 0|_|7.
6 July 2007
at 3:59 p.m.

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Hoots (Anonymous) says…

I do like texting but it has a place and some people just don't get it. I like it for short questions and answers but I hate it when people try to carry on a long conversation that should be a phone call. After a few text I just call them because I don't want to spend the whole day typing on my phone. It only saves time if you use it right.
6 July 2007
at 4:38 p.m.

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frwent (Anonymous) says…

I do not own any wireless devices, berries, whatever-kind-of-pods, humourously named “laptops” or anything that is not attached to a wall with a wire. I know I am an out-of-touch being, that I am not cool. I stand out in a crowd of spineless mice that need all these trinkets, but you know. i love it! i communicate when I wish to, I can access my message recorder for important messages. I can walk down the street or anywhere without an annoying piece of plastic tootling at me with Beethoven's 5th symphony or the latest hip-hop rap crap. I can easily control my life and it does not include these pieces of 21st century annoyance. I do not feel left out. I think a good part of the modern world has gone plain crazy with these gimcracks. So that is my stance. Try it. It has worked for me for many years.
6 July 2007
at 4:39 p.m.

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feeble (Anonymous) says…

http://transl8it.com/cgi-win/index.pl
6 July 2007
at 9:15 p.m.

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theifoncross (Anonymous) says…

NAAM bla fu sk n ck ahle who kp censrn me wth ?

N a M Bla

………………