Chapter 1

Studying the theoretical material

History of SMS language

SMS language or Textese (also known as txtese, chatspeak, txt, textspeak, txtspk, txtk, texting language, or txt talk) is a term for the abbreviations and slang most commonly used due to the necessary brevity of mobile phone text messaging, though its use is common on the Internet, including e-mail and instant messaging. It can be likened to a rebus, which uses pictures and single letters, or numbers to represent whole words.

The first message was sent in 1992 on channels of European network GSM. The engineer of the firm Vodafon sent the first SMS message: «Merry Christmas – 92».

However this new technology was forgotten for the whole 8 years. And only in the year 2000 the cellular companies introduced Short Message Service.

SMS language devices.

ü Apo copes (type of truncation of final syllables):

Mom (mo)-moment; A3-anytime, anywhere, anyplace; 4e – forever

ü Abbreviations (alphabetic abbreviations where each letter is read like in the alphabet):

Bbl – be back later; Nc–no comment; Btw–by the way

ü Acronyms (alphabetic abbreviation which is read as a uniform word):

Lol – laugh out loud; Bot – back on topic; Bion – believe it or not

ü Apheresis (type of truncation of initial syllables):

Net = Internet

ü Smilies – means of expressions of emotions in a text:

: -) a smile: -0 hbtu 0: happy birthday!; -) a smile with winking: -х a mouth on the lock

ü Use of letters instead of the words similar to them on sounding:

b = be Ic – I see c = see U – you r = are Cu – see you y = why

Use of digits instead of separate words or the syllables similar to them on sounding.

1 = won 8 = ate 4 = for 2 = too

ü Replacement of a syllable with a letter or a digit:

great = gr8 B4 =Before mate = m8 2d4 =To die for

wait = w8 4е =Forever later = l8r or l8a 2l8 = Too late

skate = sk8 once = 1ce skater = sk8r before = b4

ü Removal of vowels from a word without damage to recognition:

btwn = between

ü Symbols

@ = at sch%ll = school

Key rules for drawing up SMS-reductions:

Ø to reduce words as far as possible:

wd=would Tho=though Ppl=people Pls=please Spk=speak

Ø To use a letter instead of a word where it is possible:

u=you I=I/it R=are B=be C=see/sea

Ø To use digits instead of letters where it is possible:

0=nothing w8=wait 2=two, to, too D8=date 2DAY=today F8=fate

A3=anyplace, anytime, anywhere Gr8=great L8r=later L8=late

Ø To use symbols:

sch%l=school c%l=cool

Ø To use abbreviations in long sentences:

ATB= All the best Ti2GO= Time to go B4N= Bye for now TIA= Thanks in advance.

Chapter 2