It appears that a new dialect of English is emerging as a result of abbreviated words commonly used in text messages sent over mobile phones. While cell phones have had text messaging capabilities for years, text message responses didn’t really catch on until the mid-1990’s.
However, their popularity since then has dramatically increased. Especially in Finland where a staggering 78% of the population has mobile phones. Last March, 864 million messages were sent in the US, up from 372 million during the same month the previous year.
The truncated messages range in nature and complexity from simple phrases such as RUOK (Are you OK?) and CUL8R (See you later) to more sophisticated passages such as TonlyThingThtLOksGOdOnMelsU (The only thing that looks good on me is you).
Symbols other than letters allow for adept expressions, such as the screaming face which reads as follows:
(:-!)
Books on text messaging shorthand have been high on the UK’s best seller lists and companies such as Coca-Cola have been using the new lingo as a marketing tool “Tel yr M8s tht Fanta Tastes GR8”.
Last year in the UK more than 1000 people sent marriage proposals via txt message on Valentines Day as part of a Vodaphone promotion. But as far as I am concerned with regard to our English Language it has to be “Nil Satis Nisi Optimum”.
