Texting
101
• Drop vowels when they're not necessary
(nt 2 hrd 2 gt ths trck)
• Utilize numbers or easily-accessible punctuation
(c u l8r)
• Shorten up sentences and drop anything unnecessary, like "I
think" or "please" or "hey, Patrick, listen to
this" (will b @ home 30 min)
The
List
• POS -- parent over shoulder
• CTN -- can't talk now
• TOS -- teacher over shoulder
• SOS -- for sibling over shoulder
• SAW -- siblings are watching.
• ASL -- Age, Sex, Location
• NIFOC -- Nude in front of the computer •
TDTM -- Talk dirty to me
• 2: to, too, or two
• 2day: today
• 2moro: tomorrow
• 4: for, four
• 411: information
• bcnu: be seeing you
• f2t: free to talk
• jic: just in case
• jk: just kidding
• l8: late •
l8r: later
• lol: laughing out loud
• ruok: Are you OK?
• thx: thanks
• tx: thanks
• u: you
• xlnt: excellent •
yr: your
• GI -- Google it
• MOP -- Mac or PC?
• FCAO -- five conversations at once
• IIOYT -- is it on YouTube?
• DYFH -- did you Facebook him/her?
• BIOI -- buy it on iTunes
• CMOS -- call me on Skype
• GGNUDP -- gotta go, no unlimited data plan
• WLF -- with the lady friend
• JUOC -- jacked up on caffeine •
12OF -- twelve-o'clock flasher (refers to someone less than competent
with technology, to the extent that every appliance in the house flashes
"12:00")
• SML -- send me the link
• RHB -- read his/her blog
• MBLO -- much better-looking online
• KYST -- knew you'd say that
• NBL -- no battery left
• CTTC -- can't talk, teacher's coming
• TWD -- typing while driving
• CMT (CMF, CMM, CMB) -- check my Twitter (Facebook, Myspace,
blog) •
CYE (CYF, CYM, CYB)--check your email (Facebook, Myspace, blog)
A few just for iPhone owners: • SPLETS -- send pics later; Edge too slow
• CSVUI -- can't send video, using iPhone
• BPWMI -- boss playing with my iPhone •
SIK -- sorry, iPhone keyboard
• OOM -- out of messages (for iPhone users who haven't upgraded
their AT&T "200 messages a month" plan)
What
is SMS?
Most digital cell phones have the ability to send and receive short
text messages. This is usually called short message service (SMS)
or text paging.
With SMS, you enter a message using your cell phone's keypad. You're
generally limited to very short messages -- 160 characters, tops --
but that's not usually a problem because it's pretty time-consuming
to "type" on a keypad anyway!
Once you've finished your message, you can send to to anyone else's
cell phone by entering their phone number. Off the message goes, and
in a few seconds to a few minutes, your friend's phone will beep and
the message will appear on their screen.
You might be wondering why anyone would bother typing out messages
laboriously on their phone's keypad when they could just pick up the
phone and talk. There are lots of reasons!
Text messages are less intrusive. You can send a note to your friend
without distracting them from whatever they're doing at that moment.
Text messages are quieter. If your friend has put their phone on "vibrate"
then they'll be able to receive and respond to your message in complete
silence.
You can send one SMS to several people at a time. This is a good way
to tell a group of friends to meet you at a certain place, or that
something is happening at that moment.
SMS is fun! It's a bit like passing notes in class. Getting text messages
is another way to communicate, and it can be lots of fun.
The
List
•
TDTM -- Talk dirty to me
•
l8r: later
•
yr: your 
•
12OF -- twelve-o'clock flasher (refers to someone less than competent
with technology, to the extent that every appliance in the house flashes
"12:00")
•
CYE (CYF, CYM, CYB)--check your email (Facebook, Myspace, blog)
•
SIK -- sorry, iPhone keyboard
