"Textspeak" ;

KK thx 4tht bags gr8 msg pmsl

I could read both, but have spent a lot of time teaching children with special needs! I agree, I think this is about having fun with language.

nellie - wonder if I should try that last out on DD?

I learnt Pitman's shorthand and once we were proficient we stopped putting in any vowels. I can read textspeak but I don't find it aesthetically pleasing.

anago for it rotfl ..

I'll let you know how it went down....

Gosh Bags you need a new spellchecker [gin]

but, come to think of it, why can't we have a [gin] emoticon????

I've just read an article in yesterday's Telegraph that includes the paragraph:

"My theory is that the brisk style we use for text and emails has affected the way we speak within the family, with deeper and more relaxed conversations becoming rare"

Look at the length of most contributions on here. They could be texting length (except for mine!)

Cheaper also to use textspeak .

Why?

less characters , lower orange bill .

I don't have a limit on the length or number of texts that I send. Used to but that changed some time ago for me so I wonder if it has changed for everyone?

I have unlimited texts but each has a limit of 160 characters - with Virgin Mobile. I notice that my GD, who used to use textspeak, now uses ordinary English, presumably because the predictive text tells her what she wants to say!

I pinched the following from the current newsletter of my local branch of the National Osteoporosis Society....

Since more and more Seniors are texting and tweeting there seems to be a need for a STC (Senior Texting Code). Please pass this on to your children and grandchildren so they can understand your texts. Tou are welcome to supply some additional ones that you would find useful.
FWIW Forgot Where I Was
LMDO Laughed MY Dentures Out
CGU Can't Get Up
GGLKI Gotta Go Laxative Kicking In
BTW Bring The Wheelchair
WAITT Who Am I Talking To?
WDII What Day Is It?
MGES Must Go Eastenders Starting

NAN Need A Nap
GADA Got A Doctor's Appointment
HAHA Had A Hospital Appointment
HITMM? Have I Taken My Medication?

Sometimes maybe NAN HAHA

I'm enjoying this!

About this time last year I posted the following. It might still be worth a read
IMD - in my day
WAR - watching Antiques Roadshow
WTT - where's the thingy?
IMHO - is my hearing aid on?
CUATGC - see you at the Garden Centre
GOC - gone on cruise
STKI - spending the kids' inheritance
TNAT - that nice Alan Tiitchmarsh
RMOTT - reminds me of that time...
BLDS - bit leaky downstairs
SMIYHTB - stop me if you've heard this before
Could add
TNYBC- That nice young Benedict Cumberbatch

CRAFT - can't remember a flipping think

WAATT - where are all the texts? when I havent heard from my sister for a few hours!

I'm happy with some text speak eg cu for see you but don't like text speak that isn't a homophone of the full word - ie doesn't sound like the word when said in full.
eg 4 as in bye 4 now. My objection is that for rhymes with tor and nor while four rhymes with more and door at least as I pronounce them!
Even worse is 8 to mean ate eg celeb8 or offici8. Eight rhymes with weight and ate rhymes with mate. They are totally different sounds.

Not to me they aren't!

In "English" English, I have learned that "ate" rhymes with "debt" , "poor" sounds not unlike what Grace walks on and "scone" which we all know rhymes with "gone" somehow sounds like "stone".

I am in blissful ignorance as I have not learned how to send or receive a text yet. Do I care? Not a lot!

I agree 'ate' rhymes with 'debt' - but not the 'ate' at the end of celebrate, officiate etc. which were the examples GrannyGear gave.