What Did She Say?

English. Spanish. French. Text. What? Texting is not officially classified as a language, but it is being used like one. Don’t be surprised if you begin to notice the numerous texting abbreviations creep their way into your classrooms!

How do you speak the language? What does it all mean? Here are a few rules of the game, courtesy of Wikipedia…

Single letters can replace words
*be becomes b
*see becomes c
*are becomes r
*you becomes u
*why becomes y

Single digits can replace words
*ate becomes 8
*for becomes 4
*to or too becomes 2

A single letter or digit can replace a syllable
*ate becomes 8, so:
*great becomes gr8
*later becomes l8r or l8a
*skate becomes sk8
*skater becomes sk8r
*"tomorrow" becomes "2mro"
*for or fore becomes 4, so:
*before becomes (combining both of the above) b4
*therefore becomes thr4
*Are you there becomes r u there or r u dere

Combinations of the above can shorten a single or multiple words
*Your and You're both become ur or yr

Characters and punctuation can be removed to shorten messages
*-in can replace -ing in most cases, similar to that in vocal slang
*For example, coming becomes comin and txting becomes txtin

Vowels can be removed such that the sequence of consonants remain and the word is still recognizable.
*For example, between becomes btwn or b/w and yearbook becomes yrbk
*Or: Are you there becomes r u thr
*“/” can signify abbreviation, such as w/ for with and s/t for something

There are tons of online sources to help you obtain a better understanding. Best advice – be informed and aware of your students’ communication skills and methods!

If you run across a text message you just can’t decipher… check out this searchable acronyms and abbreviations site. http://www.abbreviations.com/

G2G. T+. HTH!
(Got to go. Think Positive. Hope this helps!)