Texting codes

The codes used in texting are really a new language of their own. I mean, there are the common, obvious ones like LOL (laugh out loud), BTW (by the way) and gr8 (great), but then there are the rest which become a little more obscure…unless you are a teen in which case you have already learnt the language by osmosis!

According to search query data, the top ten questioned definitions belong to:

  1. ROFL means Rolling on floor laughing.
  2. STFU means Shut the *freak* up.
  3. LMK means Let me know.
  4. ILY means I love you.
  5. YOLO means You only live once.
  6. SMH means Shaking my head.
  7. LMFAO means Laughing my freaking *a* off.
  8. NVM means Never mind.
  9. IKR means I know, right.
  10. OFC means Of course.
Full Stops Are The Most Passive-Aggressive Texting Punctuation Ever

I’m very old school when it comes to texting. I use a few common abbreviations, but otherwise I write the words in full – even adding the full stops (which I’ve been told is now considered passive aggressive! Go figure!!).

I’m sure this abbreviated language teens use is drifting into their everyday writing. I mean, they spend more time on their phones than they do anything else.

The English language has always evolved (and I’ll post more on that another day) but this seems to be a bit of a seismic shift in a rather short time. I’m not sure how I feel about that.

What about you? Do you understand text code? Do you use it or are you old school like me?

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From: eBay

13 comments on “Texting codes

  1. Which level of text code is that? I have found that the levels of the depth of text codes changes at times and age groups in a way adults don’t understand. Therefore, I gave up and only text answers when texted questions.

    I can make a foll of myself quite well enough without texting. Youngsters are just as cruel now as I remember them being, in my youth, yes, I had one.

    • I text all the time as it is often a faster way to get a response. But I really can’t be bothered learning the codes.

  2. I knew most of the human ones…

  3. I’m definitely old school. Look at the comments section of just about anything on social media and see just how badly the language has suffered from kidspeak: No capitalization or punctuation (except for “lol” which I guess is an end-of-sentence), abbreviations used instead of words, sentences that defy diagramming…

    • I know! And I’m not sure what the English curriculum is looking like in the US but the Aussie one leaves so much to be desired.

  4. I know most of the common abbreviations. I have to figure them out sometimes as they’ll use them in the chat in our class meetings (still virtual). I am also of the type-all-the-full-words-with-punctuation persuasion. Of the formal writing I’ve seen, they seem to do okay, although they need reminders to write formally rather than casually.

    • Ah yes, you would need them in your job. I’m not sure why a full stop suggests a passive aggressive text message, but I think the lack of text code should make it clear I’m just old school too.

  5. Giggling Fattie

    March 19, 2021 at 9:15 am

    I can get most of it but I do need to google some haha! And it is TOTALLY drifting into writing! My grade two students are all about the “fav” and “my bff” and “cos I like it” and ummmm no, excuse me, write the full word!

    • Yep, we need teachers like you, GF, who insist on kids learning how to write the full word, and punctuate and…

      • Giggling Fattie

        March 19, 2021 at 10:21 pm

        Haha yes! I always explain why its wrong and how to fix it. But I also don’t go tooooo hard on my littles. Their first language is a Middle Eastern language, which they learn for half the day at school, some have 2-3 other than English!!! Plus they learn French at the school. So spelling is the least of my concerns

  6. I suppose I worry more about text grammar and formatting than I should. But I don’t like things that look sloppy or incomplete! Every time I see penmanship from generations gone by, I think, alas, it was so beautiful! I do love the convenience of texting, however.

    We’re not supposed to use ellipses in texts either, because they imply that something is wrong and also take up space, haha.

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