The Definition of Text Speak

The widespread use of texting has changed our written language in many ways.

Text speak is a newly developing written dialect in which the author can shorten a statement through phonetic spellings or by abbreviating via the substitution of letters, numerals, or characters.

History

In 1985, Friedhelm Hillebrand, Bernard Ghillebaert, and Oculy Silaban developed "short message service" (SMS), now commonly referred to as text messages. In their system, brief statements containing 160 characters or less could be sent from computer to computer. Today, of course, these messages are frequently sent via mobile technology. As computers and cell phone technology have become ubiquitous, text messaging and text speak have become part of our vernacular.

Significance

The prevalence of text speak has increased the speed of communication. As more people have become conversant with these abbreviations, complex ideas can be conveyed in a shorter period of time. In a fast-paced society such as ours, such ways of saving time are both necessary and inevitable.

Warning

While convenient, text speak can be considered unprofessional in certain contexts. Different companies and cultures have different expectations for communication. In professional or academic writing, text speak should be avoided.

References

• Textually: All About Texting, SMS, and MMS
• Boston.com: To Text Your Boss or Not
• Is Textspeak Sabotaging Younger Job Seekers?

Resources

• SMS Dictionary