As a matter of fact written language is only 5,500 years old than the 80,000 old spoken language. So may be for the writers, corporate executives, school teachers, proof readers and the elder/older people it is important to write correctly however our young teens are opposites.
With 80% of teens on the Internet, they only use fast and free messaging tools and apps like Viber, WhatsApp, GroupMe, Line, WeChat, MessageMe, Kik,Tango, Cubie, Facebook Messenger, Hike, Maaii, iMessage, Google Hangouts, BB Messenger, Skype, Voxer and SnapChat for all their spontaneous conversations. One of the things that makes teen’s chats so quick and secret is their use of Internet shorthand language and acronyms because they have mastered the need and art of speaking out and living it like YOLO (you only live once)! It does require use of numbers, characters and different kind of punctuation so instant messaging doesn’t necessary is bad for academia. This new lexicon is a positive thing as long as they are not too secretive and parents are aware of the meaning of what kids are texting away… Here are 50 most un-common and common ones:
- WTH: What the heck & WTF : What the F***
- QQ: It is an emoticon (picture created in text) where the tail in the form of Q are tears while the circles are the eyes.
- PTB: Please text back
- VSF: Very sad face
- WYCM: Will you call me?
- ZOMG: Oh my god (sarcastic)
- MIRL: Meet in real life
- LSR: Loser
- MOS: Mom over shoulder
- PAW: Parents are watching
- PIR: Parents (or people) in room
- SOS: Someone over shoulder
- SYS: See you soon
- AWHFY: are we having fun yet?
- WYGOWM: Will you go out with me?
- AWGTHTGTTA: are we going to have to go through this again?
- AYOR: at your own risk
- ANFSCD : and now for something completely different
- BBLBNTSBO…: be back later but not too soon because of…
- BBR: burnt beyond repair
- BIH: Burn In Hell
- BTOBS: be there or be square
- B&: Banned
- CD9: code 9 – parents are around
- CFS: care for secret?
- CID: crying in disgrace
- CM@TW: catch me at the web
- DITYID: did I tell you I’m distressed
- F/F: face to face
- FCOL: for crying out loud
- FYEO: for your eyes only
- FUDFUCT: fear, uncertainty and doubt failed under continuous testing
- H8: Hate (H1 – H9 indicating levels of hate)
- HHIS: hanging head in shame
- IMP: I might be pregnant
- KB: kiss back
- LMIRL: let’s meet in real life
- MWBRL: More Will Be Revealed Later
- OLL: on-line love
- Pornado: large amount of pornographic content
- SCNR: sorry, could not resist
- SH: so hot
- SOMY: sick of me yet?
- SWAK: sealed with a kiss
- TAW: teachers are watching
- THTH: too hot to handle
- TSDMC: tears streaming down my cheeks
- UMFRIEND: ‘intimate’ partner
- WYMM: will you marry me?
- YKYWTKM: you know you want to kiss me
- 420 4life: marijuana
- *K*: kiss
All this teen text speak (txtspk) is hugely adopted by the millennial and on average American teens text away some 3,300 text messages every month (2012). Some teens text heavily and some are among the average users however rarely they use it sparingly. With more smartphone, tablets, social media tools like Twitter which allows only 140 character tweets, this clipped talk is here to stay to prosper. The parents have to not just decode their children’s instant messages but also need tools like iPad and Android tablet monitoring software PeekTab to monitor what they are typing away on their gadgets. With proper Facebook message, iMessage, BB message monitoring parents will not only be able to view chat logs but also they will have the time to understand them! After all the instances of sexting, cyber bullying, online pedophiles and trolling it is imperative to be a step ahead of current edgy technology which kids are using 24/7.
