Txt

: : For the filename extension, see .txt.

txt refers to the English language slang used on mobile phone short message service, although with the prevalence of predictive text input, it is now less common. It is an abbreviated form of English, derived from rebus, a writing system popular with Benjamin Franklin. It is similar to Leet, but without the script kiddie content. Another example of this is AOL speak.

It became common due to the small number of characters allowed in a text message and the small computer keyboards on mobile phones.

The aim of txt is to reduce the number of characters needed to put across a meaning. One casualty of this principle is that punctuation is widely disregarded.

=txt devices=

Single letters can be used to replace words. Examples include:

Be becomes b

See becomes c

Are becomes r

You becomes u

Why becomes y

Equally, single digits can be used to replace words. Examples include:

Ate becomes 8

For becomes 4

To or Too becomes 2

Individual syllables can be replaced with a single letter or digit. Examples:

Ate becomes 8

Be becomes b

For or Fore becomes 4

: (The above two can be combined for an example, where before becomes b4 ).

More miscellaneous adaptions of characters include:

ss being replaced with $

oo being replaced with %

Other transcriptions of slang or dialect terms can be used if they are shorter than the original. A good example of this is the way in which because , often pronounced as cos in English, is written like so, saving four characters.

Another device used in text language is the removal of vowels from a verb, such that a set of consonants remain, which should still be recognisable as a word. So, between could become btwn .

Equally, whole words may be omitted, especially pronouns.

=An example=

A typical text message might read: : hi m8 u k-sry i 4got 2 cal u lst nite-y dnt we go c film 2moz ::This is 62 characters long. This would translate into standard English as so: : Hello mate. Are you okay I am sorry that I forgot to call you last night. Why don t we go and see a film tomorrow ::This is 125 characters long. The txt version of this sentence is less than half the length of the standard English version.