What is text messaging? Popular ideas about text messaging The mobile phone does not require the user to write in non-standard forms, but the 160-character limit may encourage the development of an alternative standard short form.

non-standard forms… The writer knows the standard form in ordinary written English but has shortened it to allow for more words in the whole message. The writer knows the standard form in ordinary written English but has shortened it to save time in sending the message. The writer knows the standard form in ordinary written English but has changed it for idiosyncratic reasons (like thinking a different form to be elegant or amusing). The writer knows the standard form but has not entered it correctly nor noticed the mistake. The writer does not know the standard form.

Initialisms brb ("[I'll] be right back") emoticons or smileys :) for happiness) Emoticons are images composed of punctuation marks, so-called because they express emotions. portmanteau word formed from emot[ion] + icon.) Rather than being a foreign language, texting is only an extension or adaptation of his or her existing language competence.

How the medium affects the message Pragmatics technically, the user is entering the text by means of a keyboard, keypad or other input device; linguistically, he or she is speaking silently rather than writing. often explicitly related to face-to-face conversation, commenting on past interactions or anticipating future ones. text messaging frees the participants from negative non-verbal communications

Lexis …but also graphology? shortened it to allow for more words in the whole message. shortened it to save time in sending the message. changed it for idiosyncratic reasons (like thinking a different form to be elegant or amusing). not entered it correctly nor noticed the mistake. The writer does not know the standard form.

ASAP, AYOR, BRB, BTDT, BTW, b2b, B4N, CRBT acronyms or initialisms IMHO: in my humble opinion JIC: just in case LOL: lots of love MMYT: mail me your thoughts ROTFL[MAO]: rolling on the floor laughing [my ass off]

lch: lunch mbrsd: embarrassed pls: please thx: thanks initialising of some syllables or morphemes contracting forms by removing noun characters substituting consonants (x for sk, for example) using homophone characters to represent meanings via the corresponding speech sound CUS: see you soon F2F: face to face OIC: Oh, I see 2moro: tomorrow cul8r: see you later h2cus: hope to see you soon ltsgt2gthr: let's get together pls4givme: please forgive me t2yl8r: talk to you later

Grammar How varied are the clause and sentence structures? How does that variety (or lack of variety) achieve particular effects? How far does the grammar resemble that of speech rather than writing?

Discourse How many sentences (including minor sentences) does the message contain? Of what types are they (statements, directives, questions and so on)? How are they arranged?

2days lsn ws a CWOT. H8 Eng. HW will tke AWE. wan2 c a mV TWE?