SMS - English

When a 13-year-old Scottish girl handed in a text written in text message shorthand, she explained to her flabbergasted teacher that it was easier than standard English.

She wrote:
"My smmr hols wr CWOT. B4, we used 2go2 NY 2C my bro, his GF & thr 3 :- kids FTF. ILNY, it's a gr8 plc."

In translation:
"My summer holidays were a complete waste of time. Before, we used to go to New York to see my brother, his girlfriend and their three screaming kids face to face. I love New York. It's a great place.")

The girl's teacher was not impressed and said: "I could not believe what I was seeing. The page was riddled with hieroglyphics, many of which I simply could not translate."


Would you like to send English text messages?
Try it out! But do not use them at school.

• & - and
• 0 - nothing
• 2 - two, to, too
• 2DAY - today
• A - a / an
• B - be
• B4 - before
• BC - because
• BF - boyfriend
• BK - back
• BRO - brother
• BT - but
• C - see
• D8 - date
• DNR - dinner
• EZ - easy
• F8 - fate
• GF - girlfriend
• GR8 - great
• HOLS - holidays
• HV - have
• I - I, it
• Its - it is
• KDS - kids
• L8 - late
• L8R - later
• M8 - mate
• NE1 - anyone
• PLS - please
• PS - parents
• R - are
• SIS - sister
• SKOOL - school
• SMMR - summer
• U - you
• WR - were

• A3 - anyplace, anytime, anywhere
• ASAP - as soon as possible
• B4N - bye for now
• BAU - business as usual
• BRB - I'll be right back.
• BTW - by the way
• CUL - see you later
• CWOT - complete waste of time
• FTF - face to face
• FYI - for your information
• GMTA - great minds think alike
• HAND - have a nice day
• HRU - how are you
• ICBW - it could be worse
• IDTS - I don't think so
• IYKWIM - if you know what I mean
• JK - just kidding
• KOTC - kiss on the cheek
• LOL - laughing out loud
• LSKOL - long slow kiss on the lips
• LTNS - long time no see
• Luv U - I love you.
• Luv U2 - I love you too.
• MON - the middle of nowhere
  
• MTE - my thoughts exactly
• MU - I miss you.
• MUSM - I miss you so much.
• NP - no problem
• OIC - oh, I see
• PC&QT - peace and quiet
• PCM - please call me
• ROTFL - rolling on the floor laughing
• RUOK - are you ok?
• THNQ - thank you
• U4E - you forever
• UROK - you are okay
• WUCIWUG - what you see is what you get
• WYSIWYG - what you see is what you get
• XLNT - excellent

• :-) smiling
• :-* kiss
• :-)) very happy
• :-0 shocked
• :") blushing
• <:3 )~ mouse
• :@) pig
• :’-) tears of laughter
• :-P stick tongue out
• :-(*) you make me sick
• x-( you are mad
• :-" whistling
• ;-) wink
• :-@ screaming

Source: British Council
Source: BBC