I like to think I’m pretty down with the times. (Except, is it still acceptable to say I’m “down with” something?)
For real, though, I’m all current and stuff. After all, I know all the lyrics to one whole Justin Bieber song!
However, it’s come to my attention that I’m slightly behind when it comes to texting lingo. No joke, someone wrote WTG on my facebook timeline recently and it took me approximately 48 hours to realize it stood for “Way to go.”
Although I still can’t help laughing when I hear people use text-speak in everyday, out loud conversations, I figure I better start learning. Because who wants to live in a constant state of “IDK what you’re saying?” BUT…if I’m going to go all texting lexicon intelligent, I think it’s only fair we introduce a few phrases we all I use all the time.
So, for educational purposes, here are the phrases I propose make it into the Oxford English Dictionary of Text Message Shorthand:
RUS
Are you serious?
HASMCC
Has anyone seen my coffee cup?
IIMA
Is it morning already?
JLU
Jesus loves you.
ITISIOF
It’s true, I saw it on Facebook.
WDDACB
When does Downton Abbey come back?
CITBBE
Coldplay is the best band ever.
And lastly:
WYTTOCIMY
Why yes, Tim Tebow, of course I’ll marry you.
(I think I’ll reserve that last one for my exclusive use.)
Okay, please join the silliness. What phrase do you think should be introduced to texting shorthand? And, be honest, do you use texting phrases out loud? Because if you do, if you ever say BRB to me, I promise you I will still be laughing when you get back.
Comments 21
LOL! Um…I do tend to say O.M.G. and I don’t write it out OMGoodness, b/c I just assume people know I say that. And I think it’s corny for others to do that. I get you go to church. I get you think saying Oh My God is taking the Lord’s name in vain. If you go to church I’ll assume you me “goodness or gosh” So what’s the point? OMG is for short. Just had to vent that b/c it cracks me up when I see it.
And I have said, “That was a total LOL moment.” But mostly I speak text to tick off DH. He hates it. HA!
GAG! Get A Grip. I use this one with my DD all the time. k? TTYL!
Hehe! I have a coworker who says OMW instead! (Oh my word.) Makes me giggle every time. 🙂
I seriously looove it when people say LOL out loud AS they’re laughing. It’s one of my favorite things ever! Hehe…
GAG…gotta start using that one! 🙂
LOVE this post. So fun. In general, the Grammar Nazi in me cringes at text speak. The only time I use it is when I’m running low on texts, and proper spelling/punctuation would turn one text into two. But yes, I have been known to use a few of the more common ones in every day conversation: OMG, WTH(eck), and of course LOL, but I always pronounce it like a word, not just the letters. That made me Lol. But it’s a pet peeve of mine when people overuse LOL. Some people use it like punctuation on FB comments, and sometimes it’s not even appropriate. Feel the room, people.
Hehe, hilarious that you pronounce LOL like a word. FUNNY. Ooh, I hope you can work it into conversation at some point at Blue Ridge…hehehe…
And I was, like, baby, baby, baby, oh…like, baby, baby, baby, NO! …
Ha.
OK, so my husband and I say “BTW” (by the way) out loud. We also have one he accidentally made up…one time when we were trying to make a decision about diner, he said “Let’s PLE.” I looked at him funny and he said, “You know, play by ear.” I said, “Shouldn’t that be PBE?” We laughed. But we still say “Let’s PLE” to this day.
And now our weirdness has been exposed to all.
Thanks for the laughs on this Monday morning, because really, IIMA?
Haaa!! Actually, the song I know of Bieber’s is U Smile. Which is quite fitting for today’s post. And the thing is, I actually like the song! Which worries me…because I think, dude, if I listened to his other songs, would I like them too? Am I really an unsuspecting Bieber fan? Do I have undiagnosed Bieber fever? 🙂
You and your husband’s inside-joke-text-word is hilarious. PLE. Thank you for exposing your weirdness. Actually, my dream is to someday marry a man who can not only accept, but play along with my own weirdness. So, hearing about you and your husband gives me hope! 🙂
Cracking me up. I just got a phone where I can text like normal people from this century. But I’m not normal. I still write I love you and the long version of everything. My mom is even laughing at my sad texting abilities.
~ Wendy
Okay, the fact that your mom is laughing at your texting abilities is awesome to me. 🙂 It took me a long time to accept texting as normal, actually…I realized I’d been sucked in when once, in this crazy fluke, everyone in Sioux City, Iowa, lost ALL cell phone reception. I was supposed to meet friends at a restaurant and we were planning to text each other with a meeting time/location…and we couldn’t…and I couldn’t fathom what I was supposed to do without the ability to text. 🙂 Plus, it was hilarious to eventually walk into the restaurant and see the panicked looks on everyone’s faces as they look at their cell phones. It felt Twilight Zone-y. 🙂
A couple years ago when my husband and I were getting new phones he told me (in all seriousness) he didn’t think I should get one that was easy to text with because I’d get addicted (like I am to Facebook and emailing), so I thought he might have a point and I got a standard flip phone. Turns out HE started having a problem with texting! He plays basketball on Thursdays & Sundays and on those days our house has this constant binging noise as his phone is going off the wall with texts flying back and forth between him and his buddies! I have a new friend whose only form of communication is texting and one day I had to write her a general message – after five minutes I wanted to give up! My phone stinks. IMO (I’m missing out) – or maybe that one’s taken for something else?!?!
Hehehe, actually, I think IMO stands for “in my opinion.” There’s also IMHO, “In my honest opinion.” Not going to lie: I had to Google once to figure that one out! 🙂
Hilarious about your husband and texting!!
Oh my word, too funny!!! I’m waaaay behind the texting times. About half the time I still type out “you” instead of “u”. I know, have a heart attack…it’s warranted.
Haha, I’m totally cool with typing out “you.” I always have this debate with myself on Twitter…whether or not to sacrifice “you” for “u” and get some extra letters…but “u” just bugs me! 🙂
I know nothing about texting. My kids constantly use BRB when talking to me and LOL…it’s like a new language. I have never felt older. Here I thought I would always be hip-n-cool, but I am so obviously not when I suggest to my son (who just got an iTouch) that he actually TALK to his friends.
Hehehe…I know, how c-r-a-z-y to suggest he actually talk in person to his friends! My favorite are teen boyfriend/girlfriends who never have actual conversations except through text…I always wonder if they’re going to say their vows through their phones instead of out loud. 🙂 Haha…
Of course, who am I to talk? I just wrote a whole blog post suggesting new text phrases!
Awesomeness! You are so funny! Seriously! Not too long ago a friend texted LQTM. I finally had to ask her what it meant…Laughing quietly to myself! Sigh….
I’d rather LOL. 🙂
Oh, I so would’ve been clueless about LQTM, too! 🙂 Hehehe
Text-speak always reminds me of Johnah’s friend in Sleepless in Seattle. But that was back in ’94 so texting wasn’t even on the rader. Who knew the little girl was acuratly protrying the next generation. (Better than Back to The Future ever did. )
My additions:
ACOCP
Another Cup of Coffee Please
WAISOFB
Why am I still on FaceBook
Excuse the typos and lack of photo – IAETD
(I am experiencing Technical Difficulties)
WAISOFB…oh that is soooo good. Universally useful, I’m sure. And a question I ask myself pretty much daily when my to-do list is glaring at me while I’m on facebook. Hehehe…
Loved IAETD, too. Hehehe…
I resisted – for a LONG time – using any text speak at all. I felt it was “beneath” me! Now, I mainly use BTW (by the way) and will, occasionally, say it in real life too. But only with my (younger and much-hipper) sister! I still refuse to type “U” instead of “you” or numbers (2 or 4) instead of the words they represent.
Maybe if I were younger and much-hipper (like my sister, or you) I could come up with a few of my own!
Hehehe…I actually caught myself saying BTW the other day AFTER I’d written this post. And then I felt like a hypocrite. Oh well, at least a hip hypocrite. Hehehe…