On Txt spk…

I’ve been thinking about texting recently, because it’s one of my favourite ways of keeping in touch with people. As a linguistic purist in some ways (pedantic, annoying), I have an ingrained loathing of ‘text speak’ – shortening words to make things more convenient.

PWND!

I’ve seen how our language is changing and evolving in line with technology, even over the past few years. Take the word ‘pwned’ for example. ‘Pwned’ is now in the dictionary, and it doesn’t make much sense. It comes from an error that an online gaming software programmer made. Instead of saying ‘Owned’ (as in, you’re a loser, I win, I OWN you ha ha), he or she typed it incorrectly and came up with ‘Pwned’.

The online gaming community adopted this spelling error readily, and a new word was born.

Ouch.

Texting is another example of how our language is changing. Now, if I read the word ‘Gr8’, I don’t even flinch. Much. Our brains are changing, adapting to this new way of phonetic writing, and we can absorb it quickly and easily, because it works in line with how our brains naturally respond to language.

The thing is, this isn’t new. Here’s why.

The beginning of text speak

When I was a child, wading my way through books and setting the scene for a lifetime of literary passion and ineptitude for everything else (I can’t count, I don’t know what day it is, but JOY! I can write!), my grandfather used to spend time with me, playing about with words.

He taught me Cockney Rhyming Slang, even though he was a Yorkshireman. One thing that sticks in my head is this little puzzle, which he wrote out for me once…

YYURYYUBICURYY4ME.

This is a rhyme. Try and figure it out. I’ll tell you the answer in a second…

There’s more examples of messing about with language (So many more!) Can you remember the Two Ronnies sketch where they are in a restaurant, and one is ordering food? It goes like this…

F U N E X? (have you any eggs?)

S, V F X (yes, we have eggs) and so on. One of them ends up ordering M N X. It’s hard to describe just how stupidly funny and clever this is.

My point today is, I think I need to stop being so snobbish about language. Things evolve for a reason, and the reason behind our recent linguistic evolution is that it works. While I’m not going to stop writing long hand in my mobile messages, I am going to appreciate just how amazing it is that our language is evolving.

Anyway. Did you get the answer to the puzzle? Here it is…

Too wise you are, too wise you be, I see you are too wise for me!

Jen