Elisa Batista wrote this article in plain english even if the title seems strange. Then she asked a web engine to translate it into SMS lingo.
You'll find the translation under the name "Euro Teens Understand This" here.
SMS stands for Short Message Service and is widely used by teenagers in Europe on their cellphones. In fact, it's almost a tax on them because they're charged about 1/2 euro per message (or half a U.S. dollar).
And because keyboard cellphones are so small and impractical to use, a new language has emerged.
Let's start with some basic examples:
XLnt = excellent
pls = please
l8r= later
;) = wink
PCM = please call me
Now, let's go to something slightly more difficult.
CU L8r 2nite @ *$’s k
Translation: see you later tonight at Starbucks, OK?
Let's dig a little bit deeper with something more sophisticated.
How would you type "No one really uses it except for those obvious intuitive abbreviations that save space and thumb ache" on your cellphone?
Answer: "n 1 rly uzz it except 4 thOs obvious intuitive abbrz dat save space & thumb ache."
Do you think it's intuitive? I don't think so.
If you want to use the transl8it service, you'll find it here.
Source: Elisa Batista, Wired News, July 11, 2002
3:31:00 PM
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