# text messaging

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging/201984>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 16, 2003, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging/201984 "2003-09-16T19:17:41Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![DuhCow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b38774/32.png) [@DuhCow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DuhCow)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2003, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging/201984/1 "2003-09-16T19:17:41Z")

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my friend just texted me from something called [nobody@mobilestorm.com](mailto:nobody@mobilestorm.com) telling me to dial a toll free number to listen to hillary duff’s new song. how did she do that??? she wont tell me

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**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2003, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging/201984/2 "2003-09-16T19:39:55Z")

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You could always [email the source](http://www.stunmail.com/?contact=1).

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**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2003, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging/201984/3 "2003-09-16T19:45:07Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by DuhCow \*  
> my friend just **texted** me

Minor hijack: I know “text” as a verb is something of a neologism, but is this abomination _really_ going to be the past tense form? 😉

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**Author:** ![An\_Lu\_abu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d2c977/32.png) [@An\_Lu\_abu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Lu_abu)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2003, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging/201984/4 "2003-09-16T21:38:15Z")

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Quote \*\* Minor hijack: I know “text” as a verb is something of a neologism, but is this abomination really going to be the past tense form? \*\*

It seems to have become the de facto past tense in the European North Western Isles.

Regards,  
Ken

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**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2003, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging/201984/5 "2003-09-17T05:09:18Z")

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Yeah, I’m a bit surprised to hear anyone objecting to it at this point (you’re a few years too late Cervaise!). What’s the alternative, anyway?