# txt spk **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 3, 2011, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/txt-spk/580581 "2011-05-03T16:01:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/txt-spk/580581/1 "2011-05-03T16:01:01Z")
more n more frndz r sending me mssgs like this. i get that its hard 2 type alot of long words w a cell but somtimes its hard 2 figure out what ther saying wtf is wx? weather? as in “nice wx brought them out 4 sure” ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/txt-spk/580581/2 "2011-05-03T16:09:39Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > wtf is wx? weather? as in “nice wx brought them out 4 sure” I usually write back with “What?” or “What does that mean?” or “What does ‘wx’ stand for?” I know it’s sounds like I’m being purposely dense to make a point, but if I don’t know what you’re saying, there’s not much else I can do. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/txt-spk/580581/3 "2011-05-03T16:29:25Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > “nice wx brought them out 4 sure” It’s obvious your friend is talking about her recent bikini waxing. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/txt-spk/580581/4 "2011-05-03T16:30:05Z")
I’m trying to get it from context, but I have asked people to explain things before. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/txt-spk/580581/5 "2011-05-03T16:31:06Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > It’s obvious your friend is talking about her recent bikini waxing. D’oh! OK, I’ll make that assumption and proceed accordingly. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/txt-spk/580581/6 "2011-05-03T16:38:16Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > i get that its hard 2 type alot of long words w a cell It’s not. They’re lazy. Tell them to write normally or you’ll just be likely to ignore it. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/txt-spk/580581/7 "2011-05-03T18:12:02Z")
It’s not hard to type proper English at all with a QWERTY keyboard and two thumbs. I can even do it with an iPhone. It is hard when all you have is T9 and the number keys, though, as many older phones do. ---
**Author:** ![arseNal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@arseNal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/arseNal)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/txt-spk/580581/8 "2011-05-03T18:20:35Z")
Well, FWIW, it looks like “wx” as an abbreviation for weather predates txt speak by quite a bit. According to wikipedia it’s been used in Morse code and telegraph usage. > **[WX](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wx)** > > WX may refer to: ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/txt-spk/580581/9 "2011-05-03T18:22:47Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > It’s not hard to type proper English at all with a QWERTY keyboard and two thumbs. I can even do it with an iPhone. It is hard when all you have is T9 and the number keys, though, as many older phones do. No, it is easy. In fact, it’s easier - it just takes a little longer. Instead of having to translate what you want to convey into some near-incoherent bit of gibberish, you simply take an extra 45 seconds and just type what you want to convey. It has the added benefit of greatly increasing the chances of your recipient actually reading \*and \*understanding \*and \*responding to it. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/txt-spk/580581/10 "2011-05-03T18:24:52Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > it just takes a little longer Sadly, many people today equate time with difficulty, or at the very least take for granted that they vary directly. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/txt-spk/580581/11 "2011-05-03T18:33:28Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > It’s not hard to type proper English at all with a QWERTY keyboard and two thumbs. I can even do it with an iPhone. It is hard when all you have is T9 and the number keys, though, as many older phones do. I know one friend who uses an iPhone, and another who uses a Blackberry, so I guess that excuse is not an option for them. I, on the other hand, have a T9 and it takes me about a week to type a short message. I text from my computer instead. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/txt-spk/580581/12 "2011-05-03T18:39:29Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > I text from my computer instead. WTF 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/txt-spk/580581/13 "2011-05-03T18:42:13Z")
I hate it, too. But what’s even worse is that it’s making its way into non-text channels as well. I got an email from a mid-level manager at a company I contract with, sent to many other mid- to high- level people in this large company, where he used “u” instead of “you” in the email. I just cringed - maybe it’s ok with some people, but I’m sure I’m not the only one on the email who felt like this guy had embarrassed himself. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/txt-spk/580581/14 "2011-05-03T18:47:00Z")
This reminds me of those ads they used to have (still do have?) in the New York City Subways: **f u cn rd ths msj thn u cn bcm a scy n gt a gd jb** [spoiler] If you can’t figure it out, it’s If You Can Read This Message, Then You Can Become A Secretary And get a Good Job." Don’t try out for a steno position. If they still have them. [/spoiler] According to an issue of _Playboy_ from circa 1972, somebody once wrote this grafitti underneath the ad: **fk nxn** Figure it out yourself ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/txt-spk/580581/15 "2011-05-03T18:48:05Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > WTF 😕 There are websites that let you do that. Tell it the phone number you want to text to, and the person’s carrier, and it’ll issue you an e-mail address. From this end it looks like I’m just e-mailing. From the other person’s end it looks like texting. I do sometimes wonder what number they’re texting to from that end. It’s not my actual phone. ---
**Author:** ![Azeotrope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/0ea827/32.png) [@Azeotrope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Azeotrope)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/txt-spk/580581/16 "2011-05-03T18:48:40Z")
I know a gal who, instead of typing out “anything,” abbreviates it to “nething.” 7 letters instead of 8, huge time saver right there :rolleyes: on top of that I spent months pondering how to diplomatically tell her she kept misspelling “nothing.” The same person also uses “cutee” instead of cute, although that’s at least shorter than the implied meaning of ZMFGTHATSOMUTHERBUGGINCUTE!!!3!!! so I guess that one is a time saver ---
**Author:** ![Azeotrope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/0ea827/32.png) [@Azeotrope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Azeotrope)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/txt-spk/580581/17 "2011-05-03T18:52:58Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > This reminds me of those ads they used to have (still do have?) in the New York City Subways: > **f u cn rd ths msj thn u cn bcm a scy n gt a gd jb** My high school had a class called “Super Write” that taught this, it was supposed to be easier to learn than shorthand and faster than writing out whole words for taking notes and whatnot. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/txt-spk/580581/18 "2011-05-03T18:57:10Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > **fk nxn** n agnu 2 ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/txt-spk/580581/19 "2011-05-03T19:00:57Z")
> [@ugly ripe tomato](#): > > My high school had a class called “Super Write” that taught this, it was supposed to be easier to learn than shorthand and faster than writing out whole words for taking notes and whatnot. i remember Superwrite! Don’t use it though. ---
**Author:** ![mauxlicious](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bc8723/32.png) [@mauxlicious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mauxlicious)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/txt-spk/580581/20 "2011-05-03T19:03:40Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > No, it is easy. In fact, it’s easier - it just takes a little longer. Instead of having to translate what you want to convey into some near-incoherent bit of gibberish, you simply take an extra 45 seconds and just type what you want to convey. It has the added benefit of greatly increasing the chances of your recipient actually reading \*and \*understanding \*and \*responding to it. I agree with your sentiments and I do text without abbreviations. I attribute my aversion to txt spk to my age. I’m 34 and figure I’m young enough to be an adopter of technology but old enough to still place my conventional understandings of language, and how it should be represented by symbols, on new mediums. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/txt-spk/580581.md?page=2)