Texting is the method dujour of communication of the technologically empowered and Generations X, Y and Z . It may also be one of the most important and fundamental influences on modern cursing in the last 100 years. A common technique used in texting is the use of an ever grown list of abbreviations or IM shortcuts. These shortcuts allow for quicker entry of the text message through the users preferred device and also provide some measure of privacy from people who are not cool enough to understand the message being conveyed. The title of this post is an example, and if you don't get it well then....
A common application of IM shortcuts is its use to hide obvious cursing within the message, as in WTF or IDFK (again if you don't know what these stand for then UR2FO). Which in this writer's opinion are truly in genius and progressive. By simplifying cursing to just a few letters we are able to 1)save finger effort, 2) reduce the energy footprint of our texting device by reducing the nanobits of data that are needed to transmit the complete word and 3) prevent old F-rs from understanding what we are talking about. Truly brilliant.
This simplification of the curse word has allowed us as a culture to begin using curse words like fuck, shit and cunt in more general conversation. It has become very acceptable in less than liberal circles to use a phrase like "Really Judge Davis, he just f-ed up," or "That old C at the desk doesn't like me". However some of the people you are speaking to may not understand what you are saying, but then again they probably don't need to.
Another wonderful facet of texting is the complete removal of actual words from communication, such as "?" or ;) or "!". Virtually anyone can read these symbols and interpret their meaning, but do you really appreciate the linguistic excellence that is demonstrated by ending a sentence with =)? If you have spent more that 3 seconds trying to figure out what that is then, again you're old.
Finally, I do find that certain IM shortcuts are a little excesive. They are the six to fifteen letter varients that are commonly used to express and entire complex thought, such as AFAHMASP and IBAPTAKYAIYSTA. These of course mean "a foul and his money are soon parted" and "I'll buy a plane ticket and kick your ass if you say that again" respectively, but do they truely convey the meaning intended? A recently IM session with the AAAAA (American Associatation Against Acronym Abuse) reveled that only 30% of people over the age of 35 actually understand long string acronyms and 60% of those pretend to understand them during text conversations with people under 35, truely sad and shocking. The AAAAA member may have actually meant something else, but I am still trying to get my 14-year old to decipher the chat log.
Texting has become and will likely remain an important form of communication in our culture, so I suggest that we begin teaching people the acronyms. Perhaps handing out pamphlets at the Social Security office and nursing homes may be the best way to reach the right demographic.
By the way, ROTFLMAO does not mean "Ready to finger little mexican assholes online." My mistake, don't make it yours.
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