The creative language of teens

SUP?

SMHID @ TPTB IMO ICBW. TIAD ;-)

BCNU

Anybody catch that?

It says: "What's up? I'm shaking my head in disbelief at the powers that be. In my opinion it could be worse. Tomorrow is another day. I'll be seeing you."

If you understood it, you're probably one of a growing number of teens who have taken to text messaging like Bill Gates took to computers.

In fact, recent polls show that text messaging (a message of 160 text characters or less transmitted to a cell phone screen) has become more popular among youths than actual cell phone calls or even computer e-mails.

"It's easier, like if something just pops in you head, you can send it right then," said Brooke Huber, a senior at Central High School.

A July report from the Pew Internet & Social Life Project, a not-for-profit research center in Washington, D.C., that studies the social effects of the Internet, found that 57 percent of girls and 40 percent of boys age 15 to 17 have sent text messages.

Central senior Lauren Loftis said text messaging is also less conspicuous than calls. While most local high schools ban the use of cell phones during class hours, it's easy for girls to reach their hand nochalantly in their purse or book bag and send a message during class, said Loftis.

Through teens' need for speed and the text character limitation, a unique short-hand language has developed around text messaging.

The abbreviations range from the fairly mundane -- ASAP (as soon as possible), B4 (before) and TGIF (thank God it's Friday) -- to creative and confusing -- ROTFLUTS (rolling on the floor laughing unable to speak) and DV8 (deviate).

Web sites such as Webopedia.com offer translations for the language.

There's also a growing number of companies taking advantage of the craze with new services, like text message dating and advertisements.

At www.MLB.com, baseball fans can receive scores, trivia and injury updates via text messages. A company called "txt2flrt" advertises text message interaction with "fun, sexy, interesting people who are on the move."

Teen People magazine will automatically text breaking celebrity news. One Web site offers guys the opportunity to have pickup lines text messaged to them on a daily basis.

None of that is free however. Most cellular services charge between 5 and 10 cents per text message (sent and received). For a service such as "txt2flrt," 50 cents per message is charged on top of the regular cell phone charge. The updates from MLB.com are $3.99 per month.

With the number of text messages sent per month in the U.S. rising from 2.8 billion a year ago to 5 billion in 2005, according to wireless trade association CTIA, the additional cost to regular users (or their parents) can be substantial.

Both Loftis and Huber spent a good deal of time text messaging last year, until the phone bills started rolling in. At one point, Huber had racked up $70 worth of text message charges (at 10 cents per message that's 700 messages in one month.) Loftis cut back when her charges reached $20.

"My parents freaked," she said. "Plus, with gas prices now, I need money for that this year."