The stripped-down form of writing that goes with texting has been with us for more than 120 years, research has uncovered.
While the form of communication can baffle parents and lead to sniffy claims that standards of English are declining, text speak has been around longer than we might think.
Abbreviations like âhaâ and âhw r uâ were used by the original texters â the people who sent telegrams.
The workers, who passed important information across the world by tapping out messages, would also talk among themselves using the text style shorthand. The phenomenon was covered in a newspaper magazine in 1890, which has been rediscovered by a researcher.
âAcquaintances made by the telegraph key. Confidences exchanged between men who have never seen each other â their peculiar conversational abbreviations,â the articleâs headline read.
It also noted: âIn their conversations, telegraphers use a system of abbreviations which enables them to say considerably more in a certain period of time then they otherwise could.â
The article was uncovered by the photographer David Freidman who put a copy on his blog sundaymagazine.org
âWhen technology gets in the way of quick communication â whether it is because you have to tap out morse code or type it on a tiny keyboard â people will find a way to do it more quickly and efficiently, even if less elegantly,â he said.
Examples of 1890s-style text speak:
Ha (followed by a long pause) ha (another long pause) haâ long and hearty laughter
Min penâ the telegram writer needs time to adjust the pen before continuing. This phrase is similar to BRB in modern text messages, which means âbe right backâ
How r u ts mng?â How are you this morning?
Iâm pty wl, hw r u?â Iâm pretty well, how are you?
Iâm nt flg vy wl, fraid Iâve gt t mlariaâ Iâm not feeling very well, afraid Iâve got the malaria
No rest fo t wickdâ No rest for the wicked