Abbreviations

Abbreviations are becoming a massive part of the English language especially in evolving and changing language and technology. Abbreviations are regularly found in texts up and down the country and are more commonly associated with internet and text language. The text language has progressed considerably over the past 6 years with the use of the emoji to replace words and express feelings and also to abbreviate words such as GR8 to mean great and also B4 to mean before. Abbreviated words are used to minimise the time it sends to message someone and are used commonly on such social media sites as Facebook and Twitter. The introduction of the iPhone triggered the establishment of new abbreviated words and acronyms such as LOL which used to be known as Lots Of Love but is now known as Laugh Out Loud. The evolvement of abbreviations now means that people are using their phones much more due to accessibility and quickness of messaging someone. This is important especially too teenagers because they are now typing out hundreds or even thousands of words a day, which can only improve their English skills.

A 2006 study by two professors at Coventry University in Britain found that 11-yearolds who used the most textisms were actually better at spelling and writing. A command of texting seems to indicate a broader facility for language. And these students seem to switch easily between text messaging and Standard English. (The New York Sun, January 23, 2008).
A study shows the top ten abbreviations/acronyms used by teenagers in text language: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 2moro - Tomorrow 2nite - Tonight BRB - Be Right Back BTW - By The Way GR8 Great ILY I Love you OMG Oh My God WTF What the F**K TLC Tender Loving Care LMAO Laughing my ass off

Abbreviations can now been seen everywhere in technology and even some acronyms have made it in to the Oxford Dictionary. This shows the importance of abbreviated words and the fact it is now use worldwide in hope to decrease time spent on a message and output of the message.

Reported by George Pratt