Confused by SMS Texting? Use this Lingo List!
Learning how to use SMS texting is like learning a new language. Most words are abbreviated to save time in typing your messages, even with full text keyboards. For example, the word "something" would be "smth" instead. Using a guide for lingo, or a lingo key, will keep you from making up your own abbreviations to use while helping you to communicate with people who send text messages frequently. It is important not to make up your own abbreviations to take the place of the lingo that already exists because it will be confusing to other people who do not know what your particular SMS abbreviations mean.
Some frequently used words when sending SMS texts are "LOL," "LMAO," "BFF," "smth" and "idk". LOL is an abbreviation of "laughing out loud" and you will see it written in lower case as well as upper case, and even with the first letter in uppercase only. LOL is put at the beginning or end of a sentence, either intended to be funny or as a comment to something funny. LMAO is "laughing my a** off" and is used in the same way as LOL. Both abbreviations can also be used alone, usually after a person has said something funny. Once you begin using SMS texting frequently, you will see how easy these abbreviations are to use in everyday language.
BFF means "best friends forever" and is used frequently in everyday conversation between particular age groups. It can be beneficial to know what this means when referring to individuals who are close to you in particular situations. BFF, like LOL and LMAO can be in all upper case letters as well as all lowercase. Situations where BFF will have the first letter uppercase and the other letters lower case is usually as a result of intending all letters to be lower case, but the default for the first letter in a message is to make it upper case. The abbreviation "idk" is usually all lower case and means "I don't know," a phrase frequently used by teenagers and preteens.
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of frequently used abbreviations for individuals to use while sending SMS messages. The best way to learn is to simply try it for yourself, and you can nearly guarantee that if your choice of lingo isn't catching on, your friends will certainly be kind enough to let you know that what you are choosing to say it is not working for you. You can find further lingo lists available online by doing a search for "SMS texting abbreviations/ language." It will be easy to find, because you are not alone in wanting to figure out what's being said out there.
About the Author
Uma Ilango is a programmer by profession.
