ICYMI, this was the fad of the SMS era. LOL. TGIF. BRB. Going offline, TTYL. Did you text like this?
These types of acronyms came about when SMS messaging on a classic Nokia 3310 was a big thing in the 2000’s. SMS stands for short message service, and was around when phones made it a little bit harder for us to send long texts. But let’s go back to where it started.
The first ever SMS was sent over the Vodafone network in the UK on December 3rd, 1992. It was sent from a personal computer to a Orbitel 901 Handset with the message reading “Merry Christmas” (maybe a little early to send a Christmas message TBH). The first person-to-person SMS system was sold to consumers in 1993 and changed the world of online messaging.
During the 2000’s, it wasn’t really a shock that these phones blew up the abbreviated text messaging, as you literally had to press the number seven button four times just to get to the ‘S’ key. This then shifted people into abbreviating everything they would send to their friends and family.
Because of this, a new range of fads was brought upon our screens so we could send more in a smaller message, and a lot quicker too.
Saying this, it then adopted to our computer screens. How accurate were you really when it came to typing up a document for homework or jumping onto MSN and working up the courage to message your crush when they came online? No one has time to fully type out a word, then correct it when we make a mistake and it’s complete gibberish, thus the abbreviations are born!
“Hey BFF! WYD 2day? HMU if U want 2 do something. IDC what we do. I can BRT. LMK! TTYL!”
Make any sense of it? Let’s translate it for you.
Hey Best friend forever, what’re you doing today? Hit me up if you want to do something. I don’t care what we do. I can be right there. Let me know. Talk to you later.
Despite the craze of abbreviated text messaging early in the 2000’s, the advancements in technology with phones and AI, have significantly changed the way we text one another (it also helps that every second person has a MacBook Pro and has it connected to their brand new iPhone).
The latest Apple iPhone 14 is the next generation of mobile phone, and with the simple addition of speak to text, autocorrect and even swipe to text, there is no need for those “cool” and “retro” abbreviations anymore. FR (For real), you can even assign the longer version of an abbreviation with the new SMS setting on the newer phones, so you can be lazy AND still text like a proper English professor with a masters degree.
The original Nokia 3310 was released in 2000 and changed the way we call, text and even play games, all on a device that could fit in our pocket.
The old-school Nokia flip-phone were invented in 1996 and featured a 12-pad button feature where you could do your original texting.
Some of the most common phrases and abbreviations can be found here.
TBH, I’m so pleased this is no longer a thing. RIP to the OG Nokia phone and OG SMSing. LMAO, TTYL.
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