by Kristen Bagwell

My mobile phone is my woobie. It has been ever since I got one back in...1996?...and became even more so when I learned how to text message. At the time, I was a sales manager living out in Phoenix, and it was so much easier (in my mind) to text someone and wait for my answer than try to call and track them down.

Texting was so new that there were no keyboards yet -  you had to tap the number on the phone until the right letter came up. So, if you needed a "c" you'd tap the 2 button 3 times...a..b..c. And I loved it. We also didn't have smiley faces (emoticons) back then, so I had to say *smile* or whatever. Hard to believe, no?

These days, texters are so practiced that they don't even have to use whole words. As my friend Kimberly said, "We spend years telling the kids to use their words...then they get a phone and revert to acronyms." Our teens and tweens speak a language all their own, and parents of teens know what I mean. My older sister replied to one of my texts with "IKR." My immediate thought was "huh?" (Actually it was "WTH?"). I replied "Old lady here, use words" and she just laughed. Good times.

With all of that said, there are over 1000 acronyms and shorthand being used by savvy texters. Should you need to translate, I've pasted the most frequently-used abbreviations below. Webopedia has the full list, if you're interested. Some are obvious...some, notsomuch.

?4U    I have a question for you
;S    Gentle warning, like "Hmm? What did you say?"
^^    Meaning "read line" or "message above"
143    I love you
182    I hate you
10X    Thanks
10Q    Thank you
20    Meaning "location"
2M2H    Too much too handle
411    Meaning "information"
404    I don't know
459    Means I love you (ILY is 459 using keypad numbers)
^5    High-five
511    Too much information (more than 411)
6Y    Sexy
7K    Sick
831    I love you (8 letters, 3 words, 1 meaning)
86    Over
88    Hugs and kisses
9    Parent is watching

AITR    Adult in the room
AYDY    Are you done yet?
AYSOS    Are you stupid or something?
AYS    Are you serious?
AYT    Are you there?
A3    Anytime, anywhere, anyplace

B9    Boss is watching
B4N    Bye for now
BB    Be back
BCO    Big crush on
BIF    Before I forget
BYTM    Better you than me

CD9    Code 9, Meaning "parents are around"
CMB    Call me back
CSL    Can't stop laughing
CT    Can't talk
CYO    See you online

DD    Dear (or Darling) daughter
DGA    Don’t go anywhere
DIKU    Do I know you?
DKDC    Don't know, don't care
DS    Dear (or Darling) son

EG    Evil grin
EMA    E-mail address

FBM    Fine by me
FBOW    For better or worse
FC    Fingers crossed
FRT    For real though
FWB    Friend with benefits
FWIW    For what it's worth
FYEO    For your eyes only

G2R    Got to run
G2TU    Got to tell u (you)
GA    Go ahead
GJ    Good job
GL    Good luck
GNSD    Good night, sweet dreams
GOI    Get over it

HAGN    Have a good night
HAGO    Have a good one

I2    I too (me too)
IDK    I don't know
IDTS    I don't think so
IKR    I know, right?

KFY    Kiss for you
KNIM    Know what I mean?
KPC    Keeping parents clueless

LDO    Like, duh obviously
LIC    Like I care
LMK    Let me know

MBS    Mom behind shoulder
MEH    Meaning a "shrug" or shrugging shoulders
MEH    Meaning a "so-so" or "just okay"
MOS    Mother over shoulder

NM    Never mind

O4U    Only for you
OH    Overheard

P911    Parents coming into room alert
PAW    Parents are watching
PIR    Parents in room
POS    Parent over shoulder
PRT    Party
PRT    Please Retweet (Twitter slang)
PRW    People/parents are watching
PUKS    Pick up kids (SMS)

QL    Quit laughing
QSL    Reply
QSO    Conversation

SAT    Sorry about that
SLAP    Sounds like a plan
SO    Significant other
SOWM    Someone with me
ST&D    Stop texting and drive
SWMBO    She who must be obeyed. Meaning wife or partner

TFS    Thanks for sharing
TIR    Teacher in room
TMOT    Trust me on this
TMTH    Too much to handle
TOU    Thinking of you

UGTBK    You've got to be kidding
UNA    Use no acronyms (ha ha - there's an acronym for use no acronyms!)
UTM    You tell me
UV    Unpleasant visual
UW    You're welcome

WTG    Way to go
WYD    What (are) you doing?

XME    Excuse Me
XLNT    Excellent

YD    Yesterday
YF    Wife
YIU    Yes, I understand
YKW    You know what
YNK    You never know
YR    Yeah right

ZZZZ    Sleeping (or bored)


Step away from the phone...
: )  TTYL