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Mon 5 Jan, 2004 08:01 pm
Here in the U.S., Instant Message users often shorten words, using numbers and other ways to cut out letters: l8r = later; 2moro = tomorrow; lol = laughing out loud; and so on. I think it's mostly to save keystrokes (I'm not an IM user).
I know IM is used internationally. Do people using other languages shorten words this way? How does it work in another language? I know there are some especially long words in German; is there a universal way to shorten them?
I think people do it everywhere.
They do it in french anyway, and in dutch, for example:
w8 ff = wacht even --> ('wait a minute'. 8=acht, and 'even' is pronounced as 'effe', which is also the name for two or more 'f's': one 'ef', two 'effe')
n8 = nacht --> ('night', 8=acht. This could be the same in german)
xieje = ik zie je -->('see you')
or names:
A3N = Adrien(ne) --> (3=drie)
MA = Emma
People use a lot of english too, like brb (be right back), or lol.
Though 'lol' is a very funny word. It's actually an existing dutch word, meaning 'fun', so you can use it in the same places as the english 'laughing out loud'.
Yes, Wy, this is done here in Germany as well, especially with 'SMS' ( short message service with mobiles/telephones), since you can't send (normally) more than 160 signs within one message.
Some are more German, others totally English, see e.g. this webpage
EXAMPLES IN GERMAN
Thank you, D1D and Walter!
Wow, what a long list. I don't know most of them.^^
I often see english abreviations in German chat / ICQ conversation: lol (laughing out loud), brb (be right back), wb (welcome back)...
Some Geman ones: kA = keine Ahnung, meaning "no idea"; mom = Moment, meaning "moment" => "wait a second"
However, the best way to shorten German sentences is to write it in your local dialect.^^
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