Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2008/11/02
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]HI! QRZ? K DE N7EXN --howard On Nov 2, 2008, at 3:30 PM, Peter Klein wrote: > An amusing side note to "texting." The abbreviations used are often > very similar to ones used by old-time telegraph operators, which are > still in use today by amateur radio operators ("Radiosport" for you > Europeans) who use Morse code. They involved omitting vowels or > using "sound alikes" to shorten and lessen the number of dots and > dashes in words, using acronyms, and substituting internationally- > known telegrapher's sets numbers or three-letter groups for common > phrases, and such. This became a quasi "language" which enabled > operators from different countries to carry on rudimentary > conversations. For example: > > SRI OM VY QRM PSE AGN? HW? K > > Which means roughly, Sorry "old man" (a friendly term used among > mostly male telegraph operators) there's a lot of interference (VY > QRM), would you please repeat your last transmission? How are you > receiving me? Go ahead. > > Back in the 80s and 90s, there was a major flamefest over whether > the examinations for amateur radio licenses should continue to > include a Morse code test. (They've since been abolished). Long-time > Morse Code operators and traditionalists said yes, (often) younger > people who were oriented towards more advanced digital > communications techniques said no. The younger people would often > parody the traditional abbreviations to ridicule the older group. > > Then online chat and texting over your cell phone comes along, and > what do you know? The young texters quickly developed their own set > of abbreviations, for much the same reason--efficient use of the > medium. And it became its own subculture, and is, like, totally cool. > > http://www.webopedia.com/quick_ref/textmessageabbreviations.asp#l > > OMG GTG L8RG8R! > --Peter > >> > At 11:27 AM 11/2/2008, Eric Korenman wrote: >> > >I gather we don't 'text' much do we? >> > > >> > >> > What does it mean to 'text'? >> > >> > Marc > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information