Texting abbreviations: HTH!

Every field comes with its own vocabulary. New words are constantly being added to dictionaries – evidence that language is subject to diverse influences. And so, it should come as no surprise that the widespread use of smartphones has led to a slew of new terms. One of the reasons for this is that typing on a small keyboard requires a lot of effort. Even the periods in traditional abbreviations like ‘etc.’ and ‘Ms.’ are often left off to reduce the texting effort. The result is that texting acronyms and text message abbreviations get shorter and shorter.

Have you deciphered the acronym in the title yet? The expression is one of many texting acronyms that stand for frequently used words and phrases. Many text message abbreviations have found their way into everyday life offline, such as in business names like ‘Food4U’. Some phrases have even become part of spoken language, like ‘btw’ and ‘lol’. Other parts of chat language serve to take the place of non-verbal communication – winky faces, frowns, and smileys. Originally, chat language was limited to a few character combinations like emoticons. The character combination :-O, for example, symbolises the face of someone who’s surprised or astonished. Nowadays we have a near endless amount of chat smileys, which are used alongside numerous texting abbreviations. Our guide will tell you everything you need to know. And don’t forget: ‘hf irl’!

In the above example, several abbreviations and acronyms appear as a natural part of the message. ‘Please’ becomes ‘plz’ and ‘thx’ becomes ‘thanks’. ‘Btw’ is one of the most common texting acronyms and stands for ‘by the way’. The word ‘noob’ stands for ‘newbie’ and is internet slang for a clueless person.

And just like there are innumerable texting abbreviations, there are also countless ways to refer to this internet language - internet slang, chat abbreviations, texting acronyms, text message abbreviations, chat jargon, online slang, and more.

The widespread use of smartphones opened up new channels of communication: Messaging apps made it possible to send instantaneous messages back and forth with individuals or in group chats. The spread of multiplayer online computer games and the increasing popularity of e-sports also led to a separate gamer jargon.

Texting abbreviations are also used in Livechats when you’re looking for technical or product support.

Another group that frequently uses texting acronyms are gamers, especially in e-sports. They’ve developed special phrases and abbreviations for the things that happen in internet computer games.

Text message abbreviations are constantly changing, meaning that any list of them can only be taken as a snapshot. Acronyms are almost always written with lowercase letters and without periods in between. Below you’ll find a table with around 50 of the most common texting abbreviations and acronyms.