When you text or compose SMS on your mobile phones..
By ratyz5
@ratyz5 (7808)
Philippines
June 6, 2008 9:36pm CST
Hello to everyone!
First of, if you don't like to read long details, you may just scroll down and answer the questions which I will underline. But it would be nice if you do read them all so that you can have a good idea.
It seems that everyone who owns a cell phone in our country, and most of the time others would not only own one but often a few units, knows that our country is also known to be as the 'Text Capital of the World' due to SMS messages being sent daily here would be around two hundred thousand or even more.
Recent cellphones now-a-days are fully featured. From just the two typical functions of sending short messages and being a mobile phones, now we have mobile phones that can browse the net, capture videos, have photos taken with flash features, listen to music if you don't prefer the radio, or even be a tool for calculating simple equations or an assistant on checking out schedules. Quite amazing from a short span of time 
Among the features that I really utilize on mobile phones would be its dictionary feature. It already has stored vocabulary as well as can be regesitered with such words that you use often. I guess that's one of the nice features that I can recognize on mobile phones. 
Being in a country known as 'The Text Capital of the World' as well as contributing to the number of messages being sent at a daily basis, in turn maintaining the title, do you use the dictionary feature of your mobile phones?
When you compose your messages or do you use short compositions of words, those with numerical values to imply a syllable like, instead of using 'great' it would be typed in as 'gr8'. Perhaps some words that even with no vowels like 'dnt' for 'don't'. Or maybe switching code languages by using both english and filipino, while still shortening the words, like 'hu u?', 'd2 n me' and so on.?
I know most people who do compose messages that way and I also know a fair share of people who don't like it and get perplexed on why not compose correctly spelled words, especially when the messages are just short. Can you share any advantages or disadvantages between the two way of composing messages on texts or SMS?
Thanks in advance!
Among the features that I really utilize on mobile phones would be its dictionary feature. It already has stored vocabulary as well as can be regesitered with such words that you use often. I guess that's one of the nice features that I can recognize on mobile phones. Being in a country known as 'The Text Capital of the World' as well as contributing to the number of messages being sent at a daily basis, in turn maintaining the title, do you use the dictionary feature of your mobile phones?
When you compose your messages or do you use short compositions of words, those with numerical values to imply a syllable like, instead of using 'great' it would be typed in as 'gr8'. Perhaps some words that even with no vowels like 'dnt' for 'don't'. Or maybe switching code languages by using both english and filipino, while still shortening the words, like 'hu u?', 'd2 n me' and so on.?
I know most people who do compose messages that way and I also know a fair share of people who don't like it and get perplexed on why not compose correctly spelled words, especially when the messages are just short. Can you share any advantages or disadvantages between the two way of composing messages on texts or SMS?
Thanks in advance! 3 people like this
4 responses
@secretbear (19448)
• Philippines
27 Jul 08
hi ratyz!
are we still the text capital of the world? didn't China has taken that spot already?
anyway, i usually shorten the words in my sms messages. especially if i'm limited with characters, and i want my message to only consume 160 characters because more than that would mean more than one peso fee. ^__^;; if its short then i can afford to correctly spell the words. but my cellphone's dictionary is always off. however, i always make it a point to shorten words in the "right" way. i don't use "q" for "ko", i don't use "xa" for "sya", and any other shortcuts like that because it just seems so ridiculous for me. how can "q" sounds like "ko" when in fact it sounds like "cue"? and we don't even have q and x in our Filipino alphabet. when i shorten a word i make it a point that it is still understandable. like if i would shorten the word "understandable", i would write it like this "undrstndble". and for Tagalog words, i usually eliminate only the "a" vowel, like for "bakit" it would be "bkit".
and then, i don't use "me" when i'm texting in Tagalog and i'm referring to myself. i always use "ko", "ako". "d2 n me" just sounds ridiculous. "wer n u" sounds ridiculous for me too. i would rather write "d2 nko" or "i'm here", and "san k n?" or "where are you?". i have never heard someone speaking in Taglish using "me" to refer to him or herself. 
are we still the text capital of the world? didn't China has taken that spot already?
anyway, i usually shorten the words in my sms messages. especially if i'm limited with characters, and i want my message to only consume 160 characters because more than that would mean more than one peso fee. ^__^;; if its short then i can afford to correctly spell the words. but my cellphone's dictionary is always off. however, i always make it a point to shorten words in the "right" way. i don't use "q" for "ko", i don't use "xa" for "sya", and any other shortcuts like that because it just seems so ridiculous for me. how can "q" sounds like "ko" when in fact it sounds like "cue"? and we don't even have q and x in our Filipino alphabet. when i shorten a word i make it a point that it is still understandable. like if i would shorten the word "understandable", i would write it like this "undrstndble". and for Tagalog words, i usually eliminate only the "a" vowel, like for "bakit" it would be "bkit".
and then, i don't use "me" when i'm texting in Tagalog and i'm referring to myself. i always use "ko", "ako". "d2 n me" just sounds ridiculous. "wer n u" sounds ridiculous for me too. i would rather write "d2 nko" or "i'm here", and "san k n?" or "where are you?". i have never heard someone speaking in Taglish using "me" to refer to him or herself. 1 person likes this
@secretbear (19448)
• Philippines
27 Jul 08
i guess you just aren't used to writing in shortcuts. hmm... i wonder if you're a certified texter or not. probably not? hehe.. certified texters use the q and the x and shortens every word with all the absurdity. 
ooops. i didn't mean to offend anyone. i'm a certified texter too. but i don't go as far as that.
ooops. i didn't mean to offend anyone. i'm a certified texter too. but i don't go as far as that. 1 person likes this
@ratyz5 (7808)
• Philippines
27 Jul 08
I guess I'm just one of those who aren't yet certified to be among such ranks when it comes to texting.. 
Though I can text whole words without looking at the key pad of the mobile phone most of the time.. I guess I should still be able to shorten words and reply fast enough to be considered and certified.. I don't even use the numerical '0' to replace the alphabetical 'o'...
Though I can text whole words without looking at the key pad of the mobile phone most of the time.. I guess I should still be able to shorten words and reply fast enough to be considered and certified.. I don't even use the numerical '0' to replace the alphabetical 'o'...@ratyz5 (7808)
• Philippines
27 Jul 08
I guess the article that I read was made during the time that our country still had that title for being the 'Text Capital' of the World.. China does have a lot of people and surely with plenty of mobile phone users, plenty of SMS as well can be sent.
I tried shortening how I spelled words before but, things just get confusing and misinterpreted so I got back to full words and composing messages in brevity... I can still kind'a read messages like that when I'm the one who receives them..
Thanks for posting secretbear
China does have a lot of people and surely with plenty of mobile phone users, plenty of SMS as well can be sent.
I tried shortening how I spelled words before but, things just get confusing and misinterpreted so I got back to full words and composing messages in brevity... I can still kind'a read messages like that when I'm the one who receives them..
Thanks for posting secretbear 1 person likes this
@spoiled311 (5500)
• Philippines
27 Jul 08
hi ratyz!!!
i don't like using the dictionary. it gets in the way of my typing, easpecially that i use the vernacular and shortcuts in texting. so the dictionary in english will just keep on correcting my text. it is irritating.
anyway, i am just glad that i can send sms for important text messages. i don't just text for the heck of it.
take care and have a happy sunday!
@allen0187 (59690)
• Philippines
25 Jun 08
hi ratyz.
i was never really fond of sending sms or text speak. i'd rather make phone calls than type and send sms. no reason to scrimp if you want to get your message across or if you want to know something instantly.
that's just me though.
@richiem (3644)
• Philippines
10 Jun 08
I don't use the dictionary feature of mobile phones. From the birth of mobile phones and texting here in the Philippines, people have started using this simplified version of saying things to save time, energy, and money. It saves time and energy because it is easier to key in those short-version of words. It saves money because a text message with 150 characters would mean Php1.00 and anything above that is above Php1.00.
I don't understand why others get annoyed when they receive text messages in that format. I think this format of messaging comes with texting. They go hand in hand together. If people would not be allowed to use this kind of format, I think text messaging would not have flourished here in the Philippines.
@ratyz5 (7808)
• Philippines
10 Jun 08
I guess if network providers would really be service oriented when it comes to the features that they provide for subscribers, they would have small call charges that would really make communication more easier than to have their subscribers believe that they can save more with multiple messages being transferred back and forth just to be able to have an agreement on a single discussion, as vocal calls are more immediate when you can actually talk to the person compared to SMS that would entail multiple inquiries for certainty.
A single call would certainly clarify everything in less time than composing instructions with abbreviated words that would fit that 150 character limit in messages. Just to maximize that peso yet in fact, multiple pesos are spent in those exchange of messages and inquiries. And all those things are merely executed by pressing buttons, mostly thumbs which isn't really that exhausting when it comes to energy, be it abbreviated words, complete spellings or dialing numbers to contact someone.
Well, that's just what I think if network providers would really be service oriented. Since call charges are still high, all I can do is to compose my messages in brevity.
Now, when it comes to words, even though I can comprehend such abbreviated messages, I I can't deny being annoyed when they try to abbreviate words that would've been better off when spelled completely. Tends to get miscommunicated often.
Then again, I guess to cope with the fast paced progression of technology that we're experiencing, so does with the ways which we do things, like sending messages more quickly with less time consumption by abbreviating them.
Thank you for your insight
