In loving memory of understanding

As I stood in the seemingly never ending queue at the bank recently with nothing but my mile-a-minute thoughts occupying me, I received a reply to a text message I’d sent, the reply being, “LOL, k.”  Being the over-thinker that I am often labelled  as, a parent of what once were teenagers and the daughter of an almost new-comer to the technology era, wise(er than one would imagine) mother, I got to thinking about text abbreviations.  I don’t know about you, but I often find myself dumb-founded by the, often impossible to decipher message. I remember when my mother started texting, using text abbreviations (sorry mom, but this is for a good cause), my cellphone account escalated with the back and forth texting as I tried to understand what mom was trying to say. It went something like this - Mom: “Having lag at Uncle Harry and Aunt Sue”.  Me: “Lag?”  Mom: “Lasagna”.  Me: “You can’t abbreviate lasagna, mom”.  Mom: “ok” (that was before she cottoned on the ever popular answer of the hour, “k”).

   I don’t have a problem with text abbreviations, on the contrary, I use them often.  What I do have a problem with is how the use (more like abuse) of the English language is deteriorating  and regressing dramatically as we become technologically wise and literature-lazy. Have you not found yourself typing up a work document and accidentally using a text abbreviation?  Not? ‘K’ must be just me then...

Then there is the slight problem of misinterpretation.  I am sure that most of the time what we think we are communicating by method of text abbreviations, bares a completely different meaning in reality.  For instance the abbreviation ‘Cya’ is supposedly a shortened form of “c ya,” which is a shortened form of “c you,” which is a shortened form of “see you,” which is a shortened form of“see you l8r,” which is a shortened form of “see you later.”  When in actuality, cya is the start of the phrase “c yaks ahead.” And what the person is most probably really saying is that they are looking at a herd of rogue yaks. (Yaks, being large and possessing a mob mentality, quite dangerous, and the person is usually trampled before getting out the rest of what they wanted to say!)   Here’s one we all use, ‘Thx’, you probably realize I’m about to tell you that this doesn't mean thanks. (It doesn't stand for Toddlers Hating Xerox machines, either)  Thx stands for THX, the sound company.  Referring to our cousins (and I use this all the time) ‘Cuz’. Of all the incorrect interpretations, this one is most understandable. There really isn't a shorter version of the word cousin aside from ‘cuz’, but in reality, CUZ is the abbreviation for Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport, located in Cusco, Peru.Not forgetting the infamous and frequently used text abbreviation,‘LOL,’ which means - Laugh Out Loud - has, in reality, about fifty or more meanings. Here are a few examples: Lots of Love, Little Old Lady, League of Legends (a game, I've been told), Lots of Luck and many more.  Then there is the one lettered text we all know what it means. We have all come across it at one point. It is no more than one letter, but it speaks volumes. Yes, I am talking about the text message which presents you with just one letter: “K”.  I know that when I tell someone “Hey I’ll be there in five”, I can hardly survive unless whomever I am texting replies with a calming, reassuring “K”. (Sarcasm) But let’s stop viewing this message with such a concrete mindset. In my experience, “K” could possibly mean much more than we think.  Here is one scenario -upon receiving a fashionable response of, ‘K’ and using your phenomenal brainpower, you know the message is actually, “Kentucky Fried Chicken will be at my house!”  Said friend just left out the “entucky Fried Chicken etc…” blurb. You then begin sprinting towards the house, and with much urgency you break down his front door. Or “K” could actually meant to say “Kidding about this whole scenario.”  Perhaps this text message, ‘K’ was meant to warn against getting trampled by a herd of kangaroo, who knows... the possibilities are endless.

The next time you consider texting someone one of these abbreviations, or receive one yourself, realize that you are slowly wrecking the English language.  Be strong, refrain from becoming ‘one of them’, say no and turn away from the misuse of abbreviations.  Maybe you’ll consider taking those extra three calories to move your thumb to the additional letter buttons, and maybe not, LOL, either way, it’s K.  Until next time, cya!

Glitter greetings (and all things shiny)

Bohemian B