The Origin of "Txt Tlk"?

[CristoVII]

I'm not sure if this has been brought up before; if it has, woe be undone to me.

However, I've been curious to know where the twisted and deformed phenomenon known as "txt tlk" or "leetspeak" came from.

My Theory

Text talk came from the base need to be able to display messages fast and efficiently. It has wholly become like a dialect of English, even if you can't say half the things that are part of it (ever tried saying "sp3@k"?). Txt talk is extremely derivitive, sounding out very basic words using only the most important syllables of a word. Take for example, "because". The reason txt tlkers use it as "bcuz" is because, going back to kindergarten, that's how it's sounded out. If sounded out, syllable by syllable, it does form the proper word "because". Thus, it is usually acceptable since, technically, you can still understand it and it does not require much time and effort. And so, text talk was born, which is simultaneously accepted and rejected by the American population.

I plan to propose this subject to my brother, who also detests the wholly unholy English deformation. A much longer essay on the subject, plus more which is basically ranting about it, will be posted later.  

[darkrose_eve]

I think you have a gist of it. Sounds pretty correct to me. I'm just wondering how much faster is writing "sp3@k" instead of speak? Won't it take more time and thought to do that?  

[Kaz00m]

I believe that "txt tlk" has become a somewhat serious problem in American society. It has able to turn an entire generation into imbeciles who feel that it is much better and much more acceptable to use in both speaking and in writing. I remember that there were a few times when correcting my fellow peers' written assignments and on a few that I saw, I saw that that they were loaded with this "txt tlk." I then asked them if they were doing that for reference but a few times, I actually got the response, "No man... This seriously is my finished work." Other times, they just turned away with the well deserved stupid look spread across their face.  

[Patron with a Mission]

I look forward to reading your essay. ^.^ I really have never thought about where text talk came from; I always assumed that people learned it because of the horrendous charges that come with cell phone SMS messaging. But I do agree...it is a problem that's gone too far.  

[Kukushka]

Just a note, there's a difference between txt tlk and 1337 SP3@K.

Txt tlk is the equivalent of telegram grammar. Because people are being charged by the word or by the letter (either when sending telegrams or when sending text messages), they cut down the costs by using as few words or letters possible while still maintaining the meaning of the message. This has met up with another form, which is indeed written for speed as people use chat programs. Because of these two overwhelmingly popular cultural phenomena, txt tlk has become an "accepted" form of spelling in many circles.

1337 speak is different. The same number of letters are used, but they are represented different. This was invented by groups discussing things they weren't supposed to be discussing on online forums. The alternate spelling allows them to evade detection from bots. For example, spam detectors will delete e-mails with words like "viagra," so spam senders will spell "viagra" in a way that will not be detected by these spam detectors. This method of writing, I believe, was originally developed by the "hacker" community who wanted to share information and methods without being caught by automatic search bots.

So yes, Darkrose_eve is correct in her observation that 1337 speak doesn't shorten typing time. It isn't meant to.  

[Shigures Editor]

Kukushka

Just a note, there's a difference between txt tlk and 1337 SP3@K.

Txt tlk is the equivalent of telegram grammar. Because people are being charged by the word or by the letter (either when sending telegrams or when sending text messages), they cut down the costs by using as few words or letters possible while still maintaining the meaning of the message. This has met up with another form, which is indeed written for speed as people use chat programs. Because of these two overwhelmingly popular cultural phenomena, txt tlk has become an "accepted" form of spelling in many circles.

1337 speak is different. The same number of letters are used, but they are represented different. This was invented by groups discussing things they weren't supposed to be discussing on online forums. The alternate spelling allows them to evade detection from bots. For example, spam detectors will delete e-mails with words like "viagra," so spam senders will spell "viagra" in a way that will not be detected by these spam detectors. This method of writing, I believe, was originally developed by the "hacker" community who wanted to share information and methods without being caught by automatic search bots.

So yes, Darkrose_eve is correct in her observation that 1337 speak doesn't shorten typing time. It isn't meant to.

Wow. That's pretty interesting.

You can paint your life a rainbow of colors.