



































Posthumous festschrift in honour of late professor R.O. Ezeuko, edited by Dr. Odinye, Egenti & Orji


 

 

Posthumous Festschrift in Honour of Late Professor R.O. Ezeuko, 2015 (Edited by Odinye, Egenti & Orji) 

 

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SMS LANGUAGES IN USE BY THE NIGERIAN STUDENTS 

 

 

Dr. Sunny Ifeanyi Odinye 

Department of Igbo, African & Asian Studies 

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka 

Email: ifeanyiodinye@gmail.com 

     

 

Abstract 

The use of SMS/text language in SMS/text messaging has been a great and even a 

top topic in applied linguistics. Text messaging or texting, refers to the exchange 

of brief written messages between fixed-line phone or mobile phone and fixed or 

portable devices over a network. The sender of a text is known as a texter, while 

the service itself has different names depending on the country. It is referred to as 

a text in North America, India, Australia, United Kingdom and Philippines, an 

SMS in Europe, Asia and Africa. This study is divided into introduction, SMS/text 

messaging, SMS/text language, criticism against the use of SMS/text language, 

the use of SMS/text messaging and language by students, the forms of SMS/Text 

language, some Nigerian peculiar SMS language (Acronyms) and slang 

expressions. Finally, suggestions were given and conclusion drawn based on the 

findings during the research. 

 

Key words: mobile phone, SMS/text messaging, SMS language 

 

 

1.0 Introduction 

 

Today, text messaging is most widely used mobile data service, with 74% of all 

mobile phone users worldwide, or 2.4 billion out of 3.3 billion phone subscribers, 

at the end of 2007 are active users of the short message service. In countries such 

as Finland, Sweden and Norway, over 85 of the population use SMS. The 

European average is about 80%, and North America is rapidly catching up with 

over 60% active users of SMS by the end of 2008. The largest average usage of 



 

 

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the service by mobile phone subscribers is in the Philippines, with an average of 

27 texts sent per day by subscriber (Wikipedia). 

 

Matti Makkonen has been referred to in different contexts as the ‘father of text 

messaging’ but he rejects the title and honour. There are different stories on who 

was the first person to send SMS and when it was sent. One account of SMS/text 

messaging being used for the first time was on December 3th, 1992 by a 22-year-

old engineer at Sema Group. He sent ‘Merry Christmas’ to Richard Jarvis via 

Vodafone network. 

 

2.0 SMS/Text Messaging 

 

David Crystal is one of the linguists who has written many articles and books on 

the internet, mobile phone and language. In his book txtng: the gr8 db8, he says 

that ‘short messaging, short mail, SMSing, person-to-person messaging, mobile 

messaging, wireless messaging, text messaging, texting, txtng…whatever we call 

it, it is evidently here to stay. He goes further to say that the popular belief is that 

texting has evolved as a twenty-first century phenomenon – as a highly distinctive 

graphic style, full of abbreviations and deviant use of language, used by a young 

generation that doesn’t care about standards. There is a widely voiced concern 

that the practice is fostering a decline in literacy. And some even think it is 

harming language as a whole. 

 

Text messaging or texting, refers to the exchange of brief written messages 

between fixed-line phone or mobile phone and fixed or portable devices over a 

network. While the original term was derived from referring to messages sent 

using the Short Message Service (SMS) originated from Radio Telegraphy. The 

sender of a text is known as a texter, while the service itself has different names 

depending on the country. It is referred to as a text in North America, India, 

Australia, United Kingdom and Philippines, an SMS in Europe, Asia and Africa. 

Text messaging is most often used between personal or private mobile users, as a 

substitute for voice calls in situations where voice communication is not desirable, 

possible or available. In most countries, text messaging is significantly cheaper 



 

 

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than voice call. Some years back it was free in some countries like Philippines. 

Text messaging has become so popular that it is used by many people around the 

world, especially the young generation and old ones who like texting. Text 

messaging now serves different functions like social communication, information 

notice, banking and marketing notification, political campaign, political protest 

and revolution, election supervision and even exam malpractice. 

 

3.0 SMS/Text language 

 

Some, having begun to text, swear they will never abbreviate. But evidently, most 

people do, for one of two reasons. It’s easier. And it’s fun (Crystal 2008:65). 

SMS/Text language is a shortcut or shorthand of written language in mobile 

phone communication used purposely by users due to constraint of space and 

because it is easy and fun. SMS/text language (which is also known as textese, 

txt-speak, txtese, chatspeak, txt talk, txtslang, txt, txtspk, txto, txtk, texting 

language, txt lingo, SMSish, etc) is a term for the abbreviations, acronyms and 

slang used by mobile phone users due to space and convenience in SMS 

communication. Crystal (2008:147), explains how the SMS/Text language 

emerged: 

 

Faced with a new kind of communication problem presented by mobile 

phone technology, people all over the world have set about solving it in 

the same kind of way. They have done so, not by inventing a new 

language, but by adapting old language to suit the new medium. It is not 

the first time people adapted language to meet the needs of technological 

circumstances. The arrival of printing, wireless telegraphy, telephony, 

broadcasting, and the internet all pulled language and languages in fresh 

directions, introducing new standards and styles. 

 

 

SMS/Text language is similar to that used by those sending telegraphs that 

charged by the word; people wanting to save money became shortening their 

messages to pay a smaller amount. SMS/Text language is nascent dialect of 

English that subverts letters and numbers to produce ultra-concise words and 

sentiments. The invention of mobile phone messages may be considered as its 



 

 

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source, although elliptical styles of writing date to at least the days of telegraph, 

and telegraph operators were reported as using abbreviations similar to those used 

in modern SMS/text language.   

 

The objective of SMS/Text language is to use least number of characters needed 

to convey a comprehensible message, also as many telecommunication companies 

have an SMS character limit, another objective of SMS/Text language is to reduce 

the character count of a message/text , hence, abbreviation and vowel ellipses are 

employed and punctuation and grammar are ignored. For the advantage of 

SMS/Text language, Chiluwa (2008) says: 

 

 SMS (short message service) gives the subscriber the advantage of  

choosing specific number of words that would communicate  

comprehensively but briefly with the minimum cost. Again subscribers are 

constrained by space and time. Most handsets allow a maximum of 250 

characters including space, symbols and punctuation marks. So 

subscribers are actually forced to create new linguistic forms to enable 

them maximize the available space and say all that has to be said. 

 

In support of the above quotation, Crystal (2008) says that texting has led to more 

creativity in the English language, giving people opportunities to create their own 

slang, emoticons, abbreviations, acronyms, etc. The feeling of individualism and 

freedom excites people, making texting increasingly more popular and a more 

efficient way to communicate. 

 

4.0 Criticism against the Use of SMS/Text language 

 

Many people have reacted negatively against the use of SMS/Text language in 

different ways. According to Crystal (2008:8), ‘There is now a widespread folk 

belief that, whatever texting is, it must be a bad thing’. To show an example of 

what he said, a broadcaster John Humphrys reacted this way: 

Texters are vandals who are doing to our language what Genghis Khan did 

to his neighbours eight hundred years ago. They are destroying it; 

pillaging our punctuation; savaging our sentences; raping our vocabulary. 

And they must be stopped. 

 



 

 

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Another harsh criticism against the use of SMS/Text language is coincidentally 

from John but this time, John Sutherland. As he writes in his article ‘Cn u txt?’, 

he says…linguistically it’s (SMS/Text language) all pig’s ear…it (SMS/Text 

language) masks dyslexia, poor spelling and mental laziness. Texting is 

penmanship for illiterates. In response to this, Crystal (2008:11) says, ‘As far as I 

know I am not dyslexic, mentally lazy, or illiterate. But I text.’ Though 

SMS/Texting language may be a challenge to languages but it is not a bad thing 

and it cannot be stopped. 

 

Amanda Pawelski of Colorado State University in her article ‘Using Internet 

Slang in Spoken Conversation: LOL’, she asks question on the use of SMS/Text 

language: 

 

 …the extent to which these new ‘words’ have become a part of  

 English language, making their way into unexpected environments  

 despite negative reactions. In addition, this growing occurrence 

 shows that the lines of appropriateness regarding the use of internet 

 -based lingo are rapidly blurring. As more and more generations of 

 Kids grow up in the world of texting, will this trend continue to increase? 

 

The answer is yes. SMS/Text language will continue to increase as far as there is 

a mobile phone and as long as there is constraint of space in SMS/Text messaging. 

Crystal (2008:32) says that people have to cope with the fact that texting is an 

instance of a variety of language in very rapid evolution. 

 

Another way people criticize the use of SMS/Text language is the negative impact 

it is having on languages around the world. It is anglicizing other languages in 

one way or the other. The use of diacritic marks is dropped in languages such as 

French and many African languages. The use of pictograms, logograms and 

symbols in SMS/Text language are now present in many languages. There is also 

the use of numeral, substituting syllables or a word. 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

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5.0 The Use of SMS/Text Messaging and language by Students 

 

It is generally believed that young generations are the ones who invented and are 

using SMS/Text language. However, some old generations especially the elite and 

educated ones have joined the users of SMS/text language. As I write this work, I 

received an SMS from a professor which was full of abbreviations. We are 

tempted to use SMS/Text language in writing SMS not only because it is easy and 

efficient but also it is fast and fun. These young people that use SMS/Text 

language, most of them are students. They use SMS/Text messaging for both 

social and academic communications. Students equally use SMS/Text messaging 

and language in exam malpractice and academic writing respectively.  

 

Text messaging has had an impact on students academically, by creating an easier 

way to cheat on exams. In December 2002, a dozen students were caught cheating 

on an accounting exam through the use of text messages on their mobile phones. 

In December 2002, Hitotsubashi University in Japan failed 26 students for 

receiving e-mail exam answers on their mobile phones. The number of students 

caught using mobile phones to cheat on exams has increased significantly in 

recent years. In England, 287 school and college students were excluded from 

exams in 2004 for using mobile phones during exams. Some teachers and 

professors claim that advanced features can lead to students cheating on exams 

(Wikipedia). 

 

SMS/Text language has begun to appear on students’ official and formal writings 

including theirs assignments and exams. Hayslett (2006) confirms it, ‘‘To many 

teachers’ surprise, students have started sneaking abbreviations – ‘u’ for ‘you’, ‘2’ 

for ‘to’, and ‘4’ for ‘for’ into their papers and other class assignments’’. Recent 

research by Rosen et al (2009) found that those young adults (students) who used 

more language-based textism (shortcuts such as LOL, 2nite, etc) in daily writing 

produced worse formal writing than those young adults (students) who used fewer 

linguistic textism in daily writing. However, the exact opposite was true for 

informal writing. In many colleges and universities in Nigeria, students are not 

allowed to use their mobile phones inside an exam hall. This can help stop 

students from using their mobile phones to send SMS/Text messages within and 

outside the exam hall. However, this will not stop them from using SMS/Text 



 

 

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language in their formal writings like assignments and exams. In Crystal 

(2008:165) Jill Attewell in a paper for Literacy Today in 2003 says: 

 

There are reports of examiners finding SMS abbreviations and  

slang in GCSE English papers. This is worrying, although enquiries 

should perhaps focus on how teachers have prepared their pupils 

for the examinations rather than on the students’ use of mobile phones. 

 

In support, Crystal (2008:165) says that in the end, whatever the strengths and 

weaknesses of texting as a variety of language, it is in the classroom that matters 

need to be managed. If there are children who are unaware of the difference 

between texting and Standard English, them it is up to teachers to make them 

aware. If there are children whose discourse skills are being hampered by texting, 

then it is up to teachers to show them how to improve. 

 

6.0 Some Forms of SMS/Text language (Words and phrases)  

 

6.1 Homophonic Single Grapheme Abbreviation 

 

In English, some common phonetic transcriptions include "c" replacing "see", "u" 

replacing "you", and combinations such as "cu" replacing "see you". Texters use 

thirteen letters in the English alphabet for homophonic single grapheme 

abbreviation. Out of the five dictionaries, three dictionaries agreed "u" for "you", 

however the dictionaries had discrepancies on "b", which varied from "be", "bee", 

"bye"; "n" varied from "and", "no", "an", "in"; "r" varied between "are", "or" 

(Pomier, 2004). 

Example 1: Homophonic Single Grapheme Abbreviation 

Abbreviation   Definition 

b    be/bee, bye 

c    see 

cu    see you 

k    okay 

n    and,no 



 

 

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6.2 Numeric Characters Replacing Homophones 

In the English language, texters use four distinct numbers to replace the sound in 

a word. The number 8 replaces the sound /et/, 4 replaces /f™r/, 2 replaces /tōō/, 1 

replaces /wun/ (Pomier 2004).  

Example 2: Numeric Characters Replacing Homophones 

Abbreviation   Definition 

b4         before 

b4n, bfn   bye for now 

cr8    create 

d8    date 

d8ing    dating 

db8    debate 

dict8    dictate 

dv8    deviate 

every1    everyone 

f2f    face to face  

6.3 Abbreviation  

Abbreviation is one of most common SMS/Text language. Crystal (2008:50) calls 

it ‘shortenings’ with these examples min(utes), esp(ecially), doc(tor).  

Example 3: Abbreviation 

Abbreviation   Definition 

add    address  

attn    attention 

bros    brothers 

bye    goodbye 

cos/cuz   because 

info    information 



 

 

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6.4 Dropping Vowels 

Dropping vowels from a word is a quick way to shorten the language, but retain 

the consonants for word for recognition. Not all of the words dropped every 

vowel in the word, like "chlya", which suggests the need to keep at least one 

vowel to help understand the meaning of the word (Pomier 2004). For Crystal 

(2008:45), it is referred to as ‘Omitted letters’ with these examples ‘bt’ for ‘but’, 

‘yr’ for ‘year’ and ‘getn’ for ‘getting’. 

Example 4: Dropping Vowels 

Abbreviation   Definition 

fst    fast 

msg    message 

mtng    meeting 

ppl    people 

rgds    regards 

spk    speak 

thn    then 

txt    text 

6.5 Acronyms 

Acronyms are the most common way texters have shortened the language through 

text messaging. Using acronyms allows a texter to write more in a condensed 

space; however, there are many drawbacks to using acronyms. Many texters are 

unable to decipher the acronym because they are not familiar with the acronym or 

the definition. Also, the acronym can often be obtuse or imprecise (Pomier 2004). 

For examples we use some peculiar Nigerian acronyms which are common with 

students. They are used both at SMS/Text messaging and social network chat like 

facebook. 

 

 



 

 

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Example 5: Some Nigerian peculiar SMS Languages and Slang Expressions 

 

ACROMYN SLANG  MEANING 

LWKM Laugh Wan Kill Me Laughing seriously 

LWKMD Laugh Wan Kill Me Die Laughing without control 

MIDG Make I Dey Go Let me go 

WGYL We Go yarn Later We will talk later 

ICS I Can’t Shout I’m speechless 

DJM Don’t Jealous Me Don’t be jealous 

UDC U Dey Craze? Are you crazy? 

NUS Na U Sabi It is your concern 

WSU Who Send U I don’t care 

OSAB Over SABi Know-it-all  

ITK I Too Know Claim to know everything 

WDH Wetin Dey Happen? What is happening? 

NDH Nothing Dey Happen Everything is fine. 

FMJ Free Me Jorh Release me 

BBP Bad Bele People Enemies  

HUD How U Dey? How are you? 

WKP WaKa Pass You are not welcome 

BBG BaBy Girl Girlfriend or wife 

NTT Na True Talk It is true 

IKU It Concern U? It doesn’t concern you 

NDM No Dull Me Do not disappoint me 

IFSA I For Slap Am I would have beaten/slapped him/her 

IGBO I Go Die Ooo It is very funny 

YB Yes Boss Yes sir 

CWJ Carry Waka Jorh You are not invited 

WBYO Wetin Be Your Own What concerns you? 

U2DD U 2 Dey Do You like to show off 

U2DV U 2 Dey Vex You get angry easily 

MKG Maka Gini? Why? 

WSDP Who Send Dem Papa Who gave them right? 

INS I No Send I don’t care 

INFS I No Fit Shout I don’t want to say anything 



 

 

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WWY Who Wan Yarn Who wants to talk/chat? 

NBST No Be Small Thing Something is interesting/  serious 

NOW Na Wah Ooo Exclamation for surprise/unbelief 

NMA No Mind Am Don’t mind him/her 

MIHW Make I Hear Word Stop talking nonsense  

NBL No Be Lie It is true 

WD Wetin Dey How is it going? 

UNGKM U No Go Kill Me I’m enjoying it 

O2S Omo 2 Sexy Looking attractive 

BUNT Bros U No Try You didn’t do well 

EFBU E Fit Be U It can be you 

U2DF U 2 Dey Fuck-up You always disappoint or make mistakes 

UNGJ U No Get Job Don’t you have something to do? 

IWP I Wan Piss I want to urinate  

IDC I Dey Come I’m coming 

UWTA U Wan Try Am? Do you want to try? 

WDDU  Wetin Dey Do U? What is the problem with you? 

UWD U Wan Die? Are you not afraid? 

IDH I Dey House I’m at home 

WUT Wetin U Talk? What did you say? 

YDTTM U Dey Talk To Me? Are you talking to me? 

IWGS I Wan Go Sleep I want to sleep 

IWG I Wan Go I want to go 

UDSA U Don Start Again You have started again 

NMA No Mind Am Don’t mind him/her 

NDBL Nepa Don Bring Light Light (electricity) is on 

UCC U Chop Craze? Are you crazy? 

UNGKM You No Go Kill Me You making me go crazy 

UGKMO You Go Kill Me Oo I’m becoming crazy 

VDCM Vex Dey Catch Me I’m very angry 

UTT U Too Talk You talk too much 

SYMJM Shut Your Mouth Jobless Mugu Shut up 

IOT I Open Teeth I’m not laughing 

SMSM See Me See Motorcycle What is my concern? 

DDBL Dem Don Bring Light NEPA (electricity) is on 



 

 

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7.0 Suggestions and Conclusion 

 

We have defined and explained the SMS/Text messaging and SMS/Text language; 

and have presented the argument or debate as David Crystal stated in his book.  

We have also given some peculiar Nigerian students’ SMS/Text language and 

internet slang expressions with their meanings. SMS/Text language is a result of 

SMS/Text messaging which started with the invention of mobile phone with the 

idea of writing and sending message. This is new yet not the first time language is 

facing a threat from technology. We have to work together to face the challenge. 

The teenagers, parents, teachers, curriculum designers, language experts and 

linguists have roles to play. Teenagers/students should avoid using SMS/Text 

language in their academic writings; parents should encourage their children to 

use less SMS/Text language when sending SMS/Text message; teachers should 

teach the students both standard and non-standard orthography and writing and 

test their abilities in writing without using SMS/Text language; curriculum 

designers, language experts and linguists should work together to address the 

issue in an emerging area of linguistics and mobile phones. 

 

References 
 

Chiluwa Innocent. “SMS Text-Messaging and the Nigerian Christian context:    

Constructing Values and Sentiments.” The International Journal of  

Language  Society and Culture 24 (2008). 

Crystal, David. Txtng: The Gr8 Db8. New York: Oxford University Press, 2008. 

Hayslett, Chandra. “No LOL matter: Cyber lingo shows up in academia”. The 

Seattle Times. November 26, 2006. 

John, Humphrys. “I h8 txt msgs: How texting is wrecking our language.” Daily 

Mail Online. September 24, 2007. 

Pawelski, Amanda. “Using Internet Slang in Spoken Conversation: LOL.”    

         Amandapawelski.com. 2009 

Pomier, N. “Text Messages: En Francais Dans Le Texto.” AskOxford. February, 

2004. 

Rosen, Larry D., et al. “The Relationship Between "Textisms" and Formal and 

Informal Writing Among Youth Adults.” Communication Research. 2009.  


