Away from the open glare of public social media feeds,… What Does ASL Mean? In other words, when texting your co-workers (and particularly when texting your higher-ups), try to avoid too many exclamation points. Get the top stories emailed every day. Since messages are generally fragmented text (because that’s the nature of the beast), using punctuation at the end of a message—or worse, signing it—seems redundant and overly formal. Not only does it mean that they ' re constantly thinking about you, they very clearly have feelings of some variety for you. I know I should talk to you, but I really don't have anything to say. This can lead them to text you, but not really say anything. I think probably just use of a saying where "b" is nothing more but a new pronoun. Relevance. Your email address will not be published. Answer now or my excitement will fade. Say it to my face. However, adding punctuation to the end of a text message with a friend can come off as a little dorky, as a general rule. And last, but not least, we will look at how emoji work with—or as—punctuation in text messages. Quick Definition Szn means season. When texting with relatives who are a little more comfortable with technology, you can be a little more informal. An acronym that is widely used in texting and chat,…, An abbreviation that is widely used in texting and chat,…, There’s a lot more to ion than chemistry So, What…, A term that is widely used in texting and chat,…, Quick Definition Szn means season. Brb time for one-armed pushups. haha. Weird emoji placement: I’m not sure ♀️? Before we talk about punctuation in text messages, it’s worth taking a second to think about the purpose of punctuation. it's like saying what up Jessica (if that's the persons name), it's basically used in place of someones name. In literature, “…” is traditionally used to indicate a long period of time passing between the events of a story. I am LOVING my Nokia 3210. Update: that's what i thought. Deciding what punctuation to use when texting with your family will really come down to how tech-savvy your relatives are. Kirsten is the author of But Before You Leave, a book of poetry about the experiences we struggle to put into words. They can come off as juvenile. How it comes across: so ya know... jw. Your family members don’t have all of this extra information to help them understand what you’re trying to say, which is why punctuation is important for clarity. The paired question mark (?) Professional: Did you see the report today. Does anyone know why Americans are so stupid, there's over 70 million trumptards in America? haha. Your email address will not be published. Texting each other. And using fewer punctuation marks is generally acceptable. But he's super cautious about cursing in front of me, so it wouldn't mean the b word. It's 3 A.M. Wanna hook up? Why Not Buy This 16-Bedroom Castle In Quebec? I'm a robot attempting a phishing scam on you OR a political campaign hitting you up for cash. Here’s a quick rule: when texting with your family, you should use exclamation points and question marks, but periods are optional. Why do we recommend still using question marks and exclamation points when texting your family? However, unlike an essay or a short story, a text message doesn’t necessarily need punctuation. How it comes across: The Secret Meaning behind Girl’s Text Messages. With your family, as with your friends, using lots of emoji (more on that in a second) is totally fine. So instead, we try to show our interest in more subtle ways. They can come off as juvenile. Totally fine emoji placement: I’m not sure? You can sign in to vote the answer. That said, be judicious when it comes to exclamation points. Paxton fought Trump's wars from Texas. An abbreviation that is widely used in texting and chat, and on Facebook, Instagram and elsewhere on the internet, but what does B mean in slang? What does "b" stand for? 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It may seem so simple and cheesy, but a simple " good night " or " good morning " text goes a long way. I am a genius! But we recommend keeping it professional before you start leaving off the punctuation. How's your life nowadays? You stopped texting me. With friends and in other informal contexts, using lots of emoji is acceptable (although some people might find it annoying). my best friend/homecoming date texted me saying that. Well, except for the homework. I was gonna ask this!!! In theory, these emoji can help clarify the tone of a message when used in a professional context. I'm either slightly older than you are or feel in my heart that I'm just a little better than you. I feel like maybe you're mad at me because we haven't talked in a while. A morning text is showing her, ‘I choose you.’ Kirsten Corley. “Yams” vs. “Sweet Potatoes”: Are They Synonyms? However, if you want to combine it with other punctuation, you should put the emoji after the punctuation at the end of the sentence. All those exclamation marks (!) I know where you are, but I don't wanna seem like a creep. What your friend means: Are you still there? this world is nothing but a disgusting place? Hi, friend. Another popular abbreviation is "b/c," slash optional, for "because." *sobs*. What your friend means: The commas (,) and quotation marks (“) make it clear that Maggie is speaking. It can be hard to tell, which can lead to misinterpretation and could possibly offend someone. I'm being a little silly, but I really do want to know how you are. Redefine your inbox with Dictionary.com updates! To prevent this in the future make sure that you ask him if he is available to chat! YOU'RE TOTALLY NOT AN ALIEN AND IT'S EXTRAORDINARILY FUNNY THAT I'M PRETENDING YOU ARE. Your inside jokes, your stories, your slang, all of these come together to help your friends understand you, even without punctuation. What your friend means: How it comes across: show that the emphasis of the sentence is on the final word (what) and that the speaker is at once surprised and asking a question. Required fields are marked *. While it does seem incredible that there are thousands of text abbreviations, keep in mind that different chat abbreviations are used by different groups of people. This can be difficult when you’re expected to be professional. Do you include a period at the end of a sentence? I speak other languages! I have zero idea how people interact socially, but at least I'm trying. That dude was hilarious. Anonymous. 2001 is fantastic. I try to make all of my texts look like they were written in a super big rush because I want to seem much busier than I am, but in reality, I have carefully chosen every single misspelling and weird capitalization. While these are newer forms of messaging, they still follow the same general rules as texting even though they are primarily (or exclusively) used in the workplace. Whether you use it or not, it’s a tool you always have at your disposal. What your friend means: Text messaging just might be the Wild West of communication. Get your answers by asking now. Copyright © 2020 HuffPost.com, Inc. "HuffPost" is a registered trademark of HuffPost.com, Inc. All rights reserved. What a time to be alive! Let's start up a casual conversation. How it comes across: If you are using an emoji, the other punctuation need to accommodate it. I'm your quirky friend who ends words with z's ironically. so ya know... jw. What your friend means: It's totally acceptable to just let it dangle. 0 0. Women have solved this. Ready to get their feelings hurt when the other person rejects them. How it comes across: Back in the early days of texting, longer texts were more expensive to send.So early texters developed texting abbreviations and acronyms that made sending messages easier and cheaper. Urban Dictionary: B. Just right: College is going well. But, even though it seems like there aren’t any rules when it comes to writing a text message, there are some unspoken general guidelines—especially when it comes to punctuation. 8 Answers. Just right: I don’t care. No funny business. Thankfully, I'm here to explain some common text-message greetings to all you novice texters and/or alien life forms who plan to take over the earth some day with texting. You're a man. Answer Save. Then, we’re going to look at some specific contexts that might change how you use punctuation. An emoji can be used as punctuation on its own. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. “America The Beautiful” Lyrics You Probably Don’t Know. In texting, you don't have to end a sentence with any punctuation. And we wouldn’t recommend using them in the workplace because of how informal they are.