Textonyms: Sophisticated pig latin

According to Reuters, a more sophisticated version of pig latin is being developed by mobile phone-addicted kids based on the predictive text of their treasured handsets.

"Key words are replaced by the first alternative that comes up on a mobile phone using predictive text -- changing "cool" into "book", "awake" into "cycle", "beer" into adds", "pub" into "sub" and "barmaid" into "carnage".

Some of the most popular textonyms show intriguing links between the originally intended word and the one the predictive text throws up -- "eat" becomes "fat" and "kiss" becomes "lips", "home" is "good" and the vodka brand "Smirnoff" becomes "poison".

The replacement words -- technically paragrams, but commonly known as extonyms, adaptonyms or cellodromes -- are becoming part of regular teen banter.

And the older generation -- many of whom already struggle with simple text language -- are being thrown into yet deeper confusion."

emily | 4:00 PM | Do you speak SMS? |
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