PRCog's Basic Guide to butchering English for 140 chars....

I'm a long-winded SOB.....so twitter frequently doesn't give me enough elbow room to do my wordsmithing (or add comments to a RT, etc.). So, I butcher English instead and abbreviate the heck out of everything I can. @PRDude is also a frequent violator, perhaps even more extreme in his abbrs than me.

This, as you might imagine, frequently causes confusion and apparently a productivity loss with some (sorry Arik!). It has also inspired some fun mockery & an odd flrry o disc. on whthr this pst itslf shld be wrttn in Cog-esse.

& So, w/o further butchering, the "Basic Guide" (post may be updated as I'm reminded of other abbrvs. Advanced guide e-book available for $19.95, with a mini book light included with your credit card order ;)

Basic Rules

Go with accepted abbreviations:

• WSJ (Wall Street Journal);
• NYT (NY Times);
• State abbreviations (remember, Missouri is MO, not MI; MI is Michigan; not Mississippi; which is actually MS -- not Missouri);
• w/ (with);
• w/o (without);
• PRC (PR Cog) [that is an accepted abbreviation, yes?)
• WTF
• WTH
• Eff (tho writing this one out can feel better)

Write it like it sounds, or should/would sound:

• Tho (Though)
• 2 (To/Too/Two--context helps)
• Thru (Through/Threw)
• NE1 (Anyone/any one)
• U (You)
• U'r (You're)
• Ur (Your)
• L8 (Late)
• c8r (cater)
• Caveats - Abbreviations that make it look like you have a 3rd grade education are NOT acceptable -- e.g., never use "Rite" for Write or Right. "Rt" is acceptable for Right. Wood for Would is a no-go, but Wld for would is fine (see below); Abbreviating names w/ phonics is frowned upon, go with initials if necessary. [UPDATE: As @tjdietderich points out RT maybe can be confused for a Retweet. Context is important]

The Apostrophe is your friend -- when your meaning is clear

• G'Morning (Good Morning) [It does help if they're southern expressions]
• G'day (Good Day)
• M'dear (My dear)
• M'Goodness (you see where this is going...)

Drop your vowels -- at least 1 language I know of doesn't use vowels (above school grade writing). Sound/Meaning is derived from context and the approximate sound

• Mrkt (market)
• twttr (Twitter)
• Dsk (desk or disk depending on context)
• Abt (About)
• Trn (turn)
• Arnd (around)
• The lst is endlss
• Caveat(s) -- Do not drop a vowel when it will make a different word - "they" cannot become "thy."

That covers the basics for 'Butchering English to fit in 140 chars or less' during ur lnch hrs -- more &/or updts l8r as they bcome req'd or cm 2 my attn. :-P