Happy 20th birthday, SMS

As the SMS turns 20 this year, we take a look at how much it has changed the way we write and read.

Anant Rangaswami|May 08, 2012, 11:35:35 IST

On this occasion, we take a look at how much SMS has changed the way we write and read.

This is what you see on the homepage of Firstpost.com.

Take the story on the FM's rollback.

"The damage control has finally begun. After facing widespread criticism on a range of proposals contained in the Union Budget, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee has finally gone about trying to right the wrongs."

This is how it would read in SMS language:

"d dmagj ctrl hs finly begun. aftr facing widespread criticism on a range of proposals contained n d Union Budget, fnance minister Pranab Mukherjee hs finly gon bout tryiN 2 ryt d wrongs."

[caption id="attachment_302151" align="alignleft" width="380" caption="The SMS turns 20 this year. Reuters"][/caption]

Or the reaction of civil aviation minister Ajit Singh to the flash strike by pilots:

More from News Analysis

"As schedules of national carrier Air India were disrupted after over 100 pilots reported sick today, Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh said that the pilots should have kept in mind the image of the airline," we reported.

This is how we might have reported the same in a text message:

"As scedules of nat carrier Air India wr disruptd aftr ovr 100 pilots rptd sick 2day, Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh z dat d pilots shudve kept n mind d img of d airline."

How would we have reported the John Abraham story had we limited ourselves to SMS lingo?

"d Bombay hi cort upheld d 15-day jail sentenC givN by a lower cort ina 2k6 case of rash drivN bt z d actor had2 pay a bond of Rs 10,000 n a compo of d same amt 2 ea of d 2 victims."

If you're older than SMS, writing in SMS lingo might not be easy, so if you still want to, go across to, lingo2word, which will translate normal English text for you.

Over 4 billion people in the world now use SMS, according to The Guardian.

av a gr8 dy. n ty 2 ll hu plAd a r0l n cr8ing SMS.

By Anant Rangaswami

Anant Rangaswami was, until recently, the editor of Campaign India magazine, of which Anant was also the founding editor. Campaign India is now arguably India's most respected publication in the advertising and media space. Anant has over 20 years experience in media and advertising. He began in Madras, for STAR TV, moving on as Regional Manager, South for Sony’s SET and finally as Chief Manager at BCCL’s Times Television and Times FM. He then moved to advertising, rising to the post of Associate Vice President at TBWA India. Anant then made the leap into journalism, taking over as editor of what is now Campaign India's competitive publication, Impact. Anant teaches regularly and is a prolific blogger and author of Watching from the sidelines.