Gr8 Db8?

While browsing a well-known social networking site that I'm most definitely not addicted to, (Facebook) I came across a "status update" from a friend in Germany that sent my mind reeling and inspired a little google.com exploration into the "linguistics of texting".

Incidently, I discovered if you type "gr8 linguistics" into google you will get approximately 259,000 hits (as of September 1st, 2009). All of the first 1-10 hits (and I suspect a good portion of the next 100 although I didn't bother to check) were various references to "The Gr8 Db8" by David Crystal. It seems to be a discourse rejecting the notion that the abbreviated language of texting is having a negative impact on the English language and that it in fact is a natural part of language. How did I not know about this book? It is definitely going on my reading list! Perhaps I will take it with me on my forthcoming, month-long trip to lands abroad.

Which brings me back the inspiration for my little google expedition. I have frequently seen(and participated in) the use of abbreviated texting language, for example:

LOL
BRB
cya l8r

Today was my first exposure to the texting lingo of another language. My German friend chose to end his status with "guten N8"

Okay - so this doesn't really make sense unless you understand German. Much like "l8r" really wouldn't make any sense to anyone who wasn't pretty familiar with English.

Here's my brief explanation:
the German word for "night" is "Nacht"
the number 8 is pronounced "acht" in German.

Thus we get "N8" for N-acht or night. How cool is that?

I'm not sure why this is so surprising to me. Am I so arrogant as to think that only American's would come up with these clever little abbreviated ways of communicating on our tiny little phones? I'd like to think I'm more open- and fair-minded than that.

Either way, I am now quite intrigued by the topic and think I will have to do a little more investigating into the international world of txting. ;-)