Something the text-messaging crowd will want to consider

WITH THE INCREASED AND INCREASING ACCEPTANCE OF PDA'S AND BLACKBERRY-ENABLED CELLULAR PHONES WITH TEXT-MESSAGING AND E-MAIL CAPABILITIES all over the place, there can be no mistaking the fact of thumbs being tired out all too quickly having to type out e-mails, blog entries and text messages on their QWERTY-keyboard PDA's.

May I recommend for your consideration studying (and using) an old telegrapher's trick known as the Phillips Abbreviated Code (after its creator, Walter Polk Phillips, an Associated Press telegrapher who came up with the first version thereof in 1879 to spare telegraphers much time in reducing the number of characters used in sending out commonly-used words where Morse code is involved) when texting or e-mailing messages from your trusty PDA--never mind where Roman characters have replaced Morse code by and large.

The key points in using Phillips Code are perhaps best explained by the following from an online transcription of the last official compilation of, and guide to, Phillips Code to be published in 1925 (and reprinted for the Bicentennial Year in 1976), which are equally worth following among the text-messaging crowd:

Intelligent use of the code is the desideratum for both sender and receiver; and, in this connection, some tried observations are submitted.

1.  To send code at top speed defeats its purpose.  Indeed, mechanical ability seems a negligible factor in moving the report, for the moderately slow sender, of even temper, and precise signals, exites no anger, and, therefore, provakes no breaking.

2.  Code should be well spaced, so that the receiver is required to make no effort in its translation.  Where the receiver is forced to solve a puzzle in a way of improper or badly used code, the context of the story is lost and a break usually follows.

3.  Seldom, if ever, should code be used at the beginning of a sentence; nor should code be used where the coded word or words precede a group of figures.

4.  Code that in itself makes a good English word should not be used in any sentence where the word coded would fit into the sense.

5.  Where two consecutive words in a sentence belong to separate ideas, they should not be contracted into a single combination; e.g., "When the vacancy occurred and the questionof filling it was put to him, the governor," etc.; "And the only way to stop it was for the employers and employes to co-operate"; " * * *the nature of it is not known."

6.  The sign "cx" should be freely used, especially for such proper names as also more common English words: "the Glass amendment";
"the Wood report"; and preceding titles indeterminable, as such, from the matter just preceding: "and Immigration Inspectors John Doe and Richard Roe." The signals "i5" and "e5" should no less be neglected.

7.  Following proper names a contraction sometimes is bad: "Representative Henry of the Owen committee"; "Judge Dayton in the Hitchman Coal company case." And, occasionally, a proper name is best coded: "Congressman Henry D. Clayton."

8.  Possessives, when not clearly indicated by the context, should be specified: "The accountants report."  Here, it isn't clear whether "accountants" is nominative plural, possessive singular, or possessive plural.

9.  When the receiver breaks on a coded word, the sender should spell it out, and then repeat the code.

10.   Errors due to an oversight on the part of the sender often are better corrected in a note at the end of the item.  Many typewriters are used without ribbons, and it is difficult for the receiver to locate the place for the correction.

11.  Difficult words and proper names should be sent very slowly, without repetition.  Paradoxical as it is, it isn't the time one makes, but
the time one loses that really counts on any circuit.

Which also brings to mind the famous variant of Phillips Code used in railway telegraphy, as follows:

• WIRE: Preference over everything, except 95
• 1: Wait a minute
• 2: Important business
• 3: What time is it?
• 4: Where shall I go ahead?
• 5: Have you business for me?
• 6: I am ready
• 7: Are you ready?
• 8: Close your key; circuit is busy
• 9: Close your key for priority business (wire chief, dispatcher, etc.)
• 10: Keep this circuit closed
• 12: Do you understand?
• 13: I understand
• 14: What is the weather like?
• 15: For you and another to copy
• 17: Lightning here
• 18: What is the trouble?
• 19: Form 19 train order
• 21: Meal stop
• 22: Wire test
• 23: All copy
• 24: Repeat this back
• 25: Busy on another wire
• 26: Put on grand wire
• 27: Priority; very important
• 28: Did you get my writing?
• 29: Private; deliver in sealed envelope
• 30: End of message
• 31: Form 31 train order
• 32: I understand that I am to ...
• 33: Car report; alternately, answer paid for
• 34: Message for all officers
• 35: You may use my signal to answer this
• 37: Diversion; alternately, inform all interested
• 39: Important, with priority on thru wire; alternately, sleeping-car report
• 44: Answer promptly by wire
• 73: Goodbye
• 88: Love and kisses
• 91: Superintendent's signal
• 92: Deliver promptly
• 93: Vice-president's and general manager's signals
• 95: President's signal
• 134: Who is @ the key?

There also happens to be the following Phillips Code abbreviations used for baseball reports as is of note:

• BAS: By a score of ...
• BOB: Base(s) on balls
• BTS: By the score of ...
• ING(S): Inning(s)
• IVC: Invincible
• LOB: Left on base(s)
• NBF: Now batting for ...
• NCF: Now catching for ...
• NPF: Now pitching for ...
• SKO: Score
• UMP(S): Umpire(s)

In any case, fellow textheads, may I suggest studying--and, perhaps, start using--the Phillips Code in your texting to better same time. And your thumbs. And, for that matter, bandwidth. You may be doing yourself a great favour all the while.

Sooo:

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