Text speak has become a second language for thousands of teenagers, text-speak uses abbreviated words and phrases such as "txt" for "text", "lol" for "laughing out loud”, and "CU" for "see you.” Text speak is now used like another language. In Scotland, a 13 year old schoolgirl handed in her essay entirely written in text speak. This is an extract, it said: "My smmr hols wr CWOT. B4, we used 2go2 NY 2C my bro, his GF & thr 3 :- kids FTF. ILNY, it is a gr8 plc.” It translated to "My summer holidays were a complete waste of time. Before, we used to go to New York to see my brother, his girlfriend and their three screaming kids face to face. I love New York, it is a great place.” The student found that writing like that was “easier than standard