Why Text Messages Were Limited to 160 Characters
Texting is sending short written messages by phone. The famous 160-character limit was chosen by one engineer on a typewriter.
Texting is sending short written messages from a mobile phone. The 160-character limit has a documented origin: in 1985 the German engineer Friedhelm Hillebrand typed out sample sentences and postcards, found that most fitted comfortably below 160 characters, and argued that this was *perfectly sufficient*. The standard followed.
- Sending phone messages. *Texting while walking.*
- To send such a message. *Text me when you land.*
- A text message. *I got your text.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | texting | Texting and driving. |
| Verb | text | Text her back. |
| Past | texted | He texted me. |
| Noun | text | A short text. |
| Related | SMS | An SMS message. |
How it is used in a sentence
- Texting while driving is illegal.In most jurisdictions.
- She texted to say she was late.Texted, not text, as the past.
- Longer messages are split and rejoined.Concatenated SMS.
Messaging terms
- SMS — Short Message Service, the original standard
- MMS — the version carrying pictures and sound
- Concatenation — joining split messages so they appear as one
- Read receipt — confirmation that a message was opened
- Emoji — from Japanese for picture character, not from emotion
From *text*, from Latin *textus*, a thing woven, from *texere*, to weave — the same root as *textile* and *texture*. A text is literally something woven together.
Texted or text as the past tense?
Texted is standard. Text as a past form is common in speech but not accepted in writing.
Why 160 characters?
Friedhelm Hillebrand's 1985 tests suggested most short messages fitted within that length, and it also fitted the available signalling capacity.