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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that 'text' is not the past tense of 'to text'

95 replies

UptheChimney · 22/08/2013 02:12

Actually, I know IANBU.

The past tense of 'to text' is 'texted,' as the past tense of 'to telephone' is 'telephoned.' It is conjugated as a regular verb, which in English means that one adds 'ed' to the present tense make the simple past tense.

Writing 'text' when you mean 'texted' just makes you look illiterate, and makes my teeth itch. The latter is far more important, obviously Wink

OP posts:
MrsTerryPratchett · 22/08/2013 02:18

Well, there is a MN rule that if you are pedantic in your OP you will have made a mistake. You add 'd' not 'ed' to your example of a regular verb.

BTW, I agree, texted is right.

georgettemagritte · 22/08/2013 02:53

YANBU.

AndThatsWhatIThinkOfYou · 22/08/2013 03:27

who cares

JollyHappyGiant · 22/08/2013 03:40

Texted is obviously the correct past tense.

celestialbows · 22/08/2013 04:19

I believe that it is 'sent a text message' rather than texted. I may be wrong but texted sounds awful and imo just as bad as 'I text'.

Original poster
UptheChimney · 22/08/2013 04:32

Ah, celestialbows a poster after my own heart!

The conversion of nouns to verbs ... Arrrgh But I don't have the stamina for that battle. I fear 'tis already lost.

And MrsP oh yes! You found my error and proved the one unbreakable rule of the interwebz. That if one is pedantic about language, one will have made an error oneself.

So could I humbly offer the example of 'to wend' and 'wended' (as in 'I wended my way home') as an example of the correct simple past tense where "ed" is added. And grovel at your feet.

And none of us is BU.

OP posts:
MrsTerryPratchett · 22/08/2013 04:47

I [heart] grovelling so that works for me. Grovel... grovelled. Dear me, it's 'led' in that case. Grin

Mendi · 22/08/2013 06:58

So happy to have found someone who shares my view on this. Everyone I know says "I text my friend yesterday...". It's "TEXTED"!

WeightyKaty · 22/08/2013 07:04

YANBU I hate this!!

Original poster
UptheChimney · 22/08/2013 07:13

I had never ever seen 'text' as the past tense of 'to text' until I read became addicted to MN. At first, I just assumed it was a typing error. Goodness knows, I make enough of them myself, even though my spelling is usually perfect. And I know that it's good MB manners not to point out people's typos or spelling errors, because people may be dyslexic or typing fast or not be native English speakers.

But I gather some people actually think they're correct when they use 'text' as the past tense of 'to text.' I'm thinking it may become my mission in life to correct such wrongheadedness. Grin

I wonder if I should have a badge made, or wear a special costume?

OP posts:
Hissy · 22/08/2013 07:25

I agreed. TextED all the way! :)

StrawColoured · 22/08/2013 07:28

And the plural of 'text' is 'texts', not 'texes'.

Original poster
UptheChimney · 22/08/2013 07:31

StrawColoured

OP posts:
diamond211 · 22/08/2013 07:40

Probably best to say 'I sent her a text' - sent being the verb and text remaining a noun (yes things like this make my teeth itch too).
As for those of us not liking the conversion of nouns to verbs, please see my thread on Partial Dentures being advertised as 'partials'! :)

Eeeeeowwwfftz · 22/08/2013 08:06

It's perfectly reasonable to have an opinion about which variant of a linguistic variable you prefer. Equally it's unreasonable to assume that your preference has any more validity than anyone else's.

Should all verbs be regular do you think? That seems to be the basis of your objection. If not, then you have to acce

Eeeeeowwwfftz · 22/08/2013 08:12

(Fucking phone)

... Have to accept that verbs become irregular in part because the regular version doesn't "feel" right to some people using it. So presumably those who use "text" as a past tense feel either that "texted" is uglier or the "-ed" sound at the end of "text" already conveys a sense of past tense, in analogy with verbs like "set" and "put".

As for the noun to verb transition, do you have a problem with it going the other way? In that case, would you never call the theatre to book a ticket or dogmatically refuse to mind your head as you go through a door?

SomethingOnce · 22/08/2013 08:36

Where I live you'd be lucky to hear text.

"So he tex me, yeah? And I was like [blah]"

samandi · 22/08/2013 09:14

Until now, I'd never heard of someone using "text" in place of "texted" or "sent a text".

Mintyy · 22/08/2013 09:16

I think text and texted (meaning sent or a received a text in the past) are both equally horrendous. So I say "sent a text to" or "had a text from".

LineRunner · 22/08/2013 09:17

I have a friend who calls texts ' Texas'.

Do I win?

bishboschone · 22/08/2013 09:23

I know you are right but I have texted .. Irrational I know so I always say I text you meaning I texted you . Don't care if anyone thinks I'm thick ( I am not) but texted makes my teeth itch..

bishboschone · 22/08/2013 09:25

Hate not have

Guiltismymaster · 22/08/2013 09:25

'It is conjugated as a regular verb' - it's a very new verb though, that's where the problem comes from.

I think people say text because it sounds to them like an irregular verb like run-> ran (not runned) so I don't think they're being illogical.

I say pick your battles. I can't move on to this kind of thing until I've finished with the 'myself' instead of 'me' people! :)

SPsTotallyMullerFuckingLicious · 22/08/2013 09:27

I say text not texted.

I am not illiterate but feel free to think so.

Texted sounds strange to me.

Buzzardbird · 22/08/2013 09:27

Even worse, I seem to always get "tex't". "t" appears to be the new "ed".