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

[UptheChimney]

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

I think it's still up for grabs what the 'correct' past tense will turn out to be.

'I text' sounds wrong to me too. But the past of 'weave' isn't 'weaved' either, and I find that comforting. I think it should be something like 'I tuxt'.

Like "tuxt"! Might try that one out

Funnily enough I was thinking about this the other day (I don't get out much). e.g. 'I text her about the party' really, really grates, as it just seems to stop the sentence dead in its tracks..

So - YANBU. (Where do I sign up for the lynch mob?)

This drives me crazy - but the opposite way!

I cannot stand TEXTED - I cant say it, I trip over the word... something clearly wrong with me I know - I say, and write TEXT.

I can't use 'begun' either... ever, ugly word!

I agree with The word text isn't a verb and should be "I sent her a text", not "I texted her".

Go for it, mintyy.

The past tense of recent (regular) verbs end in -ed.

Older verbs tend to be "irregular" or have different endings because they were the regular old endings.

So, texted. End of.

Like it or not it's here.
www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/text

Texted might be correct, but it sounds awkward.

I seem to be in the minority but to me saying 'I text her yesterday' sounds better and more correct than 'I texted her.' Texted just sounds clunky, although I realise that, assuming text is a regular verb and following the typical rules of grammar texted would be correct.

However I just think of 'text' as an irregular verb which doesn't change such as hit, quit, beat, burst, hurt, cost, cut, let, put, shut, set etc.

I think as it's such a new verb the jury is probably still out as to whether text will end up as a regular or an irregular verb, but at the moment I don't think either text or texted is correct/incorrect (although my spell-checked definitely doesn't recognise 'texted' as a correct word yet) and it is fine to use either, at least until the word has had more time to become established. I'm sure given another 10 years or so one or the other will be correct, but for now I think we just can't say whether it is going to be a regular or irregular word (although I'm hoping irregular!).

Ur all wrng its txt.

I can't move on to this kind of thing until I've finished with the 'myself' instead of 'me' people

Or 'yourself' instead if 'you'?

Why, oh why, oh why do people say that? I suspect they think it sounds 'formal,' or posh, or something. Well, no, it makes them sound even more illiterate.

But then I'm a great believer in the Oxford comma, so obviously there's no hope for me in this world.

It's clearly texted (there's no reason why it should be an irregular verb) - text for the past tense really does sound illiterate. (Compare "email" for "emailed" - "I email him yesterday" sounds equally incorrect.)

Because the stem ends in a "t" as demonstrated in Chesterberry's post?

Chesterberry, it's quite likely that both forms will end up being considered correct, as happens with a few verbs.

I had the same feeling that as other verbs ending in t that it might be irregular, and that's why I checked. But there are many more that end in t and are regular than irregular.

verbs ending in t
(not sure how accurate the list is, some don't seem verbs)

UptheChimney, I think that's why it's so annoying- because they think they're speaking a more elevated language and I'm not (quite) rude enough to point it out to them.

Example (Imagine patronising baby voice)
'So if you could send that through to myself'... 'and I'll send it back to yourself' Sorry, what's going where? What are you doing to who??

post > posted
text > texted

YANBU

Lweji That list is really interesting. Many monosyllabic verbs ending in 't' don't add the 'ed'. I think it's the awkward sound of 'xt' with an 'ed' sounded out after it that makes the ugly tone of the word "texted" which is why I don't use it. I say text'd! This is a one syllable word, with a very slightly different sound at the end in the past tense.

I think texted sounds awful but then again I would not use text either. I prefer 'I sent her a text...' I would say though, that, text is an irregular verb.

I don't like text as the past tense although I take the point that it's still a 'new' verb so views may differ.

Regarding the words ending in 't', though:

Rant - ranted
Text - texted

Yes, the myself/yourself thing drives me nuts, too.

The preference for "text" comes from some of us getting used to the irregular verbs.

New learners and children tend to use regular endings in irregular verbs and have to learn those.

English is my second language, which is possibly why texted sounds good enough, or at least better than text.

chesterberry those short verbs which are irregular are predominantly Saxon or Norse-derived. Irregular verbs tend to be from the older strata of the historical development of the English language. "Text" is Latinate (from textus), and Latinate coinages are normally regular.

Imagine English as a Saxon language with Norse influences, with a layer of French-derived vocabulary on top (dating from the Norman conquest), and several subsequent layers of Latinate and Greek-derived vocabulary on top of that (coming in to the language in various waves from the Renaissance and the scientific revolution onwards). Much recent linguistic coinages are Latinate/Greek-derived because our scientific and technological vocabulary is overwhelmingly Latinate or classical (compare computer, television, etc.)

The Saxon/Norse, French and Latinate parts of English vocabulary also roughly correspond with three rough linguistic registers in English. (Hence also why English speakers who assume "text" acts like an irregular verb like "cut", "beat" etc. sound incorrect to speakers who assume "text" behaves like a regular Latinate loan-word and takes the -ed suffix in the past tense. Both sets of English speakers are making an assumption about how a relatively new verb behaves in the past tense according to their own vocabulary sets or usual registers).

I work with an OFFICEFUL of 'yourselfers'

I have a friend who talks about 'textes', reminds me of A level English doing Chaucer.

Absolutely YANBU. It is one of my biggest grievances on MN at the moment,.