摘要：This articlefocuses on texting or SMS language, which is nowadays the most popular means of communication for a whole generation of mobile phone users. The introductory section comprises a parameter-based description of texting and a brief explanation of the features shared with other modalities of text-based electronic communication, after which the article provides an overview of the linguistic peculiarities of the system, i.e. its shortening mechanisms. It is suggested that an incursion into a subcode with which youngsters feel so identified could be beneficial for both L2 and L1 learning. This suggestion is illustrated by a series of exercises of different formats intended to practise the codification and interpretation of English texting. The conclusion drawn is that the exploitation of texting in the L2 classroom may be extremely interesting for several reasons: first, it may contribute to improving the students' spelling and pronunciation skills in both the L1 and the L2, and it may also contribute to increasing their lexicon in the L2; second, students may acquire a better understanding of the notion of linguistic appropriateness and at the same time gain an insight into the functioning of languages and their flexibility to adapt themselves to different communicative situations
