text me

mantelligence

We might be tempted to think of text me as new slang, but the phrase, in one form or another, has been around for decades. A text message dates back to at least 1977, the shortened text to 1990. Text-message as verb can be found as early as a 1994, with text appearing no later than 1998.

Text me has become a common and informal way of connecting with someone by text message. To a new friend or possible romantic interest, text me can sound cool and casual, showing just enough interesting without being extra.

In the 1700s, text me would have been “pen me sometime.” In the early 1800s, “telegram me.” In the late 1800s, “phone me.” For a short time in the 1990s, it was “page me.” In the early 2000s, it was “email me.” In the 2010s, it’s text me—though even that may be on the way out by “@ me,” “DM me,” or “Snap me.”

Not only is it used in everyday language with buddies or potential dates, but text me also appears in notable pop songs, such as in the lyrics of Rihanna’s 2016 “Work”: “Nobody touch me you no righteous / Nobody text me in a crisis.”