gr8 brit lit turnd in2 txts 4 studes

AFP/Yahoo ^ | Thu Nov 17, 2:33 PM ET

[martin_fierro]

gr8 brit lit turnd in2 txts 4 studes

Thu Nov 17, 2:33 PM ET

LONDON (AFP) - Some of the greatest and longest works of English literature have been turned into text messages as a part of a student revision scheme.

Mobile phone company dot-mobile, which is behind the project, has translated the likes of William Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Charles Dickens and John Milton into text, as a modern-day "aide-memoire" for under-pressure crammers.

For example, "To be or not to be, that is the question", uttered by the eponymous hero of Shakespeare's Hamlet, becomes "2b? Nt2b? = ???".

Likewise, the tragic ending to Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre becomes "MadwyfSetsFyr2Haus" (mad wife sets fire to house).

John Sutherland, professor of modern English literature at University College London, helped devise the texts.

He defended their simplicity -- and language -- in the face of predictable opposition from linguistic purists.

"Whilst some may argue that Dickens is really too big a morsel to be swallowed by text, the 'Great Inimitable' himself began working life as a shorthand write and he would, I suspect, have approved of the brevity if nothing else," the academic said.

The service -- which follows an Australian text version of the Bible last month -- will be available to dot-mobile subscribers from January.

By that time, viewers of Dickens' epic Bleak House -- currently being shown in a lengthy serialisation on Britain's BBC television -- may need a refresher to remember the beginning.

The crib note reads: "EstherBecumsWardOfJarndyceWhosInCortCase.OvaWardsRich/Ada(L8aACuple).Tulkinghorn-nosyLawyer-WorksOutLadyDedlock=E'sMum.CaseEnds w/ no1 gtn money.E marrysSexyDoc-Liv 2gevaInBleakHse.Rich/L.DedlockDie"

Translation: "Esther becomes the ward of Jarndyce who is involved in a court case over Richard and Ada (who are later a couple). Tulkinghorn - a nosy lawyer - works out that Lady Dedlock is Esther's mother.

"The case is concluded with no-one receiving any money. Esther marries the sexy doctor and they live together in Bleak House. Richard and Lady Dedlock die."

Girl in Beijing reads a text message on her mobile. Some of the greatest and longest works of English literature have been turned into text messages as a part of a student revision scheme(AFP/File/Peter Parks)

[martin_fierro]

No amateurs, please. Send FReepmail if you want on/off ISHP list
The List of Ping Lists

"4|45 p00r Y0r1ck! J00 607 PWN3D!"

[JoeSixPack1]

Machine Stenography hasn't a thing to worry about.

Although pitman shorthand might feel threatened! :-)~~

[nickcarraway]

Hey, you should have put a spoiler alert!

[quantim]

befo' u knw it, he be dun aced de tesses. (Before you know it, he will have already aced the tests.)

I see now, it works kind of like ebonics...

[Zuben Elgenubi]

Sinatra:

du B du B du

[Zuben Elgenubi]

Lincoln:

4 # & 7 yrs ago

[steveo]

PU!