Telegrafliga

Telegrafliga is a term sometimes used to describe the brevity and often cryptic nature of messages sent via telegraph. Before the advent of more modern communication methods, telegrams were charged based on the number of words, incentivizing senders to be as concise as possible. This led to the development of telegraphic language, which relied on abbreviations, acronyms, and a lack of punctuation to convey information efficiently and affordably.

For example, instead of a full sentence like "Please send the report by tomorrow morning," a telegraphic message might be "SEND REPORT TOMORROW AM STOP." The word "STOP" was often used to indicate the end of a sentence, as periods were frequently omitted to save costs. Common abbreviations included "URGENT" for immediate attention, "FYI" for for your information, and "XMIT" for transmit.

The limitations of telegraphic communication also meant that context was often assumed, and the sender and recipient had to be familiar with shared codes or shorthand. This resulted in messages that could appear nonsensical to outsiders but were perfectly clear to those involved. While telegraphy itself is largely obsolete, the concept of telegraphic language influenced early forms of digital communication, such as text messaging and early email, where character limits and efficiency were also important considerations. The term "telegrafliga" captures this unique communication style born out of technological and economic constraints.