IM

In the news:

Instant messaging (IM) is a relatively new form of communication, in which two people exchange typed messages instantaneously over the Internet. Although written, the fact that IM is more immediate and direct than email makes it seem more like speech than writing.

But a recent study of IM-ing by college students found that the communication was more formal--in use of vocabulary and abbreviations--than might be expected in a speech-like medium. The research also uncovered significant differences in how men and women use the medium.

You can read the news article by clicking here.