This study aims at analyzing synchronous text messages among friends in English and Translation Departments at MosulUniversity, to show their communicative aspects and how people use written discourse and change the discourse of the text of the messages to fit their needs for communication. Emphasis will be laid on the discoursal rules that are followed, and whether or not we have a complete sense out of these messages (and whether or not texters can make any sense out of these messages).
The study hypothesizes that texting involves using language informally. Texters will somehow not follow linguistic conventions. However, they are going to keep the regularity of the discoursal rules. Thus, according to the information expressed by texters, there will appear types of turn-taking with the message having opening, maintaining and closing phases.
The study has come up with some conclusions that verify our hypotheses. It has been found that text messaging is very complex and personal. In communicating, texters create a new mode of writing having its own rules. Texters have, somehow, used language informally. Though the discourse of mobile phone message is fragmented and abbreviated, yet there have been discoursal rules to be followed. All texters do make sense out of the messages. All texters have been able to send and receive messages immediately to the extent that there have been different types of turn- taking, viz. greeting, information, elicitation and closing.