Language of telegrams

　　Since telegrams are paid by the word, every word co sts money and people always try and use as few words as possible. "Little words" like"a", 'an'and 'the 'disappe ar. So do all those auxiliary verbs that english studen ts hate:do, does, are,is…so, a journalist who wanted to know how old the film star cary grant was, sent a teleg ram saying:"how old cary grant?"

　　Unfortunately, although the "little words"have gone , nobody knows exactly where they have gone from. So, t he journalist received a reply from cary grant, which s aid:"old cary grant fine. How you?"

　　One of the biggest user of telegrams bas always bee n the newpaper. And since newspapers, at least in brita in, are famous for trying not to spend money, they trie d to use as few words as pobbilbe. Words like"no" were put in front of other words as "un-". So,"No money" bec ame unmoney." The most famous of such messages is from an editor who called a journalist:"why unnews?" the jou rnalist cabled back:"unnews. Good news." (from the engl ish proverb," no news is good news.") the editor wasn't happy. He sent another telegram saying:"unnews. Unjob."

　　But perhaps the shortest telegram in the english la nguage was from the iris writer oscar wide. He was livi ng in pairs and he cabled his publisher in britain to s ee how his new book was doing. The message read:"?" the publisher cabled back::"!".