BTW

What Does BTW Mean in a Text?

The Quick Answer

BTW (By The Way) is typically used to change subject during a conversation.

More Detail...

It can be used as a preamble or a postamble to signify the change of subject. For example:

• BTW I like your hair.
(Here, BTW is a preamble, i.e., before the text.)
• I like your hair BTW.
(Here, BTW is a postamble, i.e., after the text.)

Of note, BTW is occasionally used to mean "back to work."

Image for BTW

When I write BTW, I mean this:

BTW is commonly used to change subject during a conversation.

Summary of Key Points

We have summarized the key points in the table below:

BTW
Definition:	By the Way
Type:	Abbreviation
Guessability:	3: Guessable
Typical Users:	Adults and Teenagers

Examples of BTW in Sentences

Here is an example of BTW in a conversation:

• Charlie: Jack and Jill are going up the hill later.
• Jordan: She'll like that.
• Charlie: BTW my cat brought someone's hamster home last night.
• Jordan: No way!
• Charlie: Yes way!

An Academic Look at BTW

BTW is an initialism abbreviation. Technically, this means it is pronounced using its individual letters (i.e., Bee Tee Dublyu), but as this is less intuitive to say than "by the way," it is not often said using its letters. In other words, the abbreviation BTW is for efficiency in writing and not efficiency in speech.

What Did We Say before Texting and Social Media?

Before the digital era, we might have said something like "changing the subject" instead of BTW.

Example of BTW Used in a Text

You might also like...