JPH0523097B

In a message communication system and process, a character string with a plurality of characters is encoded into a compact code, which is transmitted to a reception side. At the reception side, the compact code is decoded to an original character string. Thus, the amount of information to be transmitted is fairly reduced as compared with the transmission in which each character is encoded. Preferably, a combination of a word and a 'space' code following the word is encoded to a single compact code. The compact code may also encode a combination of a plurality of words. Some particular control codes are defined for converting a small character to a capital character, or vice versa, and designating special code like period ".", quotation mark "?", etc.