l337 - Wordsmith.org

Wordsmith.org

it's been a while since we've talked about "l337", and this wikipedia articcle offers some very interesting observations about its development and usage, so I thought it would be fun to share:
L33t5p34k

there's also a lot to be found by following some of the various word links, such as "pwn", and "teh".

having three boys I hear this spoken quite a bit, along with other game-specific language.

don't get pwnzored!

Hilda! More to read!

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Leet has its basis in written communication over electronic media. Most simply, it has evolved as a way of forming exclusive cliques in on-line communities, notably Bulletin Board Systems and online multiplayer games (see Examples of Leet in videogaming).

Although it probably has it's origin as a way of simplifying input, no?

I think most generations create slangs and idioms that set them apart from their parents or younger siblings (ironically, they prove their individuality by being all the same). It seems to follow that in the electronic age came electronic slang.

Strange.

Our Warehouse in Alabama is one of a hundred or so General Electric Distribution locations nationwide. GE has chosen to designate our location "1337".

All of GE's correspondence with us is prefixed with "1337".

I wonder if I should be offended.

Only if you feel like it,

Abbey

Quote:

"The exact reasons for the obfuscation of text with Leet are disputed, but the most probable reason is that hackers needed to communicate without outsiders being able to intercept the message..."

This statement is by all means false. I'm sure you will all agree that in any generation(excluding those without means of a vocal or written langauge) have changed the way to say things, either in pronunciation of it or the way of which it is displayed, for reasons to make themselves look 'cool' or be origional. Hackers more just encrypt or lock their messages if we are talking about computer or software hackers. For online gamers, they either just lie or say they do hack and crash the server. Most people in the gaming scene knew then and most knows now what 1337 was and is. Hackers would have commuicated before or during(with the help of such programs as Xfire, and VoIP programs as in Ventrilo and TeamSpeack RC2 ect..) the game play and would never have to code any text.

What do you guys think? Most of my stuff is opinionated yes, but do you really think that hackers needed such code words?

Excerpt taken from site that was provided about leetspeak.

> This statement is by all means false.

I agree. I think the idea of just trying to be different is sufficient for the development of l337.

opinionate away, Ari!

I think the reason it's used is to express being part of the cool group. To me it always seems like they're trying too hard. I thought this sort of language is used mostly by hacker groupies.

It is not, it is used widespread in the gaming community by hackers and non-hackers alike. I use it, and most refer to it as leet or 1337. Example: If they see a cool move or somthing they like, anything, it doenst even have to be online. They would say "That's leet." "Leet haxor" is still used but mainly as a joke. Its just only text and a way of speaking. I don't suppose any of you know what Purepwnage is? It is two things; one, a slang term pwn being the same but more recent version of own; two, a online series of shows. The site link for the show is: http://www.purepwnage.com/ I recommend watching it. Not only is it funny, but can give you an idea of how these terms were used. Most are real terms, but some I never heard of either.

Heres the an excerpt off the main page:

Quote:

"i pwn noobs liek hard rite n my roomate has dis camera rite so hes all liek 'we can make a show lol' n im liek dats teh pwnage n stuf n hes liek i no lol so im liek ok film me noob n hes liek ok so we did lololol
thne we lukd at it rite n were liek 'omfg stfu dats pure pwnage lol' so we made dis site n stuf rite n now were gonna b famose!!!!
-teh_pwnerer"

That's over doing it there but you get the idea. Im sure some of you will be disgusted with the grammar and spelling here, but keep in mind its all on purpose most of the time, not out of ignorance(I can't speak for everyone on that point). As I was saying I could refer to this show being 'leet'.

without outsiders being able to intercept the message

To many outside of the group, a jargon (or sociolect) appears to be for purposes of concealing the content of utterances, but to many within the group that is not a conscious decision. Many times a specialized vocabulary develops because the outside, clear language does not have words to cover concepts. That being said, I think that l337 most probably developed for humorous reasons, and perhaps just a touch of "ain't that a cool hack" wonderment.

That is also true zmjezhd. I agree totally 100%. You posses the ability to say what I was trying to say 5 paragraphs shorter. Although I can't say I would of said everything you said, that's arrogance. But I believe you got it right on the button.

Quote:

It is not, it is used widespread in the gaming community by hackers and non-hackers alike. I use it, and most refer to it as leet or 1337.

This line of argument which is being proposed by several people is like saying that there are many Chinese people who now speak English, therefore English was invented by/for China.

Maybe you misunderstood me. That quote was towards TheFallibleFiend's post: "I thought this sort of language is used mostly by hacker groupies." I never said that it didn't start off that way. I just meant as of now, it's used by everyone and people add stuff to it or even change it again to somthing else.

Quote:

Quote:

"The exact reasons for the obfuscation of text with Leet are disputed, but the most probable reason is that hackers needed to communicate without outsiders being able to intercept the message..."

This statement is by all means false.

The message I responded to seemed to be a further explication on this statement which seems to me to be disputing the origin of 133t. \/\/45 1 \/\/|-()|\|6?

Yes, the quote's above this post is one thing, the one you stated before up higher was refering to somthing else. However I am not denying you as in I won't listen to you. I'm just trying to clear up what you are talking about. So no it wasn't a "further explication." But I still say that messages such as you just displayed would be to easy to read to be really used as code. And depending on which type of hacking we are talking about varys in wether or not it needs to be kept hush-hush. I would assume computer hackers would not succumb to such code, they would of never been 5 steps ahead of Microsoft everytime then. But in the world of Multi-Player games, it is possible, but even then, they take only seconds to break unless you got more than a mild case of dyslexia. But again no, the so called "noobs" do not own 1337 but just carried on the word as we kids carried words from our parents generation. Any other statements are welcomed for I want to see if anyone can come down with hard proof other than online dictionarys or news sites for they never really have to much truth in it. But as I said before, it is very unlikly since from the very first time I saw the leetspeak, I could read it very well.

I wonder if people who are "fluent" in leetspeak have trouble writing in standard English?

> I wonder if people who are "fluent" in leetspeak have trouble writing in standard English?

well, I would think unless Myridon and AriF are the exception, then, no.

The name's Ari, and I am not the best "composer" of this art. Never said I was, I just am in the gaming world and I know a thing or two about the slang in it. But that's why I am here, I would like to expand my vocabulary and everything else that I lack in, which as it turns out, is everything. I blame the schools.

I want Myridon to post again, maybe still researching the leetness. But as always, everyone thinks that they themselves, are right. I think I'm right, he thinks hes right, and AnnaStrophic thinks I can't write. So I am gona have to side with Anna.