The Terms "Pwn" and "Own"...

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QFT.

I thought "pwn" was short for "to pawn [your enemy's] head",
from some massively multiplayer version of Warcraft
before World of Warcraft. "Owning" someone is pretty
much self-explanatory.

Call me old school, but I would use "to ace" something or
someone in that context (much the same way we say
"I aced that test.")

I |_1|<3 pwn, 17'5 73|-| c00l \/\/0r|D

They mean the same thing.

What really annoys me is when people feel the need to say it out loud in real life. I knew this girl who had never played anything more intense than Mario Kart and used the terms in everyday scenarios. She also used "full of FAIL" often too. I fought the urge to shake her every time I heard her say it...

Not to knock Mario Kart or anything. I love all things Nintendo.

I say it in real life howver i am an avid gamer so i am used to shuddering out thosewords on live...

I've heard people say "pwn" (pronouncing it as written) and it bothers me too... although someone saying "own" doesn't...


There was one time I blurted out "You've got FAIL" in a class when the professor (who was a fairly easygoing and cool guy anyway) couldn't load up a powerpoint for lecture... everyone in the room (even the professor) got a laugh or two out of that...


However, the one thing that annoys me to no end is the pronounciation of LOL (in either of the two major accepted pronounciations)... to me, if you have access to your voice, it's preferable to, well, actually laugh... although I will type "lol" in IM a lot to get the point across faster...

Ah, but it sounds like it was an isolated incident in your case. She used it at every opportunity thinking that it would score brownie points with the people in our group, most of them being pretty hardcore gamers. Though I guess anything can get annoying with that much overuse.


It's quicker just to laugh too. Internet shorthand rarely translates well verbally...

Well that didn't clarify a whole lot.

I use the word "pwn" in daily life sometimes (usually in an ironic or actively geeky connotation). So sue me, I'm actively butchering 73|-| 1337|\|355 5P34|<|\|355。

Tell me something I don't already know; I
was trying to explain why there were two separate
terms for the one result.

Whether online or in real life, I only use "lol" as a mocking term...sort of to say "Oh, I'm pretending that's incredibly hilarious! lolololol!! !"

Kind of like the old cliché "That's so funny, I forgot to laugh."

Most of the internet words I would say in real life are already words in the english language... therefore "own" and "fail" are acceptable, but "pwn" and "lol" are not... The one non-actual english word I will say in real life is "leet", often in the place of "cool"...

It's more fun to use real words... DESTROY, EXTERMINATE, DELETE, ELIMINATE, LIQUIDATE, ERADICATE, ANNIHILATE, OBLITERATE, NEUTRALIZE, STERILIZE, PULVERIZE...

I didnt know what pwn meant. I just assumed it had something to do with porno. Please don't tell me I'm ret*d.

almost everything can relate to porn/sex/other mature conent these days, i wouldn't worry about it if i were you.

Thanks for understanding - I feel better now I am very intelligent in some ways but in others I've always felt like I am slow. Like everyone else knows and understands what is going on before I do. I was bought up and basically told I was stupid in actions and words. The Teachers at school try to encourage me and even some of the students but it was to late. I don't feel so ashamed or stupid as I use because I know i have lots of strengths in other area's and i am not stupid. I keep telling myself that because you come what you beleive - if you know what I mean.