[ZX5focused]

http://money.cnn.com/2005/04/07/technology...speak/index.htm

Quote:Kids online use a creative code

Messages composed of numbers, symbols and misspellings are written in what's called "leetspeek."

Ever see something like this in a chat session or on game site?
533 m`/ m4d 1337 skilz

Messages riddled with numbers, symbols and misspellings are actually written in what's called "leetspeek."

Leet is slang for "elite," and, as you can guess, speek means "speak." Only a privileged group is intended to understand it. Outsiders, such as parents, are supposed to be confused by leetspeek, or leet.

With leet, letters are changed into graphical representations of letters. Once you understand that leetspeek is a visual "language," it becomes easier to decipher. For the uninitiated, though, attempting to translate it might give you a headache.

Creativity is encouraged, so there aren't set rules. Consistency isn't important, either, and words are written many different ways. But there are certain conventions that leetists use. By understanding these, you'll be better equipped to decipher their messages.

First, letters are often replaced with numbers that look similar. "E" becomes "3," "s" becomes "5," and so on. The word "leet" is written "1337."

Symbols are also used to represent letters. For example, "/\/" replaces "n." Leetists often get more creative by using other fancy symbols. Sometimes they're rotated. For example, ">"and "<" can both represent a "v." Put them together, and they become an "x."

Rules of grammar don't apply. Misspellings are not only fine, but often encouraged. Some leetists capitalize every letter while others drop vowels altogether. Also, typos, such as "teh" instead of "the" are left in as a matter of pride.

Letters are also often replaced with phonetically similar letters or combinations of letters. "Ph" instead of "F" is one example. You'll also frequently see "z" replace "s," particularly at the end of plural words.

And, of course, abbreviations are very common. Rather than type a full word, leetists will sometimes use just one letter or number. Examples include "u" for "you" and "2" for "too." Of course, we've seen similar abbreviations elsewhere.

"M4d" is used for emphasis. One might write "m4d skillz" to say someone is highly capable. Emphasis is also attained by adding "orz" to the end of a word.

For the most part, leet is just a different way of writing common words. However, there are leet words that have emerged, and more are likely to follow. Here are some words that are common in leet:

Kewl = cool
N00b or newbie = a new user
D00d = dude
R0x0r = rocks, meaning something is cool
W00t or \o/ = woohoo
If you're a parent, pay attention to the following list. These words can point to illegal activities or indicate your child is a bully:
H4x = hack
Warez or w4rez = illegal software
Pr0n = porn
Sploitz = exploits, or software vulnerabilities
0\/\/n3d or pwn3d = an assertion of superiority

Leetspeek continues to evolve as people add to it. It also becomes more complicated as leeters attempt to show off their skills. Some leetists use what they term uber-leet or advanced leet.

There are translators available that claim to convert leet to English or vice versa. But these don't work very well. For a list of letters and common leet equivalents, visit my Web site here. There, you could have easily figured out the mumbo-jumbo in the first paragraph of this column means, "See my mad leet skills."

:lol: :lol: