Two internet lingo questions for you
Dec. 28th, 2002 11:31 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mollyringleBecause I'm a total square and rely on you guys for my education...
1) For those knowledgeable about slash fiction: I've gathered that when describing the mood or behavior or condition of a character in the story, you can write it with an exclamation point--for instance, "wounded!Frodo" or "bitchy!Legolas" or "botanicalcliche!Sam." What I'd like to know is, why the exclamation point? What's it for? Where did this come from? I agree it sort of helps capture the defining characteristic nicely, but is there any other reason for its being there?
2) The -0r suffix in things like "r0x0r," "sux0r," "hax0r," etc. What's that about? I'm sure there's a perfectly obvious reason that I'm failing to see, so please, someone point it out for me. (Including, if possible, why it's supposedly entertaining to use a zero instead of an "o." Yes, yes, I've seen "porn" written "pr0n," but no, I don't quite get that either.)
There was some acronym relating to fan fiction that I couldn't figure out, as well, but now I can't remember what it was. Guess I'll ask later, if I can't find out on my own. Over the years I did manage, gradually, to figure out the meanings of "Mary Sue" (thank you,![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
lush_rimbaud, for explaining that in the most memorable terms) :), "PWP," "BDSM," "yaoi," "AU," "MST," and "H/NC"; and also learned why certain people were called "shippers." (I even learned that I am a shipper, for some pairs.) But there is always more to learn; always.
P.S. 88 on the friends-of list now! Two weeks ago (i.e., before that parody) it was about 24. Also, over 280 comments on that little entry, and still climbing. I mention this only because I have never, ever, ever gotten this much feedback for any piece of writing in my life, and I'm stunned. Even if you added up all the feedback from everything I'd ever written up to that point, I don't think it would equal this. Now, if only I were getting paid for it... hehe. (Just kidding, Tolkien estate.)
1) For those knowledgeable about slash fiction: I've gathered that when describing the mood or behavior or condition of a character in the story, you can write it with an exclamation point--for instance, "wounded!Frodo" or "bitchy!Legolas" or "botanicalcliche!Sam." What I'd like to know is, why the exclamation point? What's it for? Where did this come from? I agree it sort of helps capture the defining characteristic nicely, but is there any other reason for its being there?
2) The -0r suffix in things like "r0x0r," "sux0r," "hax0r," etc. What's that about? I'm sure there's a perfectly obvious reason that I'm failing to see, so please, someone point it out for me. (Including, if possible, why it's supposedly entertaining to use a zero instead of an "o." Yes, yes, I've seen "porn" written "pr0n," but no, I don't quite get that either.)
There was some acronym relating to fan fiction that I couldn't figure out, as well, but now I can't remember what it was. Guess I'll ask later, if I can't find out on my own. Over the years I did manage, gradually, to figure out the meanings of "Mary Sue" (thank you,
lush_rimbaud, for explaining that in the most memorable terms) :), "PWP," "BDSM," "yaoi," "AU," "MST," and "H/NC"; and also learned why certain people were called "shippers." (I even learned that I am a shipper, for some pairs.) But there is always more to learn; always.P.S. 88 on the friends-of list now! Two weeks ago (i.e., before that parody) it was about 24. Also, over 280 comments on that little entry, and still climbing. I mention this only because I have never, ever, ever gotten this much feedback for any piece of writing in my life, and I'm stunned. Even if you added up all the feedback from everything I'd ever written up to that point, I don't think it would equal this. Now, if only I were getting paid for it... hehe. (Just kidding, Tolkien estate.)
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no subject
Date: 2002-12-28 11:49 pm (UTC)(2) . . . there is no logical explanation; somebody just started using a 0 instead of o and it took off from there. More often than not, it's used as a way of poking fun at "plebes"/"newbies" in a fandom, who use Netspeak to an alarmingly incomprehensible degree (i.e.: "lol" and the like), but it's also become fashionable in its own way.
Anyways, I never introduced myself but added you to my list after I read and adored your LOTRII parody piece, which I found through an embarrassingly long strand of people.
no subject
Date: 2002-12-29 10:41 am (UTC)And welcome, and pleased to meet you. Cheney, huh? I used to live in Seattle...I miss it...
Re:
Date: 2002-12-29 01:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-01-02 11:01 pm (UTC)There was a reason that "porn" became "pr0n". If one was to write on a site somewhere "This site is porn free" and the site was then listed on google or the like, the next yahoo that types "porn" into their search parameters would come up with your site. Neither of you wins, really. So people began to type pr0n instead - though somewhere along the line the story was changed to include Echelon - and it was quickly co-opted by hax0r k1dd13s and 1337 sp34k3kers. I agree with the last line though, about leet speak in general. It *has* become fashionable in it's own way.
(An etymology: elite -> leet -> l33t -> 1337 Just FYI. ;) )
Re:
Date: 2003-01-02 11:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-01-03 10:08 am (UTC)Ahh, cool. Did not know that's where "leet" came from. Thank you!
no subject
Date: 2002-12-29 01:45 am (UTC)Looking at those other terms, I realise I don't know as much as fanfiction as I thought 0_0 I'm a crappy writer, which is why I usually only ever read it, instead of writing it.
Over 280 comments? You are *so* the next Cassie Claire. Congrats!
no subject
Date: 2002-12-29 06:27 am (UTC)The 0r thing is just part of an hilarious sub-culture of Being A Cretin. The whole using-numbers-in-words thing was, I believe, started by 1337 h4x0r$ who thought using such symbols instead of, for example, learning how to type, made them cool. Bizarrely, other people genuinely seem to have agreed with them. The horror, etc.
If you go to the right places (ie, those frequented by myself. Aha ha ha) you will find it used ironically. Pr0n refers to chatroom porn bots, or something.
I hope that was of no help at all. Rah!
no subject
Date: 2002-12-31 02:44 am (UTC)http://www.google.com/intl/xx-hacker/
@l$0, h3r3's @ v3ry 3nt3Rt@|ning $t0ry @b0ut h@c|{ing y0uR b0dy pub|i$h3d |n S@l0n m@gaz|n3.
http://www.salon.com/tech/feature/2002/08/28/0wnz0red/index.html
Although now I see I'm responding to an anonymous commenter who won't get an 3m@il n0+iFi(@tion so this is actually pointless!
no subject
Date: 2002-12-29 10:53 am (UTC)Looking at those other terms, I realise I don't know as much as fanfiction as I thought
"Mary Sue": author inserts herself in annoying and barely-disguised way into the story. (Usually gets Legolas to fall in love with her.)
PWP: Plot, What Plot?, a.k.a. Porn Without Plot
BDSM: Bondage, Domination, Sadism, Masochism
yaoi: a form of Japanese artwork (similar in appearance to anime) featuring beautiful young boys in love with each other
AU: Alternate Universe
MST: giving something the Mystery Science Theater treatment; that is, laying out a bad fanfiction and making smart-ass comments on it as you go (based on the TV show 'Mystery Science Theater 3000')
H/NC: Hurt/No Comfort. Particularly angsty fiction in which character gets injured or otherwise traumatized, and nobody makes it better for them. (In Hurt/Comfort fics, someone does come along and make it better...in ways you can easily imagine.)
OK, I have learned way too much about this lately.
You are *so* the next Cassie Claire. Congrats!
Hehe... Thank you, but I don't know; see, Cassie's smart--she's got hers going as a set of installments, so people can keep coming back for more. Mine was a one-shot deal, by definition. Ah well...
from a friend's friends list . .
Date: 2002-12-29 02:01 am (UTC)2) and i thought "pr0n" had something to do with bypassing filters. but i could be wrong. i generally am.
i need to stop posting random comments and go to bed.
Re: from a friend's friends list . .
Date: 2002-12-29 10:56 am (UTC)Re: from a friend's friends list . .
Date: 2002-12-29 11:44 pm (UTC)In my world of chatting and posting, the use of z's, 0's and other such devices is merely an inside joke that my group of friends (and apparently many many others) find terribly amusing....and I think that some of the stuff has just evolved from typos that go post unchecked (sometimes intentionally) and then someone likes it and sticks with it....we particularly like to use "teh" even in our verbal interactions. Yes we're geeks....
In addition to that which you've asked about, you may find liberal use of Engrish, Spanglish and bastardized German combined with the dude speak....it's all fun. We wouldn't be doing it if we were trying to get people to take us seriously. :) Hope there is some entertainment value for you as that is all it really is.....
no subject
Date: 2002-12-30 12:53 pm (UTC)Still, I don't quite get why the "0r" is there in the first place. I mean, people intend to say "sucks," not "sucks-or"...right? (What the heck would "sucks-or" mean?) So I guess my question is, where did the need for an "-or" come from, regardless of whether you use a zero or an "o"? Anyone?...
linguisticz
Date: 2002-12-30 08:43 pm (UTC)Re: linguisticz
Date: 2002-12-30 10:07 pm (UTC):D
no subject
Date: 2003-01-02 11:12 pm (UTC)http://www.livejournal.com/talkread.bml?journal=ladykalessia&itemid=31642
Apparantly the "0xr" or "x0r" is only appended on words with a "k" or "ck" sound at the end. Or at least, originally it was like that. I've personally seen instances of "h0mew0rx0r" and "buildx0r" so I think at this point it's considered "cute". :)
My 2c.
Date: 2002-12-29 06:52 am (UTC)Somehow, "other people" decided it made -them- look cool, back when looking like a hacker was cool, and it's been slowly spreading. Just like words like 'sweatdrop' are making their way out of the realms of anime watchers into the real world.
Re: My 2c.
Date: 2002-12-29 10:57 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2002-12-29 08:41 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2002-12-29 01:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2002-12-29 04:22 pm (UTC)Agree
Date: 2002-12-29 08:48 pm (UTC)I saw it in Buffy fandom as early as 98, and in general use around 99-2000.
Potter fandom didn't really take off until the movies came out.
I use it mostly in Star Trek (No bloody generation, voyager or what have you) as in Mirror!Spock, and Star Wars Trilogy (Action!Luke, Whiny!Broody!Luke, Sex!in!Boots!Han). One of the few who does in those fandoms.
It's far more common in Anime fandom, which is where I really acquired it (chat rooms are such a bad influence).
So unless you want the etymology of "Squick," I've said m'piece.
Re: Agree
Date: 2002-12-30 12:51 pm (UTC)Re: Agree
Date: 2002-12-30 08:00 pm (UTC)In about 1991, STella used the term on the alt.sex.bondage Usenet group. Many of us, myself included, pressed hir for a definition. STella was net.goddess of no small reputation in those days, located on the west coast. The term was in common use in the BDSM scene there, meaning something that hit all of one's buttons, trauma-triggers, etc, and made shouting the safeword automatic.
It came into common use by late 91 on the usenet. It made its way into common conversation by late 95-early 96 when my husband heard a student he was teaching (he was a substitute then) use it in class. And properly.
It means an act (usually sexual) that is so utterly repulsive on a gut-level that the bottom can't even entertain the notion without trauma.
Over time, it has been degraded into simply meaning "ewww!"
Re: Agree
Date: 2002-12-30 10:03 pm (UTC)I'll be sure to explain this to my linguistics students (I'm a T.A. this term). San Francisco isn't too far away, after all. :)
I can't say how it got into fandom, but
Date: 2002-12-31 08:26 am (UTC)You see, once upon a time, children, not all email addresses had an "at" (@) in them. Instead of user@foo.bar, you might see foo.bar!user (read "foo dot bar bang user")
I have a feeling that that's where the practice's root comes from.
Re: I can't say how it got into fandom, but
Date: 2002-12-31 10:34 am (UTC)I spent a bit of time trying to find early uses of this in fandom, but searching for punctuation marks online appears to be nearly impossible without a specific example. The earliest reference I could find in usenet/google groups was an "Action!Mulder" from Dec. 1997, and interestingly, in March 1996 an "Action! Mulder" with a space. No earlier examples of that kind of phrasing used the !, but I didn't search all that thoroughly, just Star Trek and X-Files references since that's what I'm familiar with.
I'm sure this is more than anyone else wanted to know but I was curious, anyway.
no subject
Date: 2003-01-04 11:19 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-01-05 02:11 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-01-11 09:14 pm (UTC)I first came across the (!) usage a long time ago, possibly back in 97-98, in the X-Files fandom and I've always assumed that it came from the names of dolls. Like, "Kung Fu! Scully". And it just grew from there.
And I don't know about the 1337 sp33|< question.. except that your parody r0x0r my s0x0r. :p
no subject
Date: 2003-01-12 03:02 pm (UTC)The (!) usage does seem very action-figure. A connection is certainly believable there. It then becomes amusing when people use it for not-very-active descriptions, such as Unconscious!Frodo.