PWNS!

Okay I am not going to (try) not to post any more of my sob stories from now on. Today's post will be about a word that has become near and dear to many of the game-crazed teenagers of the 21st century.

The word is:

PWNED

(pronounced poh-w-n. It's like owned with a 'p')


Meaning: Being successfully able to conquer/dominate your opponent. (or something like that)

Example sentence: That team totally pwned us.

I was watching Nigahiga's video on this particular subject and I started wondering, "Hmm... How the heck did this word come about?"

So I googled it.

According to urbandictionary.com;

1. The origins of "pwned" are debated but there are two possible sources:
a. A prominent quake player mis spelled "owned" and the new word "pwned" was adopted by people who thought it was "1337".
b. A warcraft map designer misspelled "owned" and thus people started using "pwned" instead.

Other definitions from the one I have given above are as follows:
In video games:
1. Completely annihilated or dominated.
2. Perfectly owned, meaning the other player did not do any damage.

Example sentence :

I pwned your head with my awp.

OR

I just pwned your ass noob!

Personally, I don't think it originated from a prominent quake player or a warcraft designer.

I think it's just a typo that hyper-excited players make when they are bragging about their kills or victories or whatever you call it.

Take the urbandictionary.com sentences for example.

"I pwned your head with my awp."

The player who must typed this must have just secured a victory or some sort.

God knows what an 'awp' is, but clearly he's happy about something.

So in all his excitement, he must have just accidentally pressed the 'p' button on the keyboard instead of the 'o'.

(The 'p' and 'o' buttons are right next to each other if you hadn't noticed.)

Trust me, I know how excited these people can get. (My brother is one of them).

Typos are nothing compared to their "humiliation" victory or whatever that is you call it in Counterstrike.

So, multiply this case of adrenaline-crazed gamers who type abbreviated, typo-filled messages to their victims by a billion times and what do we have?

A new word !

Hence, PWNED was born!

For more information (and for your viewing pleasure) here is Nigahiga's video on the word 'Pwn'.

So, gamers, start incorporating the word PWNED into your virtual vocabulary and you will see how nicely it can insult your opponents.


Peace! =D