L33t is neat:
The world has gone computerized with a new lingo
Katherine Pigaga
Language, though seemingly
simple, is always something that needs the chance for a second look. With
hundreds of dialects, colloquial phrases and enough homophones to plague even
the most innocent bystander, English could quickly become a trying factor in
life, if it I wasn’t learned from the cradle on up.
For instance, take l33t. If
you think you haven’t ever encountered it, you’re probably sadly mistaken. L33t,
pronounced “LEET", is also known as AOL lingo or netspeak. This relatively
new speech pattern has become increasingly popular with the rise in use of
computers, specifically the friend we all know and love, the Internet.
Sneaking into on-line
conversations on message boards and forums as early as 1989, l33t, takes on a
form of language seen in every culture; the abbreviation of speech. Much like
the vowel points of Hebrew or the contractions we ourselves use, shortening
speech is nothing new. Just like other speech shorteners, l33t has also begun
to be included in spoken language also.
So now, the next time you’re
typing away the instant message of a lifetime, notice how many ‘LOL”’s, “j/k”’s
or “omg”’s you employ in your typed speech, or even count the times you hear
these same phrases said aloud. You may be surprised that you yourself have
become a supporter of the fastest growing language dialect.