etymology of "noob"

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Aldryami - Sanctuary
Aldryami - Sanctuary Posts: 322 Arc User
edited February 2010 in Off-Topic Discussion
Hi my perfect world sweety pies.

Can u help me? plz!?

For my English degree I'm doing research into the etymology/morphology/etc of the word "noob" (n00b).

If anyone has any info or personal ideas/thoughts about this word I would be gratzilicious.

Also if anyone can point me in the direction of any (preferably academic) studies of this word, or of leetspeech in general, I would buzz happily like a bee.

ty my dear un-n00bz

b:kiss
Post edited by Aldryami - Sanctuary on

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  • Elenacostel - Heavens Tear
    Elenacostel - Heavens Tear Posts: 2,822 Arc User
    edited February 2010
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    My working theory is as follows:

    New Beginner
    New Be or Newbie (pronounced New Bee)
    NewBe (pronounced noob)
    Noob
    n00b

    On a related note, next time someone says "lol n00b", they are actually saying, "Laughing out loud, New Beginner."
  • xtremestr
    xtremestr Posts: 5 Arc User
    edited February 2010
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    I will try make this longer I guess?

    "[1]What is NOOB?
    NOOB is "New, inexperienced person"

    NOOB Definition / NOOB Means
    The definition of NOOB is "New, inexperienced person"

    The Meaning of NOOB
    NOOB means "New, inexperienced person"[/1]

    [2]Newbie is a slang term for a newcomer to an Internet activity, for example online gaming. It can also be used to indicate an individual inexperienced in any other activity. It can have derogatory connotations, but is also often used for descriptive purposes only, without a value judgment.[/2]

    [3]very common; orig. from British public-school and military slang variant of

    [4][/4]



    Sources:
    [1] http://www.internetslang.com/NOOB.asp
    [2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newbie
    [3] http://catb.org/jargon/html/N/newbie.html
    [4] http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070707162528AAivHgd

    Note:number 4 I did not write because there are alot of opinions.

    DISCLAIMER: I did NOT write any thing of those,credits go to whoever wrote them

    Piece of advise:use google,to make your own unique you can gather a sentence from each source =P
  • Aldryami - Sanctuary
    Aldryami - Sanctuary Posts: 322 Arc User
    edited February 2010
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    Thanks to both of you b:pleased

    yea I use google too but I'm exploring lots of avenues b:chuckle
  • Shinzaio - Raging Tide
    Shinzaio - Raging Tide Posts: 10 Arc User
    edited February 2010
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    If someone calls you a newb/noob/n00b it means New Beginner like Elena stated. Second, If your really good at the game and played for like a year and someone says "Newb!" Their technically saying..

    "You suck you loser!" Get it? Oh how I hate the word newb..
  • Tapion_ - Dreamweaver
    Tapion_ - Dreamweaver Posts: 388 Arc User
    edited February 2010
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    Are noob and nub related? They sound alike so I always wondered.


    And I was told newb is someone who is new and doesn't know what he/she is doing, while noob means someone who has been playing awhile and still doesn't know what he/she is doing.
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • MoonUsagi - Heavens Tear
    MoonUsagi - Heavens Tear Posts: 4,377 Arc User
    edited February 2010
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    Noob slightly changed to " failed loser " which makes people easily agry, and i think nub is the same with noob.
    Nub is like if you should be capable to do doing something but dunno how to do it
    While newbie mean someone who still new and dunno what to do.
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    Sorry i speak engrish b:chuckle
    Nickname doesn't have anything to do with sailor but related to a folklore
    Use search, it was your best friends to avoid many suffering in internet...
  • StormHydra - Sanctuary
    StormHydra - Sanctuary Posts: 2,221 Arc User
    edited February 2010
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    b:shocked

    seriously? Youre studying n00b for english? Wtf...

    Yeah, theres a difference between noob and newb. noob is more of an insult. Newb means newbie.

    If someone calls you a newb, dont take it as an insult. If someone calls you noob...Depends. Cuz some people use both of them even if they are calling you a person whos new to the game which isnt an insult at all.
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
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  • Aldryami - Sanctuary
    Aldryami - Sanctuary Posts: 322 Arc User
    edited February 2010
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    Thankyou for your input everyone!

    b:pleased

    To storm Hydra. The slang of today makes it into the dictionaries of tomorrow. So we are studying concepts around how words originate, develop and become part of a common lexicon. I chose to study a word that was part of the online gamer sociolect cuz I think gamers, being cleverer than most peeps (^^) come up with expressive words. Anyway its just a very short piece and I'm finished it now. I actually quoted PW worldchat in it b:chuckle
  • Qilin - Raging Tide
    Qilin - Raging Tide Posts: 12 Arc User
    edited February 2010
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    Haha, now I kind of want to read it. There are some amazing WC moments that deserve immortalizing.
  • ClericNico - Dreamweaver
    ClericNico - Dreamweaver Posts: 83 Arc User
    edited February 2010
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    You should post it up here for those of us you got interested.
    Sometimes, when I'm bored, I blow myself up. b:victory

    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

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    The cleric formerly known as the veno known as Sheeeba. b:chuckle
  • Aldryami - Sanctuary
    Aldryami - Sanctuary Posts: 322 Arc User
    edited February 2010
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    Here's the little article. There are a few mistakes in this version: b:chuckle (by the way I changed the names of the people in the chat transcript):



    The word 'noob' has not yet been included in the Oxford English Dictionary. It is such a new word that it is difficult to find any academic reference to it and, consequently, an investigation into it relies over much on anecdotal sources.

    I became aware of the typed word 'noob' several years ago among communities of people involved with Massively Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Games (MMORG's) where an elaborate slang called Leetspeak has developed. More recently I have noticed the word's emergence in non gaming online communities and also as a spoken word.

    'Noob' is a noun that refers to a person, in a derogatory manner, who displays inexperience in an activity. To show the use of this word contextually, I logged into a popular MMORPG called Perfect World and transcribed the following elucidating debate from the common chat channel:



    ManaAngel: let it be known that Sweetfox steals Twilight Temple treasures

    BarbDude: ManaAngel sucks ****

    ManaAngel: I'm jus tryin to warn peeps against a thief is all

    Sweetfox: STFU GTFO U NOOB. I not a thief so stfu u noob

    ManaAngel: only a noob calls sum1 a noob you noob

    BarbDude: ManaAngel sucks ****

    ManaAngel: stfu Barb u griefer

    Sweetfox: let it be knowd that Manaangel PHAILS LIKE A NOOB

    BarbDude: LMFAO

    ArcaneKnight: will u guys shut it up on world chat. gtfo



    The word 'noob' has a fascinating etymology. The Dictionary of Slang asserts that it originates from the word 'newbie' which shares a similair meaning to 'noob' without the derogatory connotation. The Oxford Dictionary of Modern Slang traces the origins of the word newbie to use by military personnel in describing a beginner to an activity. It is unclear whether the online gaming communities borrowed the term from military personnel or whether it was conceived independently.

    Morphologically, 'noob' is composed of two morphemes. The free morpheme 'new' is an adjective that is turned into a noun by the suffixed bound morpheme '-bie'. In many instances 'newbie' is shortened to 'newb'. Unlike the shortening of words in spoken language, that sometimes results from the dropping of a schwa syllable at the end of a word (Leith, 2007, p.61), this shortening is likely to have occurred to facilitate ease of typing during gaming sessions. Streamlining of words in such a manner is a well known phenomena in Leetspeak slang. It was a small step for 'newb' to become 'noob' since the 'oo' further streamlines the typing process. There is no extant information on how this new form of the word underwent semantic broadening (Gillen, 2009, p.13) to accrue its derogatory tone. Perhaps a morphological hybridisation occurred between the words 'newbie' and 'nob' to produce a word that bears both meanings, but this is pure conjecture on my part.

    Having gestated in this way among gamers, the word found its way into spoken language, especially among young or computer savvy people. I conducted a phone survey of two families to get an idea of the prevalence of the word among different groups. To the question, 'what does 'noob' mean?' they responded:





    Family One (not computer savvy)



    Dad(39): heard of it. Don't know what it means.

    Mum(44): never heard of it.

    Son(11): It means they're stupid or something.

    Son (9): Not sure. I think its bad though.



    Family Two (computer savvy)



    Dad(42): A beginner and an idiot.

    Mum(38): Someone who's new isn't it?

    Daughter(17): Ha they're all noobs. (here the word seemed to be used with familiarity)

    Daughter(12): They're stupid. Its not nice to say it though.



    One possible cause of the word's spread into spoken English, other than the fact that there are millions of MMORPG users, could be its representation in popular culture. For example a popular episode of South Park (4 October, 2006), had the characters using the word 'noob', and other Leetspeak words, before an audience of 3.8 million people on its first showing (Wikipedia).



    (646 words)



    References



    Leith, D. (2007) 'The origins of English' in Graddol, D., Leith, D., Swann, J., Rhys, M. and Gillen, J. (eds) Changing English, London, Routledge/The Open University, pp. 39-73



    Oxford English Dictionary online at http://oxfordreference.com/views/GLOBAL.html (Accessed 19 February 2010).



    Gillen, J. (2009) 'Towards The Meanings of Words' in Gillen, J., Rhys, M. U211: Resource and Reference Materials, United Kingdom, The Open University.



    Perfect World Game Client, downloaded at http://www.perfectworld.com/



    Oxford Dictionary of Modern Slang online at http://oxfordreference.com/views/GLOBAL.html (Accessed 19 February 2010)



    Parker, T., Stone, M., (2006) South Park Season 10, Episode 8, Make Love Not (forbidden game reference hereb:chuckle), USA, Comedy Central



    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Make_Love,_Not_(forbidden game reference hereb:chuckle), Reference 14
  • Noob - Raging Tide
    Noob - Raging Tide Posts: 771 Arc User
    edited February 2010
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    b:shocked So many peoples talking bout me b:cute
    I think Noob use to be used to describe a beginner nowadays it is more used as an insult. Ex. OMFGGG U ^#$%^$#% NOOOOB ^$%^$#%^$ YOU b:shutup
    :D
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • Aldryami - Sanctuary
    Aldryami - Sanctuary Posts: 322 Arc User
    edited February 2010
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    Noob!!!!

    I'm so glad you turned up! I have been thinking about you soooo much! b:chuckle
  • Eritheia - Lost City
    Eritheia - Lost City Posts: 101 Arc User
    edited February 2010
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    Aldryami - Sanctuary wrote: »
    Noob!!!!

    I'm so glad you turned up! I have been thinking about you soooo much! b:chuckle

    WIN b:laugh
  • Nowitsawn - Heavens Tear
    Nowitsawn - Heavens Tear Posts: 4,864 Arc User
    edited February 2010
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    You might also want to add that excessive use of the word ''noob'' can cause your brain to melt from sheer retardation.
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

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