# Hacker speak **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 2, 2001, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hacker-speak/91212 "2001-11-02T22:52:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dilbert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/58f4c7/32.png) [@Dilbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dilbert)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hacker-speak/91212/1 "2001-11-02T22:52:40Z")
This quote came from another forum: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=96244](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=96244) Who knows this may be a heated debate that I’m unaware of, but for now I think it fits as a general question. Mods feel free to move it if I posted to the wrong forum. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sapphire Bullet \* > \*\*Sue- > > 5u\>\<\>\<0r is hacker speak - suxxor > > basically means “sucks” > 🙂 \*\* Can anyone explain the point of this style of typing to me? For the life of me, I don’t understand what most of it means, nor why anyone would want to type this way. I want to understand, really I do. This is something that I seem to be out of the loop on though. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hacker-speak/91212/2 "2001-11-02T22:58:49Z")
It’s just a kewl way to talk to your 1337 hax0r d00ds on IRC channels and message boards. A cryptic language for the “in” crowd of geeks who used to be the “out” crowd, but now rule on the 'net. By the way, 5 = s, 7 = T, 3 = E, 1 = L or I… ---
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hacker-speak/91212/3 "2001-11-02T23:05:10Z")
There’s probably two main reasons for this sort of typing, often referred to as 1337, or 133+, or something similar, which signifies ‘leet’ (from [e]lite). Part of it, if not most of it, is reflected in that word – the idea that those who speak it can use it as a code and exclude anyone who doesn’t know. The only semi-legitimate reason is that it is used to block searches from finding them as easily – since some of them engage in illegal activities, they’ll use this code to prevent themselves from being found easily. Although this isn’t unique to illegal activity or 'leet speak – I’ve seen a web page with historical information on Germany which resorted to spelling Nazi as N\*zi to prevent mass hate-mailings and neo-Nazis in search of a home. ---
**Author:** ![Race\_Bannon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Race\_Bannon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Race_Bannon)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hacker-speak/91212/4 "2001-11-02T23:22:42Z")
[Here is a link to some jargon](http://www.tuxedo.org/~esr/jargon/html/Lamer-speak.html) that might explain it a little. I can’t claim to be a part of any of this lingo, but it’s interesting. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2001, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hacker-speak/91212/5 "2001-11-03T00:31:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ZipperJJ \* > A cryptic language for the “in” crowd of geeks who used to be the “out” crowd, but now rule on the 'net. The people who “rule on the 'net” (i.e. make it work) do not speak this way. Except sometimes sarcastically, when making fun of those that do. This behaviour is associated with various neanderthals called lamers, crackers, script kiddies, or idiots, depending on the day of the month and the alignment of the planets. ---
**Author:** ![Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speaker_for_the_Dead)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2001, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hacker-speak/91212/6 "2001-11-03T03:00:38Z")
Okay, how does 5u\>\<\>\<0r (Suxxor) get ‘sucks’? I can gather the x = k thing, but what about the ‘or’ part? ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2001, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hacker-speak/91212/7 "2001-11-03T03:15:38Z")
The etymology of this comes from the word “hacker,” which in idiot-speak became “h4x0r” (or anyone of a million variations) and thus led to anything ending with a “k” sound to adopt the “x0r/xor” ending. XOR is also an abbreviation for a logical-exclusive-Or. ---
**Author:** ![Church\_Key\_Kid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Church\_Key\_Kid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Church_Key_Kid)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2001, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hacker-speak/91212/8 "2001-11-03T05:30:23Z")
As a psuedo-geek, I think I can try to comment on this… The only real reason people type like this is just because they think its fun. We do it just to make life not seem so boring. For example, if we sent an email that started off with “Dude!” it would sound kinda boring. But if we spelled it “Dood! (or d00d!)” then it lends a bit more emotion. Also, you can express emotion or enthusiasm by modifying words that end in an “-er” sound: Hax0r Sux0r Rox0r Fux0r Essentially, the emotion expressed by saying “d00d! that sux0rs!” basically means, “dude! that fucking sucks!!” Here’s an interesting sentence seen in a Think Geek ad: 1337 HaX0r5 g07 j00 d0wn? (Leet (or Elite) Hackers got you down?) j00 is pronounced zhoo by the way… ---
**Author:** ![Solomon7t](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Solomon7t](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Solomon7t)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2001, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hacker-speak/91212/9 "2001-11-03T08:59:05Z")
h4x0r 533p r0x0rs w00t! (sorry, after using a computer for so long this actually looks cool to me) 😕 ---
**Author:** ![deltopia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@deltopia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deltopia)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2001, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hacker-speak/91212/10 "2001-11-03T13:19:36Z")
It’s just a toy, but at [http://ryanross.net/leet/](http://ryanross.net/leet/) there is a tiny program you can download which automatically translates Standard English to leetspeek. It’s pointless, but kinda cute. I think most people who have been online any length of time (to include crackers and other stereotypical leetspeekers) for the most part just use it as a joke nowadays, if they use it at all. Most of the use of it I’ve seen has been very tongue-in-cheek.) (Or, if you will: mO5T 0PH tH3 Us3 Of 1T 1’Ve 5eeN h45 bE3n V3Ry +0nGue-IN-cHEeK.) Dang… the url above doesn’t seem to be working now, maybe he was haxxored? At any rate, there’s a copy at [http://www.cscentral.com/features/l33t/l33t\_v12.zip](http://www.cscentral.com/features/l33t/l33t_v12.zip) at well, if you simply must try it. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2001, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hacker-speak/91212/11 "2001-11-03T20:03:37Z")
I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve heard the “leet speek defeats searches” argument… The fact of the matter is, any hacker (by which I mean “hacker”, not “cracker” or “leet”) can easily search for such variations, with a line and a half of code… And at the time that this idiocy started, _anyone_ who would have been doing such a search would be sufficiently skilled to do so. ---
**Author:** ![Church\_Key\_Kid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Church\_Key\_Kid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Church_Key_Kid)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2001, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hacker-speak/91212/12 "2001-11-03T20:07:17Z")
Also, I don’t think search engines have anything to do with the origin of leetspeak. That form of techno-dialect has been going on for 15 years or more, on BBS’s. One of the, if not THE, first word written that way in cyberspace was “warez”, as in “Wares”. From there, it lead to Filez and Gamez and Appz and Crackz and eventually the term “Elite” came around, which eventually became “Leet”, then 1337. ---
**Author:** ![Roger\_the\_Shrubber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@Roger\_the\_Shrubber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roger_the_Shrubber)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2001, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hacker-speak/91212/13 "2001-11-03T20:18:45Z")
_BANG HEAD HERE_ I cannot believe that this thread is not filled with objections to ‘hacker=|-|4\>\<0R’! I won’t even try. Just link. [http://tuxedo.org/jargon/](http://tuxedo.org/jargon/) ---
**Author:** ![micco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f8ce5/32.png) [@micco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/micco)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2001, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hacker-speak/91212/14 "2001-11-03T20:26:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Roger the Shrubber \* > \*\*_BANG HEAD HERE_ > > I cannot believe that this thread is not filled with objections to ‘hacker=|-|4\>\<0R’! > > I won’t even try. Just link. [http://tuxedo.org/jargon/](http://tuxedo.org/jargon/) \*\* I was going to chime in, but I think **friedo** handled it perfectly well. Those who are capable of getting it will get it from his post. Those who aren’t will never get it, no matter how many of us say it. The media has shown us that in their inability to understand hacker!=cracker. ---
**Author:** ![Janx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Janx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Janx)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2001, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hacker-speak/91212/15 "2001-11-03T20:59:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by deltopia \* > \*\*It’s just a toy, but at [http://ryanross.net/leet/](http://ryanross.net/leet/) there is a tiny program you can download which automatically translates Standard English to leetspeek. It’s pointless, but kinda cute. > > I think most people who have been online any length of time (to include crackers and other stereotypical leetspeekers) for the most part just use it as a joke nowadays, if they use it at all. Most of the use of it I’ve seen has been very tongue-in-cheek.) > \*\* INDEED! My geek cousin thinks he’s one of these guys, next time im “posing” on one of the “LEET” b0rDz im going to use this program! it works Ho, +H4T5 ju5+ too D4mB PhuNNY! (Ho, thats just TOO damb funy! Spanx! Janx! ---
**Author:** ![Janx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Janx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Janx)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2001, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hacker-speak/91212/16 "2001-11-03T21:06:33Z")
ilL JU$T pO$t +hI5 aND 5E3 hOWM4Ny OPH j00 +h1Nk 1+5 $0 5TUPID 4s t0 nOt W@Rr3NT @ R35Pon$3 Now how come this thing wont translate “geek speek” to english, and by the way - does bill gates know about this program? 'scuse me while I whip out a “leet” letter to gods own geek… Ta Tah Janx! ---
**Author:** ![Frank\_O.Pinion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/839c29/32.png) [@Frank\_O.Pinion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank_O.Pinion)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2001, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hacker-speak/91212/17 "2001-11-04T02:18:05Z")
So this is sort of a dweeb’s version of all that 70’s CB talk? ---
**Author:** ![SoulFrost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f07891/32.png) [@SoulFrost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SoulFrost)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2001, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hacker-speak/91212/18 "2001-11-04T02:28:54Z")
7h4Zz @ |316 10-4, 60oD |3uDd¥ -David ---
**Author:** ![SoulFrost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f07891/32.png) [@SoulFrost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SoulFrost)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2001, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hacker-speak/91212/19 "2001-11-04T02:36:51Z")
I gotta quit posting to these threads–I was actually looking for a capital 6 there for a second… -David ---
**Author:** ![Janx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Janx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Janx)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2001, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hacker-speak/91212/20 "2001-11-04T02:37:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SoulFrost \* > \*\*7h4Zz @ |316 10-4, 60oD |3uDd¥ > \*\* bRE@K3r - 8RE4KeR 19, +Hi5 H3RE I5 ThE J4Nx aND Im @bOuT to PuT Teh H4MMer d0WN! Could be worse, remember disco wasnt the only weird thing we did back then… Manx! Janx. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hacker-speak/91212.md?page=2)