# How do you read 'pwned?' **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 1, 2007, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-read-pwned/414017 "2007-08-01T18:37:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Hockey\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2007, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-read-pwned/414017/21 "2007-08-01T20:13:20Z")
I had to look this up on [Urban Dictionary](http://http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=pwned) to even know what you guys were talking about. Consider my ignorance fought. Or added to. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Dragonblink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Dragonblink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragonblink)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2007, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-read-pwned/414017/22 "2007-08-01T20:14:04Z")
Another vote for “poned”, and I do use it in spoken conversation. As for it “not being the correct word” … shockingly, slang words are constantly appearing and gaining popularity, regardless of who frowns upon them. Doesn’t that just make your monocle fall into your tea? Pwned has a meaning similar to the gaming slang use of “owned”, from which it sprouted. It’s a very useful word. I suppose I’m just illiterate, though. My PhD advisor will be so disappointed in me. ---
**Author:** ![Jayn\_Newell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jayn\_Newell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayn_Newell)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2007, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-read-pwned/414017/23 "2007-08-01T20:21:47Z")
[QUOTE=Yag Rannavach] Every dictionary should have an entry for roflcopter. [/QUOTE] Right above roflmao. [sub]Do dooo do do do…[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d9b06d/32.png) [@Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boozahol_Squid_P.I)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2007, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-read-pwned/414017/24 "2007-08-01T20:24:34Z")
Another notch on the “rhymes with owned” stump. My monocle stays firmly in place when I see pwned being used on the internet, and even when it’s being used in real life. However, the tendency for verbs like “google” making their way into the dictionary does make me fear for the day when teh interwebs words will pwn all teh unl33t ones. Or, worse, be usable in Scrabble. ---
**Author:** ![BlinkingDuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eada6e/32.png) [@BlinkingDuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlinkingDuck)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2007, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-read-pwned/414017/25 "2007-08-01T20:29:42Z")
I was told in no uncertain terms by a whippersnapper that is pronounced ‘owned’. No uncertain terms…very opinionated and sure of himself whippersnapper he was… ---
**Author:** ![thirdname](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@thirdname](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdname)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2007, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-read-pwned/414017/26 "2007-08-01T20:39:34Z")
It comes from a mis-typing of “owned,” as in “I own your ass.” Usually it either means “I beat you,” or “someone got hurt and I think it’s funny.” ---
**Author:** ![John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Carter_of_Mars)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2007, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-read-pwned/414017/27 "2007-08-02T02:01:23Z")
[QUOTE=Dragonblink] \ Pwned has a meaning similar to the gaming slang use of “owned”, from which it sprouted. It’s a very useful word. [/QUOTE] How is it useful? “Owned” works perfectly well. “Pwned” seems to be gibberish to me. Care to defend your statement that it’s useful? ---
**Author:** ![feppytweed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/feppytweed/32/4280_2.png) [@feppytweed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/feppytweed)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2007, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-read-pwned/414017/28 "2007-08-02T02:21:51Z")
[QUOTE=John Carter of Mars] How is it useful? “Owned” works perfectly well. “Pwned” seems to be gibberish to me. Care to defend your statement that it’s useful? [/QUOTE] Just an internet meme spawned off of a misspelling. Like Gotcha Ya and Og here on the Dope. ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2007, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-read-pwned/414017/29 "2007-08-02T02:22:42Z")
[QUOTE=John Carter of Mars] How is it useful? “Owned” works perfectly well. “Pwned” seems to be gibberish to me. Care to defend your statement that it’s useful? [/QUOTE] It’s not “Pwned”, it’s “pwned”…it’s “owned”, with blood dripping down off the o. If you capitalize it, it doesn’t work. It means “I just beat (owned) you so badly that you’re a bloody pulp.” You do pronounce the p, however, so i’ts “powned” ---
**Author:** ![Shamozzle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shamozzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shamozzle)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2007, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-read-pwned/414017/30 "2007-08-02T02:22:48Z")
[QUOTE=John Carter of Mars] How is it useful? “Owned” works perfectly well. “Pwned” seems to be gibberish to me. Care to defend your statement that it’s useful? [/QUOTE] I’d say the fact that it is used is poof positive that it is, in fact, useful. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2007, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-read-pwned/414017/31 "2007-08-02T02:32:14Z")
I never though of it any other way than “pawned”. I thought it was some weird chess reference but too esoteric and idiotic to actually look up the origin. ---
**Author:** ![dysonsphere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dysonsphere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dysonsphere)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2007, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-read-pwned/414017/32 "2007-08-02T02:33:45Z")
Pawned at first, then powned. ---
**Author:** ![aclubs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e68b1a/32.png) [@aclubs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aclubs)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2007, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-read-pwned/414017/33 "2007-08-02T02:38:33Z")
Maybe I’m wierd, but I pronounce it rhyming with “phoned,” but with a glottal stop before the ‘O’ sound. P’owned. ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2007, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-read-pwned/414017/34 "2007-08-02T02:46:09Z")
I always thought the p was silent (like in psychology), and imagined it sounded like “owned,” but with the inflection you would use if you were saying “owned … DUDE.” I see I have failed the internet yet again. ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2007, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-read-pwned/414017/35 "2007-08-02T02:58:39Z")
My younger cousins pronounce it as “powned.” It’s their favorite word. ---
**Author:** ![Shamozzle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shamozzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shamozzle)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2007, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-read-pwned/414017/36 "2007-08-02T03:02:47Z")
It’s “pwned”, rhymes with “phoned” or “owned”, as stated. Phonetically: “poaned” Superseded by “wtfpwned”, a truly glorious word. ---
**Author:** ![Risha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5fc32e/32.png) [@Risha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Risha)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2007, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-read-pwned/414017/37 "2007-08-02T03:38:31Z")
I’m aware of the derivation, but it still comes out as “pawned” in my head. I find “powned” too hard to pronounce. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Carter_of_Mars)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2007, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-read-pwned/414017/38 "2007-08-02T04:12:52Z")
[QUOTE=Shamozzle] I’d say the fact that it is used is poof positive that it is, in fact, useful. [/QUOTE] If I ever use it again(doubtful), maybe I’ll come around. In the meantime, I don’t like to see it in print. It seems like one more thing that’s mis-spelled or just plain _WRONG_. ---
**Author:** ![Lisa-go-Blind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Lisa-go-Blind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lisa-go-Blind)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2007, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-read-pwned/414017/39 "2007-08-02T04:56:01Z")
It’s definitely “owned” with a “p” at the front –\> “powned” [QUOTE=Yag Rannavach] Every dictionary should have an entry for roflcopter. [/QUOTE] Don’t forget LOLerskates! ---
**Author:** ![This\_ll\_Do](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/this_ll_do/32/3023_2.png) [@This\_ll\_Do](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/This_ll_Do)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2007, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-read-pwned/414017/40 "2007-08-02T10:15:55Z")
I’ll fess up: you are not alone, **Earl Snake-Hips Tucker**. I, too, hear it in my head as “pooned.” I don’t know why; that’s just how it struck me early on before I bothered to look up the origin. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-read-pwned/414017.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-read-pwned/414017.md?page=3)