I say it like “p’ned!” because I’m trying to draw attention to how unhip I am.
[QUOTE=MrSquishy]
I recently heard that the first instance of “pwned” was a typo in a dialog box in the original PC version of Warcraft (1994).
Does anybody have any idea if there is any truth to this? Does anybody remember seeing it, or have a copy they can fire up on an old machine and see if it’s true?
[/QUOTE]
We had a discussion about that just a while ago.
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=459463&highlight=warcraft+pwned
I invariably read it as “pawned!” as in your target has been reduced in rank and status, so to speak.
[QUOTE=Santo Rugger]
And this whole time I thought it was short for pawned, as in, the chess piece.
[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=John DiFool]
I invariably read it as “pawned!” as in your target has been reduced in rank and status, so to speak.
[/QUOTE]
Right, which is why it’s still around and didn’t die like 99% o the other stuff. “Owned!” and “Pawned!” are close enough so it can be figured out from context, etc.
[QUOTE=bordelond]
“Owned”, in turn, comes from such expressions as “The Yankees owned the Red Sox for decades” – “owned” meaning “bested” or “dominated”, expecially in competitive contexts. The meaning of “owned/pwned” has diffused a bit over the last decade or so … it can mean that someone got over on someone else in a mild way: “Owned! They got the last cup of coffee. Now you have to make the next pot..”
[/QUOTE]
hmmm - I get the sense in “Yankees owned the Red Sox” - doubt that I would have used it, but I think I’ve heard it.
But this one I’ve never heard of: “Owned! They got the last cup of coffee. Now you have to make the next pot.”.
No wonder I’m puzzled by it all.
Thanks for the replies, all.