# Why teh? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 26, 2008, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-teh/454327 "2008-06-26T16:40:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2008, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-teh/454327/41 "2008-06-27T21:54:19Z")
[QUOTE=The Controvert] Why nto? If used enough, alternate spellings becomes legitimate spellings. So, if clear communication is not compromised, why not accept alternate spellings? If “colour” is okay, why not “reciept” or “tounge”? [/QUOTE] Because often, that kind of “alternate spelling” is already another word? Just read the official Dungeons & Dragons boards to discover all those people talking about their 5th-level _rouges_ :smack: ---
**Author:** ![WormTheRed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bbe5ce/32.png) [@WormTheRed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WormTheRed)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2008, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-teh/454327/42 "2008-06-27T22:49:45Z")
[QUOTE=Don’t Call Me Shirley] How did suxors originate? And what is 1337? [/QUOTE] Haven’t got a clue on where it originates from. But as previously mentioned, it could be hackers = haxors and from there sucks = suxors But 1337 = leet = leet speek. (my spelling in and knowledge of leet is pretty bad though, have to check with my little brother to confirm where leet comes from) ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2008, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-teh/454327/43 "2008-06-27T23:02:03Z")
[QUOTE=Tahssa] You are behind the times my friend. It has evolved to: OMGWTFBBQ!!!111oneoneone. 😛 [/QUOTE] I now put stuff like: Whoo hoo!!!111twentyfive. ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2008, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-teh/454327/44 "2008-06-27T23:11:00Z")
[QUOTE=WormTheRed] Haven’t got a clue on where it originates from. But as previously mentioned, it could be hackers = haxors and from there sucks = suxors But 1337 = leet = leet speek. (my spelling in and knowledge of leet is pretty bad though, have to check with my little brother to confirm where leet comes from) [/QUOTE] Also: “I got sum new l33t gear! Check it out…” ---
**Author:** ![Critical1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Critical1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical1)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2008, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-teh/454327/45 "2008-06-28T01:10:11Z")
[QUOTE=WormTheRed] But 1337 = leet = leet speek. (my spelling in and knowledge of leet is pretty bad though, have to check with my little brother to confirm where leet comes from) [/QUOTE] leet = Elite, as in uber, the best, totally kicking ass ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2008, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-teh/454327/46 "2008-06-28T01:53:46Z")
Just the other day I was reading about the grammar of the Sundanese language which is spoken in western Java. It has the second biggest number of native speakers in Indonesia, after Javanese. I learned one of the coolest linguistic-geek factoids ever: _Teh_ is the Sundanese definite article. I am not making this up. If I had a rock band in Bandung, I would name it Teh The. In Malay _teh_ means tea and every time I see a thread on this it makes me want to go get a cup of _teh._ ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2008, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-teh/454327/47 "2008-06-28T02:04:23Z")
[QUOTE=WormTheRed] Haven’t got a clue on where it originates from. But as previously mentioned, it could be hackers = haxors and from there sucks = suxors [/QUOTE] Yep…and what rocks r0x0rz, and chicks are chyx0rz. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2008, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-teh/454327/48 "2008-06-28T04:02:04Z")
Has anyone else noticed that on messageboards that “teh” is used often in conjunction with “gay”, or likely “ghey”? As in “This thread is teh ghey”. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2008, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-teh/454327/49 "2008-06-28T04:14:54Z")
“Receipt” is spelled that way because of THE POEM. And “their” because of the second half of the poem. Doesn’t anybody read poetry anymore? :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Ignatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3be4f8/32.png) [@Ignatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignatz)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2008, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-teh/454327/50 "2008-06-28T14:22:12Z")
[QUOTE=Rhubarb] Now that you understand, buy [teh shirt](http://www.questionablecontent.net/merch.php) and spread teh word. (Scroll to bottom of page) [/QUOTE] Me wants one that says IT’S ITS! But it begs to have teh added T. ---
**Author:** ![NineToTheSky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@NineToTheSky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NineToTheSky)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2008, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-teh/454327/51 "2008-06-28T14:35:27Z")
[QUOTE=dropzone] “Receipt” is spelled that way because of THE POEM. And “their” because of the second half of the poem. Doesn’t anybody read poetry anymore? :mad: [/QUOTE] Oh dear - I hoped someone else would confess their ignorance before me. OK - what is THE POEM? ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2008, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-teh/454327/52 "2008-06-28T14:45:35Z")
[QUOTE=NineToTheSky] Oh dear - I hoped someone else would confess their ignorance before me. OK - what is THE POEM? [/QUOTE] _I before E Except after C Or sounded as “AY” As in NEIGHBOR and WEIGH_ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-teh/454327.md?page=2)