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#REDIRECT [[Leet#Owned and pwned]]
{{Redirect|PWN}}
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[[Image:Pwned_counterstrike.png|thumb|A player is "'''pwned'''" in a game of ''[[Counter-Strike]]''. That player is not visible due to being moved elsewhere after losing.]]
The verb '''''to pwn''''' (past tense: ''pwned'', ''pwnd'', ''pwn'd'', ''pwnt'', ''pooned'') as used by the [[Internet]] [[video game|gaming]] [[subculture]], means to beat or dominate an opponent. While it probably originated as a [[typographical error|typing error]] of the word ''own'', it is now used intentionally by many members of the subculture. The term has become so ubiquitous in Internet circles that it is often used outside of gaming contexts; for example, "He just got pwned in that debate" or "The hunters pwned that bear."
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==Etymology==
{{R from merge}}
The most widely held theory is that ''pwn'' originated from a typo in [[first-person shooter]] games, the common mistake occurred from a hand position. The user, using his mouse right-handedly, would hold three of his fingers on the keys, "a", "w", and "d", along with the mouse in his right hand. When prompted to make a comment upon [[frag|fragging]] his opponent, a quick motion to type the word ''owned'' resulted in a typo. Due to the proximity of the keys "p" and "o" on a standard [[QWERTY|QWERTY keyboard]] the user hit the "p" instead of the "o" key, resulting in the word ''pwned''. Intentional misspellings based on keystroke errors are common in [[leet]], such as ''[[teh]]'' for ''the'' and replacing exclamation points with 1s.
{{R from related word}}
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; [[StarCraft]]
{{R mentioned in hatnote}}
: One story reports that in the game ''[[StarCraft]]'', someone made a custom map where losing players would see a special message. However, instead of typing in "YOU WERE OWNED," a typo resulted in "YOU WERE PWNED." It is said that every use of the word ''pwn'' therefore comes from this one hapless misspelling, or a similar one occurring in a ''[[Warcraft]]'' or ''[[Unreal Tournament]]'' game. One possibility exists in a mispronunciation, in Diablo: Hellfire, where an enemy claims he will “own” you. The word is pronounced more like "puh-own". This may be somehow related to the "''StarCraft'' Theory".
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;Rendering Error
: One origination comes from an undisclosed game that reportedly corrupted the letter "o" when it was typed resulting in what appeared to be the letter "p"
; Contraction
: Some people believe that the word was originally a [[contraction]] of the term ''power-owned'', ''pure [[ownage]]'', ''[[pistol]]-owned'', ''perfectly owned'', ''[[ping]]-owned'', ''[[player]]-owned'', ''professionally owned'', or ''properly owned''. These are probably [[back-formation]]s.
; Pawned in a game of chess
: Happens when you checkmate someone in a game of chess with a pawn.
; Unix Password Own
: One of the ideas of its origin comes from the [[Linux]]/[[Unix]] subculture. ''Password Own'' meant that a person owned the root password, and thus no one but the password owner could access that machine any longer. Password owning is such a powerful way to lock down a Unix machine, that the application of ''pwn'' in online gaming is a more powerful version of ''own'' and why it caught popularity.
; Alternate for ''owned'' after word was banned
: Another theory supports the idea that ''pwned'' originated on gaming forums after the word ''owned'' was banned. Administrators banned the word to try to keep [[flame war]]s down, and as a result, forum users merely "censor-bypassed" it, changed the spelling to get past any auto-blockers in place. (See also article on [[Pr0n]]).
; Dripping Blood "O"
: Another theory suggests that ''pwned'' is a version of ''owned'' with supposed blood dripping from the "o".
; Pawned
: Still another interpretation makes the case that ''pwned'' was not an accident, but instead a contraction of the word pawned. This theory is based upon the idea that the person who was defeated was ''owned'', and then pawned off, as an item would be at a pawnshop. See [[pawnbroker]].
; ''Owned'' Carryover
: It is likely that ''pwn'' is actually the result of a carryover of the word ''0wned'' used by computer crackers on IRC to declare that they have successfully gained access to a computer or target (as in "I just 0wn3d that Windows box").
; Pwnage
: Another way the word 'Pwn' has been manipulated. Pwnage is a way of saying I owned you or I beat you. Gamers have shortened it to Pwnage.
==Leetspeak==
''Main article: [[Leet]]''
''Pwn'' has become part of the sub-language of [[gamer]]s called ''leet (short for elite) speak''. While mostly used by gamers, this language is also used by those who commonly partake of [[Internet Relay Chat|IRC]] programs and other chat mediums such as [[AOL Instant Messenger|AIM]] and [[Yahoo Messenger]].
It is possible that one reason ''pwn'' has caught on in the gaming world is because the pronunciation of the letter "p" sounds more like an impact sound than "o," emphasizing the act of ownage.
According to some gamers, "pwnd" is a contraction for "Player-owned" meaning that one player has killed another. Likewise "ganked" is slang for "gang-killed" meaning that many players have killed one player.
''WTFPwn!'' is derived from the contraction of the Internet slang term ''WTF'' ("What the fuck?") and ''pwn'' and is intended to suggest that a player was not just ''pwn'ed'', but that such pwnage happened so quickly that the other player was left wondering what happened (and saying "What the fuck?").
==Pronunciation==
{{IPA notice}}
There is no uniform way to pronounce ''pwn'' as it is most often encountered in text. Possible pronunciations include:
* {{IPA|/poʊn/}} (p'own; "own" with a p-sound prefixed)
* {{IPA|/pʊn/}} (as in "put")
* BrE {{/pəʊn/}} (rhymes with "moan") (most common)
* AmE {{IPA|/pɔn/}}, BrE {{IPA|/pɔːn/}} (as "[[Pawn (chess)|pawn]]" in [[chess]])
* {{IPA|/pɑʊn/}} (the participle ''pwnd'' would be pronounced fittingly like "pound", or else simply rendered as "pounded")
* {{IPA|/pwɪn/}} (as "pwin")
* {{IPA|/puːn/}} (rhymes with "soon", this comes from pronouncing the "w" as in [[Welsh language|Welsh]], but also has a sexual connotation)
* AmE {{IPA|/pɑn/}}, BrE {{IPA|/pɒn/}} (rhymes with "on")
* AmE {{IPA|/prɔn/}}, BrE {{IPA|/prɔːn/}} (as [[prawn]])
* {{IPA|/piːˈwɪn/}} (as "pea win")
* {{IPA|/piːˈoʊn/}} (as "pea own")
* {{IPA|/pjuːn/}} (similar to {{IPA|/puːn/}}, but with a "y" sound included)
* just as "own," ignoring the typo
* in some cases, with two syllables, as ''pay-ween'' or ''puht-ween''.
People pronouncing ''pwn'' in certain ways are many times subject to riticule.
==Derivative words==
* '''Al Capwned''' (quasi-[[rhyming slang]]) usually synonymous with pwned, although a sense of surprise is implied.
* '''Post-Pwned''' pwned at least twice by the same person. Used to mean "Pwned and Pwned again."
* '''Powned''' is synonymous with pwned
* '''Pwnage''' ('''Pwnij''', '''Pwn4g3''') means complete domination. The exclamation originated in the gaming culture.
* '''Pwnzor''' ('''Pwnz0r''') used as a different form of pwn, although they have the same meaning and usage, such as "Outlaw, I pwnz0red you."
* '''Tehpwnzor''' ('''Tehpwnz0r''', '''T3hpwnzor''') nominal form of the aforementioned pwnzor, prefixed by the leetspeek [[teh]]. Usage: "That torrent site is tehpwnz0r." It's also the name of a badge-giving boss in [[City of Heroes]].
* '''Tehpwnzriate''' embellished variant of the verb '''Pwnzor'''. Spoken aloud more frequently than typed because of its awkward spelling. Usage: "Man, that horse completely tehpwnzriated that guy."
* '''Pwnt''' is an alternate of the past tense or past participle of the verb [[Pwn]]. An example usage would be "You were pwnt." Another variation is '''Pwn3d'''.
* '''Pizwn3d''' (piz- followed by the preferred pronunciation of "-wn3d") is used as a more intense version of pwn, meaning that one has been "completely pwn3d". It derives from the [[hip-hop]] culture habit of adding the [[infix]], ''-iz-,'' to words. It may also be in reference to the [[Pizza Hut]] P'Zone commercial, but probably not.
* '''[[WTF]]pwned!?''' is widely used variant. Although its exact origin is unknown, it usually refers to an intensified "Pwned!" in a situation where it looked like the opponent was about to win, or a winning by a player that usually loses, or generally a surprising loss.
*'''Pwn'd!''' the phonetic misspelling past tense of the word 'pwn'
*'''Pwn't''' Similar to ''pwn'd''
*'''Pwnted''' An interesting variant of the past-tense of ''pwn'' (contraction of '''pwnt''' and '''pwned'''). Although grammatically it is illogical (the word is a double-past tense), the word can actually serve to denote repeated ''pwnings'' or a severity of ''pwnage'' that has been exacted in an uncommon fashion. ''Pwnted'' is the result of a [[nub]] who was recently taught [[leetspeak]] attempting to use leetspeak in his own sentences.
* Also, '''J-Pwned.''' Adding "J-" to anything for emphasis, from the term [[J-Pop]] for popular [[Japan]]ese music.
* In relative to this, 'chizowned' is also used. Chizowned ('''Ch-is-owned''') is also in relation to the cheese in the victim's skills. It is believed to come from Cheeze Wiz (contracted to Chiz) plus owned.
* '''PWNSauce''', another derivative of pwn, meant to describe owning someone in a "hot-doggish" or flamboyant manner.
*'''Oregapwned''' an act of having one smoke oregano thinking it is illegal substance, coined by gamers. Ie. at '''Round III'''
*'''Owntehpwnsord''' A combination of the original ownage and the derivative pwnage, it combines the two terms into one meaning you didn't stand a chance back when people said ownage and you don't stand a chance now.
* '''Qwned''', pronounced "quoned" is a lesser-known derivative of ''owned'' and ''pwned''; as p follows o, q logically follows p. It is intended to be somewhat satirical of ''pwned'' as it would be a very unlikely typo. Also, when typed in lowercase, the "q" in qwned resembles an inverted lowercase "p".
* '''Modus Pwnened''', derived from [[modus ponens]], a simple argument form in [[logic]] (Latin: ''mode that affirms'').
==See also==
*[[Internet slang]]
*[[Typographical error]]
==External links==
*[http://www.reallifecomics.com/daily.php?strip_id=1428 A theory of etymology]
*[http://www.pwned.nl A humorous Flash movie showing a guy getting Pwned on Counter Strike]. Warning: Offensive language. This [[Macromedia Flash|Flash]] contains many phrases that are commonly referred to in Leetspeak.
[[Category:Computer and video game terminology]]
[[Category:Internet slang]]
[[no:Pwn]]
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