1. 1337$?34x (that’s leetspeak for all my readers born before 1977) – Leetspeak is a combination of numbers symbols and wrong letters replacing proper letters, typing errors, and just plain bad spelling that developed within online gaming chat where speed is of the essence.  I suppose that it also developed a great deal as more players tried to create usernames to find that handles such as zerocool had already been taken (z3r0c00l becomes a “clever” solution).  However, since the early days the “language” has evolved to such depths that it takes more time write and read that it defeats the original purpose.  At this point in my mind leetspeak is absolutely useless, primarily because the typing lesson games available to kids these days are way cooler than anything I ever learned on, there is no excuse for kids to type slowly anymore.  This is number one on the list as most of the other terms are forms of leetspeak. 

2. leet (1337 or any combination of the two) – Short for elite, this is where leetspeak gets its name hence the number 1337.  This term is most often used in describing oneself, which makes it even more ridiculous.  How can anyone be elite in any shape or form if they cannot even come close in spelling the word when describing themselves this way (even if it is an abbreviation).  If you are one of the few that want to describe a person as being very good at something at least give them the respect of spelling the full word properly.

3. pwnd – This was so very close to leet in rank on the list.  Pwnd is the miss-spelling of the word owned.  Owned is just such a poor choice of words as it is used “I owned you” instead of “I kicked your ass” in the gaming world.  It boggles my mind how this word caught on, as there are so many great ways to tell someone they got battered like the fat kid in dodge ball.  

4. noob – Originally an insult for new player or newbie, this term has lost its punch.  The problem is that everyone uses noob to describe themselves these days.  Technology moves so fast that it makes even language obsolete, everyone seems to have at least one hobby at all times where they are noobs.  

5. r tard – Does this really fool parents, do kids really think they are hiding the fact that they are calling someone a retard?  It isn’t really even a time saver the same number of keystrokes are needed to type it, and it almost takes a tiny bit longer to say. 

6. Lamer – This insult would be much higher if it were used more, hopefully it won’t gain any more popularity.  Lamer has lost its context over time, it was originally used to describe people who were too lazy (or lame) to learn how computer things worked.  Today it is used as a general insult describing anyone that annoys you in any given situation.  

7. j00 – If you are too lazy to move your index finger the half inch from the J key to the Y, what better way to show it than to spell “you” j00.  I have no explanation for the zeros, you can’t reach the Y but 0 is no problem?

8. zomg – Oh My God, way to hit that shift key!!

9. vlog – I think it’s Dracula’s blog?  I am not sure why this annoys me but I seem to cringe at all variations of blog.  Yet, for some reason I love the word blogoshere.