When Did Illiteracy Become Cool?

Question

That was my first thought when I found out what "pwn" meant.
Evidently, a programmer or game tester or both at one point and time accidentally put in "pwn" instead of "own".
When I first encountered this word I had no idea what it meant. Then, when I did, I asked "So a misspelled word is cool?" and got the answer back "R u serious?"
I'll admit after that I would pick on them after that I would insist that they were pawning people and would ask how much they get...this was usually met with much anger instead of good humor or "you're weird".
I know most of these were probably kids so I understand that they hate it when folks question anything they do kinda like we used to. But it still amuses me.
So is this funny, sad, or just another evolution of slang?

Notes: I don't know the original context of the word but it was msot likely "We owned them!" or something akin to that.
Sweet - I thought it was accidental as well. But after awhile I asked someone because I couldn't believe these kids were making the mistake over and over. It was explained as above.
Last note. I saw a news story that woot was either being considered or was definitely being added to the dictionary. Please don't shoot, I'm just the messenger.

Answer 1

Your concern is legit, with the tools offered today like the check spelling button it should be a great cause for concern that individuals don't take 5 seconds to assure that their spelling is correct. For me it's a reflection of their intelligence. Also misspelled words make the reader stray from the point of the writing by focusing on the errors.

Answer 2

Probably sometime in the 1950s. After the war the American economy was expanding at a rapid rate. A person could get a job with out any education and buy a house, car, and take care of his family. Except for certain time periods Ex. the space race the government has not encouraged education and only the family when professionals were already in the family. This is simplistic I know but I have lived thru a lot of this and I think a little research will show it to be a good starting pint.

Answer 3

Intellectualism has become more demonized in recent years than ever before. George W Bush hasn't helped.

That being said, you didn't mention in what context 'pwn' was used. If it was in a video game, it is just slang used for entertainment purposes. If it was some official document or correspondence, then it is sad.

Answer 4

I don't think it's so much illiteracy as it is cultural slang. Every generation has its own slang, abbreviations, etc.. And with high tech gadgets that we have now verses what they may have had 40 or 50 years ago, the slang evolves in some ways. It's kind of an interesting subject.

Answer 5

I don't think it's about cool as much it is about having an "underground" or subversive language - like w00t, for example.
It's all part of l337speak (leet - elite), as used by gamers and hackers worldwide, originally to throw the feds of the trail - software that scans emails etc for "trigger" words like "hacked" wouldn't pick up on "4@c|<3D", for example.

All trends or "sub-cultures" develop or adopt thier own variation of langauge, from gaming to the military to the construction industry.

Answer 6

Well it started with the rap and rock music, see most of the "cool" kids in your high school wasn't really that smart to begin with, so it's always been a little cool, but with the music it has been made to be cool if you mess up words or make them up, then with the internet age and text messaging, abbrv. words is cute, and if you just can't spell them then it's cool, because I'm cool and I knew what you meant.

Answer 7

It is very sad! The English language is dying; imagine what it will be like in 50 years for someone to try to read Grapes of Wrath or any classic book.
The internet, texting, emails and all these silly abbreviations are an insult to our intelligence.

Answer 8

It is a bit frightening. I used to teach Art in the public school system, and wow! I think part of the reason is that is such a blend of languages in our schools now. The majority of the children I taught were Latin. Most conversations were a mix of English and Spanish.

Answer 9

Unlike most immigrant families, my family was brought over here against our will. Therefore, i can speak any language I damn well please to. In some areas surviving is more important that reading. My family owned farmland from sharecropping for many years and I proud of them for being hard workers and maintaining family values so that my future can be better. I am 18 and my grandparents were the first people to go to college in my family.

Answer 10

Not being able to read or write correctly is not 'cool' at all. I get quite annoyed at sland marketing and think it will have a detrimental effect on the youth of today.
Now I'm off to whip the chimney boy.