The word "noob" has become "newbie".

I wondered if this fit in the video games forum since it's about a word, but one pretty much just gamers use, so I put it here. Nonetheless, I feel dismayed at the corruption of the word.

I must be getting older faster than I thought.

Er, anyone else agree with this sentiment?

I hear both all the time, so no.

Prescriptivism Alert! Prescriptivism Alert! :P

Awww. Ain't that cute. BUT ITS WRONG!

There's a distinction between a newb/newbie and a n00b. A newbie is someone who is new at a game and has yet to acquire any skill/whatever. A n00b is something else entirely.

Prescriptivism Alert! Prescriptivism Alert! :P

Nonetheless, I still prefer "noob" to be "hopeless, raging, unlistening idiot" and "newb(ie)" to be newcomer. I don't like people talking what they did in a game when they were noobs. :/

edited 11th Jan '11 6:42:21 PM by VutherA

Wasn't that always the definition? That newbie was just new and noob was an annoying idiot? That's how I learned it.

Also, you do know what Prescriptivism means, right? :P

...This is entirely backwards. 'Newbie' became 'newb' became 'noob'/'n00b' (which further became 'nub' in some circles). They all originally meant the same thing

The way I understood it, a newbie is someone who is inexperienced. A noob is someone who plays at the approximate technical level of a newbie in spite of considerably greater experience.

I mean I get where they all came from, but that's what they've just floated into over time.

edited 11th Jan '11 9:19:21 PM by Pykrete

These days, I think the intended definition for each is...

Newb/Newbie: You're new, so you're bad at this game...go play with other newbies!

Noob: You suck! Stop playing this game!

Of course, with the way it's used these days, noob is used for....

• people who beat you fair and square
• someone you barely beat
• someone you beat
• someone who asked a question
• someone who got hit once
• someone who sucks
• someone who is new
• someone who disagreed with what you say
• someone who doesn't use the optimal weapons or do things only one way
• someone who uses things that aren't maximal to whatever their game and strategy is
• someone who you don't like
• someone who doesn't get along with friends you are playing with
• someone who is passing by
• someone who oh you get the point....

edited 11th Jan '11 9:26:28 PM by Signed

People have been saying Newbie for over a decade now. n00b is actually the corrupted version. Newbie is someone who's genuinely new at someone. n00b is for someone who doesn't know how to play, regardless if they're new or not, they try to make themselves look it anyway.

"Newbie" is from the 60s. It was military slang.

^ huh. Learn something new every day, though I doubt it's widespread use didn't start until MM Os started becoming popular in the late 90s.

I was seeing it around on forums in the mid-90s, back before MMORPGs were anywhere near as pervasive as they are now

edited 11th Jan '11 10:08:41 PM by Hylarn

My parents used the term back in the day.

I never really saw newbie as an insult, just means you're wet behind the ears at a certain game.

Of course, with the way it's used these days, noob is used for....

• people who beat you fair and square

This is my favorite one. I watch this guy on You Tube who posts videos of people rage quitting against him, and half of them message him later on how he's a noob. You can't do that when you lose!

edited 11th Jan '11 10:43:05 PM by Longfellow

Urk, Gun Z memories @_@

•people who beat you fair and square •someone you barely beat •someone you beat •someone who asked a question •someone who got hit once •someone who sucks •someone who is new •someone who disagreed with what you say •someone who doesn't use the optimal weapons or do things only one way •someone who uses things that aren't maximal to whatever their game and strategy is •someone who you don't like •someone who doesn't get along with friends you are playing with •someone who is passing by •someone who oh you get the point...

edited 11th Jan '11 11:08:57 PM by VutherA

You're obviously a newbie to the evolution of language

I use n00b for anyone who I am better than at a game.

</smug>

Broadly speaking, I'd say it refers to someone who's skill interferes with your enjoyment of the game.

You're obviously a newbie to the evolution of language

I just think swear words are perfectly enough for "mean whatever when ever you want". Then again, since most things censor that, maybe that's why noob got picked up for it.

edited 11th Jan '11 11:17:59 PM by VutherA

Speaking of the word noob and censor...

The word noob is censored in Monster Hunter Tri...when you type in noob, it comes out as **** instead. Hence why everyone is forced to use nub or nob...or n o o b.

Yeah, sucks.

Know what's worse? The word 'After' is censored. This makes communicating much harder than usual when you remember that you must type your message using the directional pad. Damn germans...

Speaking of weird censorship...the word "Dragon" is censored in yugioh games. A game where there is no chat, and the deck names are replaced with ??? in online play. So no one can see what you type anyways.

edited 12th Jan '11 12:01:31 AM by Signed

hmmmm...didn't we use to have a I Am Not Making This Up trope that's meant for...whatever the hell it was meant for?

I think it got turned into "Not Making This Up" Disclaimer.