WoW Rookie: Gaming terminology 101
by Lisa Poisso 
Apr 1st 2009 at 8:00PM
New around here? WoW Rookie points WoW's newest players to the resources they need to get acclimated. Send us a note to suggest a WoW Rookie topic.Probably one of the top requests WoW Rookie gets from new players is a plea for an explanation of WoW and gaming terminology. Even a casual skim of WoW Insider's front page can prove challenging to new gamers. Example: what to experienced players is a routine update on new PTR schedules can be an exercise in frustration for readers who are still sorting out WTT from WTF. ("PTR? WTF?!?")
It's not just WoW-specific abbreviations and acronyms that puzzle new players. Add in gaming lingo and internet chat terms, and you have the recipe for a truly intimidating mix.
To the rescue: an encyclopedic assortment of lists of WoW, gaming and internet abbreviations, acronyms and lingo that steers you back into comprehensible territory. We've arranged our resources from the most basic to the most complete – you can choose how far you're ready to delve into the world of gamespeak.
The Compleat WoW Abbreviations WoW Insider's Eliah Hecht has assembled the need-to-know guide to making sense of chat in the World of Warcraft.
The Compleat WoW Abbreviations: Class-Specific Decipher specialized articles and forum posts about your class of choice.
Raiding Terminology Follow what's going on in your first raid by boning up on raid terms and concepts, from WoW Insider's Amanda Rivera.
Gaming Terminology A comprehensive guide.
WoW Acronyms WoW-specific acronyms.
WoW Acronyms 2 Another WoW-specific acronym listing.
WoW Abbreviations WoW-specific alphabet soup.
WoW Terminology Listings alphabetized in sections for letters A-M and N-Z. There's no Wrath of the Lich King material here – but then again, by the time you're high enough level to be playing in Wrath content, you'll have the matter of game lingo firmly in hand.
Glossary of Online Gaming Acronyms, Abbreviations and Slang A generalist's guide.
The Game Drone With categories for gaming lingo, First-Person Shooters (FPS), MMORPGs (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games) and RTS (Real-Time Strategy).
All-Acronyms.com Including 457 acronyms tagged "video gaming" and 216 acronyms tagged "roleplaying gaming."
GTG -- GG, folks. BBL!
WoW Rookie feeds you the basics to get you off to a good start in the World of Warcraft. Find more tools you can use in the WoW Insider Directory and WoW Insider Leveling Guides.Filed under: WoW Social Conventions, WoW Rookie
Reader Comments (Page 2 of 3)
jbodar Apr 2nd 2009 12:03AM
Merriam-Webster says: GFY, initialisms counts as acronyms too. ;)
": a word (as NATO, radar, or laser) formed from the initial letter or letters of each of the successive parts or major parts of a compound term ; also : an abbreviation (as FBI: initialism"
Source: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/acronym
"Most dictionaries define acronym to mean "a word" in its original sense, while some include a secondary indication of usage, attributing to acronym the same meaning as that of initialism."
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acronym_and_initialism
Besides, most people have heard of TLA (or Three Letter Acronym), but few have heard of the term "initialism". Acronym is widely used in this case, whether usage purists like it or not.
THJ Apr 2nd 2009 12:59AM
You'll get a kick out of this:
http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/2008/05/12/99-grammar/
Kakistocracy Apr 2nd 2009 4:25PM
Acronyms WERE pronounceable "words" made from the first letter of each word in something or other.
Whether the chance is good or bad, I can't say, but it sure isn't the first time that sort of thing happened (and sadly we don't have an institute to preserve the meanings of words as some countries do).
Sure, it's laughable when someone claims to have been electrocuted, or asserts causality with the word "since", but should we stop them, or mock them behind their backs, or join them and use words to mean whatever we want them to mean?
Anaughtybear Apr 1st 2009 11:45PM
Shinn, stop being a hypocrite and defending the troll. I understand the "If you have nothing nice to say don't say anything at all" comment, but that douche had nothing to say period. Idiots like that have it coming to them.
Mazrim Taim Apr 1st 2009 11:58PM
This got me thinking, anyone know the origin of the "!!!1!1!one!!" thats become almost as infamous as Leeroy Jenkins?
Arinvar Apr 2nd 2009 12:24AM
hold down shift + 1 and then after a few seconds release shift... the added "one" is just a pay out on people who's fingers slip.
Mazrim Taim Apr 2nd 2009 12:32AM
Well, obviously I know how to type a ! and a 1. I just mean that it seems like its sort of written on purpose, and I wonder if there's some sort of reason it got to be so popular. Its kind of a running gag that a ton of people (on my server at least) constantly bring up....
I think I might ask this to the Queue, maybe.
sinthar Apr 2nd 2009 8:18AM
Finger slipping doesnt account for the fact they actually TYPE 'one' in between the !'s and the 1's
Mastique Apr 2nd 2009 10:08AM
"Well, obviously I know how to type a ! and a 1. I just mean that it seems like its sort of written on purpose, and I wonder if there's some sort of reason it got to be so popular. Its kind of a running gag that a ton of people (on my server at least) constantly bring up....
I think I might ask this to the Queue, maybe."
You are exactly right. Its to be silly, or make fun. OMG!!1!! is a slip..
It happened so much that people began using it for the giggle factor.
OMG!!!!1!!one!1!!shift+1!!!121!!!two!!1!! etc.
Ilnara Apr 2nd 2009 11:06AM
Yeah, it is now a common meme in gaming forums used as satire or poking fun at others or ones own posting.
The usual is simply tossing in a few 1's among your !'s.
The more ritual goof is something akin to...
OMFG !!!11!!!!11!1one!!eleven!!111!!!
Albrechtae Apr 2nd 2009 12:31AM
Thanks for the links, Lisa! I get the gist of most of them when I'm playing, but there are still instances that I can't quite place when people abbreviate them. This will help immensely.
Cheers!
Lisa Poisso Apr 2nd 2009 8:39AM
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for reading. ;)
Plastic Rat Apr 2nd 2009 1:52AM
I actually wish people would just learn to type out their words more often. Unless the term is insanely long or an extremely well known abbreviation just type it out. It's good practice for you and you improve communication with others making life generally better for everyone.
I mean how much time are you actually saving.. and for what?
Any article like this should also point out that using stuff like 'ppl' and 'ur' serve only to make you look like a retard. Generally anyone who uses the term 'ppl' gets relegated to the folks I don't group with. If you're too lazy to type 3 extra letters in a word, chances are you're too lazy or just don't care to play properly either.
Spend a second longer, type out your damned word and people will respect you a little more from the outset.
sinthar Apr 2nd 2009 8:18AM
Hi,
Thanks for your comments, and i do hold them mostly myself. However some people, like myself, have to resort to some shortcuts at times, mostly because i'm Dyslexic (yes i have typed this out about five times and used spell checkers, and to be honest i am still unsure on some of them - Why is Dyslexic so damn hard to spell!?!?). This is due to time as i cannot, in game, type the same thing five times, spell check it and continue to dps/tank, so yes i am guilty of sometimes using abbreviations. Please do not judge all people the same way, as sometimes you will be misjudging sometimes based on facts you will not know about until you ask/check. To me the abbreviations are very very hard to understand. When someone accidentally spells a word wrong, and shortens it, it becomes hard for you to make the meaning out; for me it becomes nearly impossible. I don't play WoW to learn how to spell, or type (most of my communication in party is by way of Voice Chat or Team Speak or Vent), as that would be a version of hell for me. I too ask for people to try a little harder as a string of alliterations will basically be completely ignored by me. Many people have found that out when they have bugged me in trade for something. I always support clear easily understood typing, and try to respond likewise.
Thanks
Ilnara Apr 2nd 2009 11:09AM
Oh my god! Good chaps in my raid party, I seem to have picked up a Patroling enemy (At this point of typing you probably die) Non player character and he is currently swinging his sword at me furiously and I am unable to defend my self, please help!
or...
"ADD"
or
"INC PAT"
Plastic Rat Apr 2nd 2009 12:15PM
@Ilnara
I guess if you're looking for a reason to pick a fight you'll find one.
Obviously since I believe in clear communication I also believe in typing out a novel in groups in an emergency situation, right? Get over yourself.
Feitan Apr 16th 2009 9:15AM
I always type out the short words like "you", "people", and such, and try as much as I can to type properly as it is a pet peeve of mine when people do type in text speak when on a keyboard. However in urgent situations, its acceptable to use common terminologies such as PAT, Ulda, VC, Inc, etc. I see no problem with that, as long as you don't look like a tween using a cellphone.
unigolyn Apr 2nd 2009 2:30AM
Why do you care so much?
"Sixth!"
Did the baby Jesus just start crying?
People say "First!" in online forums. Live with it.
thebvp Apr 2nd 2009 3:00AM
Plastic Rat, I agree. It reflects on one's character.
One thing I have a problem with is when someone constantly yells your class in party chat instead of saying your name. "PRIEST STAND HERE. PRIEST HAEL ME! PREIST HAEL!!!"
I do have a name, you know. If you are so lazy to not learn it, you don't need to be in my 5 man. Maybe I'm an asshole for this, I don't know. If you can't learn my goddamn name, we can find someone else. It's not like it's that hard to find another dps.
Plastic Rat Apr 2nd 2009 3:09AM
You DO know what to do with DPS who ask for heals right?
If not, this flowchart should help: http://www.etherjammer.com/img/healing-dps-flowchart.png