pr0n (1994) gamerpr0n pr0n* - words constructed from letters, numbers, and other characters

Garson O'Toole adsgarsonotoole at GMAIL.COM
Wed Mar 17 21:27:14 UTC 2010


While searching for examples that fit the pattern of "X porn" where
the "porn" material is supposed to appeal to X's I was reminded of the
term pr0n.

Back in March 2009 Bill Mullins mentioned on the ADS list:
> Often seen in blogs in the form "X pron/pr0n", "pron/pron" being a
> leetspeak (?) respelling to get past filters, etc.

The web domain gamerpr0n.com (NSFW) with the blog title "Gamer Porn"
apparently fits the pattern because the "porn" or pr0n" is designed to
appeal to gamers. For example, a video called Whorecraft, a reference
to the popular multiplayer game World of Warcraft, is touted on the
website.

I wondered how dictionaries will treat the term pr0n. (The "o" is
replaced by the number zero.) A message in the ADS list archive from
Grant Barrett in 2000 included the term pr0n.

Currently pr0n is contained in only a small number of dictionaries.
The earliest relevant cite I found in a shallow search was a Usenet
instance dated Jul 2 1994 in comp.sys.mac.hardware.

Wiktionary has a webpage.
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/pr0n

Free On-line Dictionary of Computing has an entry.
pron jargon
(Or "pr0n") B1FF-speak for pornography. Often seen on IRC in such
desperate cries for help as "I WNAT PRON!!!!!"
(1997-09-14)
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/pr0n

Wikipedia has information.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pr0n#Pr0n

Urban Dictionary has an entry for pr0n. The earliest of their
definitions is dated Oct 17, 2001 and says simply "Another word for
pornography"
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=pr0n

I do not know what policy the OED has for words mixing letters,
numbers and other characters. The term "L8R" does appear in a
citation.

only, adj. DRAFT REVISION Dec. 2009
Citation for 3. a.
2002 Bliss  June 27/1 L8R is the only way to say ‘later’.

A more elaborate term has been built on pr0n using a character that is
neither a number nor a letter.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=pr0n*
pr0n* Dec 9, 2004
Derived from porn Pr0n has an added astericks (sic) which means star,
basically meaning porn star
Wow teh uber pr0n* hotness

The Urban Dictionary entry includes a picture of an individual wearing
a t-shirt with the term.

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org



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