133t5p33k

or should I say Leet speak?

The digital equivalent of pig-Latin.

It has also been described as

a 'form of written slang or street talk for the information highway', which had a twofold purpose: 'to create group identity and to obscure meaning from outsiders'. Used as a way of getting past word filters on BBSs and forums, so that they could discuss topics that were banned or censored, like software piracy, hacks and cracks, it is a written anti-language, a way of communicating within a language that excludes outsiders.

Come on, all the cool kids are doing it!

Here is the Gettysburg address from that last link with increasing degrees of leetification applied:

10% Leetification

Fourscor3 and s3v3n y3ars ago our fath3rs brought forth on this contin3nt a n3w nation, conc3iv3d in lib3rty and d3dicat3d to th3 proposition that all m3n ar3 cr3at3d 3qual.

50% Leetification

ƒ0µr$(0r3 4nÐ $3v3n ¥34r$ 490 0µr ƒ47h3r$ br0µ9h7 ƒ0r7h 0n 7h1$ (0n71n3n7 4 n3w n4710n, (0n(31v3Ð 1n £1b3r7¥ 4nÐ Ð3Ð1(473Ð 70 7h3 pr0p0$1710n 7h47 4££ m3n 4r3 (r3473Ð 3qµ4£.

100% Leetification
ƒ0µ®$(0®3 4|\|Ð $3\/3|\| ¥34®$ 490 0µ® ƒ47|-|3®$ ß®0µ9|-|7 ƒ0®7|-| 0|\| 7|-|1$ (0|\|71|\|3|\|7 4 |\|3\/\/ |\|4710|\|, (0|\|(31\/3Ð 1|\| £1ß3®7¥ 4|\|Ð Ð3Ð1(473Ð 70 7|-|3 p®0p0$1710|\| 7|-|47 4££ |\/|3|\| 4®3 (®3473Ð 3¶µ4£.

Did you recognize it?

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Here are some you may actually come across:

"kewl": A common derivation of "cool."

"m4d sk1llz" or "mad skills": Refers to one's own talent. "m4d" itself is often used for emphasis.

"n00b," "noob," "newbie," or "newb": Combinations synonymous with new user. Some leetspeekers view "n00b" as an insult and "newbie" as an affectionate term for new users.

"w00t" or the smiley character \o/: An acronym that usually means "We Own the Other Team," used to celebrate victory in a video game.

"roxx0rs" Used in place of "rocks," typically to describe something impressive.

"d00d": Replaces the greeting or addressing someone as a "dude."

"joo" and "u": Used instead of "you." This is also commonly written as "j00" or "_|00."

"ph": often replaces "f," as in "phear" for "fear" (as in "ph34r my l33t skillz") and vice versa, such as spelling "phonetic" as "f0|\|371(."

For those of us too challenged to decipher on our own, here's a (0|\|v3r5i0|\| 7001
(conversion tool).

Since I am guest-posting at different venues, I've cross-posted this here while I have the keys.