Josh at insert25.com posted this today:

Okay, n00blets and future h4×0rz. I know there are Microsoft’s guide to leet speak and wikipedia breaks down some basic terms. This is the TRUE guide to real leet speak. Not your little brothers wanna-be leet speak, and not a leet speak translator. This is the REAL DEAL.

Leet speak was first used in the 1980’s by hackers to prevent their websites/newsgroups from being found by simple keyword searches and shut down by the FCC. Leet speak began to grow and flourish in the early 1990’s on computer bulletin boards and in the depths of IRC channels, and was eventually brought into the light with multiplayer games such as DOOM, Quake and Counter-Strike. It’s evolved into a chat language all it’s own and I intend on giving you the break down, so you can challenge the weaksauce n00bs.

There are a few basic things to learn first. Never capitalize. I did for lists sake but when your talking it, capitalizing is a no no. Don’t be a homo and capitalize anything here, you’ll just be an insta-newb. Too many numbers or letters makes it un-readable and is just retarded. Basically, other than that, do what you wish from the list below.

Leet, 1337, 31337
This is where it all started. Elite breaking down gramatically, so it didn’t get hit by search programs. People started declaring themselves elite hackers. The term became synonymous with approval of illegal computer activity (hacking, software piracy, etc.), similar to what drug users referred to as “being cool”. It’s even in the movie “Hackers” - one of the characters references himself as “Are you elite?”. It became searched, so they changed it to Leet, and then 1337, a numerical version of it.
example: I has teh 1337 haxor (I am the elite hacker)

Haxor, h4×0r
Much the same as Leet. Hacker became a searched term easy to find. Haxor was a bastardization to defeat search tools, and h4×0r is another way to do it.
example: H4×0r for life! (Hacker for life)

n00b, newb, nub, n00bcake, n00blet
Noob (short for newbie) is meant as an offensive term towards someone who is not necessarily new, and quite often is directed at someone that is somewhat experienced but at the same time stupid/disruptive and/or totally incapable of learning. A n00b is almost always someone who thinks they’re cool but obviously aren’t.
example: I pwn n00bcake like you for breakfast.

Own, Pwn, pwnage, pwned
Owning someone is the act of utterly destroying them to a point where you physically own their soul. Generally used after a grizzly death in a game, or just basically destroying their self esteem. Pwn, and the others came from a mistype, that has stuck.
example: j00 just got pwned!

pr0n
Pornography obtained from, stored in and/or displayed on a computer. Search engines would pick up “Porn” so the mis-spelling lets p2p software still find the adult video, with much less hassle.
example: Did you see my new Jenna video? OMG teh pr0n!

teh
Either a typo of the word “The” or a way to show extra emphasis onto the next word.
Good - “You am teh suxorz”
Good - “My poo smells like teh win”

Uber
Term with literal meaning of “above” in German. Brought to the mainstream in the early 80’s by hardcore American punk band, the Dead Kennedys when using the term in the anti-Californian government song “California Uber Alles”, which is a take off the German motto of “Deustchland Uber Alles”, which translates to “Germany above all.” The term was picked up in their native California stomping grounds by the typical surfers and “punks” and extended from there to many teenagers, the majority of which use the term online.
example: OMFG, 1M G0NN4 PWN UR FR1GG1N 4R53 YOU.. YOU… UBER N00B

FTW
Acronym, For The Win. An enthusiastic emphasis to the end of a comment, message, or post. Sometimes genuine, though often mocking, in jest or sarcastic. Originated with the game show Hollywood Squares where the result of the player’s response is expected to win the game.
example: right guard sucks! old spice FTW

++
Increases the value of anything you add it too, also classifying it as a more important item. It came from vacation sayings “Dinner and a room++” meaning there are more things that make it better at the end. It is also related to the extended object oriented version of the C programming language, C++.
example: Do I have to wear a fancy upscale mask to the masquerade party? I was going to wear my Dr. Doom mask. I hope that’s ok, cause Dr. Doom is ++

“!!!111!1one!11”
Exclamatory. In the beginning people would just press the exclamation point once or twice for emphasis. In a game, you type quicker, and typos occur. This is where !11!1!!!! came from. Typing “one” into the middle of it, mocks the gamers who typed fast and becomes an obvious joke from the start. You can also spell out any other number making it just as hilarious.
example: OMG! That PWNED !!111!!11one!!!!

kthxbye
This one is an end to a conversation. People on the phones drag out long phone calls incessantly with an obnoxious ending. Gamers, and hackers alike wanted to end conversations faster, or in a more condescending way. This ends a conversation fast and without all the hassle
example: That’s all I had to ask. KTHXBYE.

OMGWTFBBQ
Oh My God What The Fuck BBQ. People tend to get surprized easily on the internet. It’d start out as “OMG”, then “OMGWTF” and soon people realized the acronyms kept on coming, so now, you can feel free to add any 3 letter acronym at the end and it makes it more funny.
example: OMGWTFBBQ, Why are you in the hospital?

OMGHi2U
Obvious salutation. Quick, easy and uses less keys to hit. It’s all about speed, and time is killing. Basically, you want to say hello, get all the formalities out of the way without being a pansy. Over time, this term evolved into a sarcastic mockery of greeting a female on various means across the internet (notoriously in AOL chat rooms) due to the obvious lack of actual females in such places.
example: girly123: Hi, I’m a girl and I’m new to this forum. Anyone wanna be my friend? joe_blow: OMGHi2U! :rolleyes:

r0×0rz

When something rocks, it roxorz. The pluralization makes it more important and better sounding and you can add the ORZ ending to anything, boxorz, flushorz.
example: That r0×0rz in my b0×0rz
example: I ate too much sushi. I just pooed a Teflon coated softball and it did not have teh flushorz.

Hopefully this primer has educated you in the ways of nerd jedi. You can get your Leeroy Jenkins on and pwn uber nubs, or at least talk trash to that 13 year old who’s smoking you in Gears of War.