How does gaming speech differ from everyday speech?

A language blog by Lawrence Marhraoui

 

As a modern day gamer myself I am very interested in the difference between gaming speech and everyday speech used in a public form. 'Not a different language' IGN.com. This led me to think about gaming speech in more depth. As it's not a language it could then only be a different jargon which with in depth research seems to be mainly a long line of acronyms and slang words used to make a command more short and precise getting to the point as quick as possible for example 'AFK' which means away from controller and 'BRB' which means be right back. This is shown by the respected and trusted website 'online gaming slang' http://www.chatslang.com/terms/online_gaming. Furthermore I also believe there are many different idioms within gaming speech for example I believe that with in different cultures or groups of friends gaming speech is developed to suit them for example when playing a strategy game where a player has to play the objective in order to win a certain group may use a different type of jargon to hide their strategy of playing the game just like how a person from up north may use different jargon to someone who lives down south even though they use the same language.

 

Furthermore gaming speech is riddled with what would be classed as taboo when used in public for example 'fuck' and 'shit'. Moreover as this use of lexis is used more commonly in the industry of gaming speech it is somewhat accepted therefor not really being seen as taboo but everyday linguistic choices. Also in my opinion the most general insult you hear when listening to a couple of friends speak to each other is an insult about another's mother. This is a personal favourite of mine as you would never normally hear someone insult there friends mother in public about how many sexual partners she has had or maybe even comment on the looks of their mother but in gaming speech it seems to be the norm. My theory on this extensive use of this particular insult is one of dominance and to try and clarify who is the leader of the group by trying to shame and embarrass each other in front of each other.

 

This leads on to the definition if gaming speech and in my words I would define it as this - gaming speech is not a different language but a different form of jargon where there are many different idioms and the use of taboo is commonly accepted as everyday linguistic choices as well as the extensive use of acronyms to get straight to the point and to waste as little time as possible.