Computer jargon. Computer slang will help in conversation with a computer geek. Computer slang. Dictionary of words with explanations

This dictionary does not claim to be the most complete, but it gives the average user an idea of ​​the meaning of some expressions found on the Internet. Dictionary of expressions on the web is growing every day, and is already more like a separate language than slang.

A vatar - a picture with an image in the user’s profile, not necessarily a photograph.
Upgrade - modernization, improvement of the technical characteristics of a computer by replacing outdated parts.
ICQ is a program for communicating on the Internet by exchanging quick messages icq.
Author - author of the publication

B agi - identified errors, shortcomings in programs and games. They are used by players (baggers) to gain an advantage over other less knowledgeable players in online games.
Ban - a prohibition, a restriction for violating established rules. Widely used in chats and forums.
Backup is a copy saved for the purpose of subsequent recovery in case of failures or data loss.
Boyan is an old, well-known and long-forgotten joke.
Broken - non-working. The downloaded file may be broken, or the link may not be working.

IN arez is a hacked licensed program.
Wiki is the world famous Internet encyclopedia Wikipedia.
Winchester, also known as a screw, is a hard drive.
Twisted pair - a network cable designed for pulling the Internet and local networks.
A crash is a spontaneous closure of a program due to existing bugs.

G ectar - gigabyte of information.
A glitch is an unexpected software failure.
Rodent is a computer mouse.
Guru is a revered person on a forum.

D Default - installed by default, that is, automatically.
Firewood drivers.

AND Iron is the filling of the system unit.

Z adrot is a person who is passionate about something.
Animals are viruses.
A mirror is an auxiliary, exact copy of a site, created to reduce the load on the server.

AND shak is Microsoft's default IE browser.

TO Amen is a computer processor.
Klava is a computer keyboard.
Keygen is a key generator for activating licensed programs.
Kemper is a low-active player in online games.
Config - computer configuration.
Smoke - read, you can smoke the Google manual and Wikipedia.

L Amer is a teapot who does not consider himself a teapot.
Lapot - laptop or netbook, derived from the English laptop.
The noodle is an ordinary two-wire telephone wire.
Medicine is a file that turns a paid program into a free one.
Fox - Firefox internet browser.
Leecher is a user who gives away less than he downloads, an expression used by users of peer-to-peer networks and torrent trackers.

M manual - instructions for use.
Mother - motherboard.
The machine is a computer.
Finely soft - Microsoft company.
Meter is megabyte.
Monique is the monitor.
Muzzle - the main page of the site.
Soap - email.

N ik is a fictitious online name.
Noob is an ungrateful lamer.

ABOUT kna - Windows operating system.
Opsos is a mobile operator.
The axis is the operating system.
Rollback is the return of the system to a previous stable state.

P patch is a file that makes corrections and additions to previously released software.
Peer is a client that participates in distributing a torrent, but does not have all parts of the file.
Penek - Pentium processor
Plank - RAM chip.
Plato is Yandex support.

WITH etka - computer local network.
Seed - (seeder) a person who has all parts of the file, usually the seeder is the initial distributor of the torrent, or one who has already downloaded and remains for distribution.
Software - software.
Spam is inappropriate advertising, usually spam is used in mailings.
Speaker is a small computer speaker that produces system sounds.
Dog - @ email icon.
Wall - firewall, firewall, serves for additional protection against viruses and intruders.
Support - user support service.

T tablet - software treatment for greed.
Traffic is data transmitted and received via the Internet.
Trolling is the posting of provocative messages with the aim of causing conflict between participants in a forum or chat. People posting such messages are called trolls.

U utility, a utility program designed to make life easier for the user.

F x - making corrections to the software for stable operation.
Window makers are the creators of Windows.
Flood is a meaningless repetition of text and symbols.

X ab - network switch, also known as switch.
hack - hacking something.
Hard - computer hard drive.
Hatzker is a would-be burglar.
Piggy - Windows XP.

HаВо - frequently asked questions.

Sh akhta - pocket for CD DVD drive.

YU zer - user.

I sha - Yandex search engine.

When you come across people who work on computers or have them at home, you involuntarily pay attention to some of the words and expressions that they often use in their speech. Moreover, they use these words not only in conversations with “initiates” like them. It is difficult for an inexperienced person to understand the secret meaning that computer scientists put into even the most familiar words for us: stone, moped, soap or screw. Our dictionary of computer jargon (slang) will make your communication with computer scientists more free.

Administrator is a system administrator, or a person who has full access to the administration of any system, site or service.

Aibolit is an antivirus program.

IP address - IP address.

Alfia is an alpha version of a computer program, a blank, a raw program.

Unlim - Internet access with unlimited traffic.

Upgrade - improving the parameters of a personal computer by replacing outdated components with newer ones.

Upload - uploading files to the server.

The device is a computer.

Asya - ICQ Internet pager (a special program for exchanging text messages between users of the ICQ system) or a unique subscriber number of this system.

ICQ - Internet pager ICQ (a special program for exchanging text messages between users of the ICQ system) or a unique subscriber number of this system.

Attachment is a file attached to an email.

A bug is a failure in a program caused by its “dampness” or imperfection.

Damn, a blank CD (or DVD) with a single or multiple write function.

A blank CD (or DVD) with a single or multiple write function.

An adventure game is a browser (Internet browser program), or a computer game of the Quest or First-Person Shooter genre.

Backup - make backup copies.

Varez - illegally distributed software and license keys for it (from the English "warez").

Turntable - disk drive.

Weight is the size of a file, folder, movie, game or any other information on the computer.

Vidyukha - video card.

Windows is the Windows operating system from Microsoft Corporation.

Screw - hard drive (computer hard drive, HDD).

Vir is a computer virus.

Pull - download information from the Internet.

Hamover is the end of the game.

Gamer is a computer game player.

A hectare is a gigabyte.

Gig - gigabyte.

A glitch is an unexpected error in a program or incorrect operation of equipment.

Vile - written under the auspices of the GNU (a type of software license).

Blue Giant is a manufacturer of computers and components for IBM.

Google - search for information on the Internet using the Google search engine.

A guru is a teacher, a respected person, an experienced master, a cool programmer.

The engine is the core, the “engine” of the program.

Device is any device (a structurally complete technical system) that has a specific functional purpose.

Demo is an incomplete (trial) version of a computer program or computer game.

Jipeg - graphic file in JPG, JPEG format

Firewood - drivers (programs that allow any devices to work with a given operating system).

Think - play the computer game DOOM.

Doomer - playing the computer game DOOM.

Hardware - system components (parts) of a computer.

Zhelezyachnik is a person who is well versed in computer components (parts).

Frozen - this is what they say when the computer does not respond to any commands and there is nothing left to do but restart it by pressing the Reset button.

Upload - copy the file to the server.

Zvukovuha - audio card.

Zip - archive files or folders with the ZIP data archiving program.

Internet - Internet.

Iskalka is a search engine.

Stone - processor (central processing unit of a personal computer, CPU).

Campus - computer.

Kasper is an antivirus program created by Kaspersky Lab.

Quake is a computer game Quake.

Croak - play the computer game Quake.

Klava - keyboard.

Click - press a computer mouse button or activate a hyperlink (follow it).

Coder - programmer.

Contra is a computer game Counter-Strike.

A three-finger combination - Ctrl+Alt+Delete - calls the task manager, in older systems - restarts the computer.

Connect - connect (to the Internet, to a game server, etc.).

Computer - computer.

Root - root directory (the first folder in the folder tree).

Rat is a contemptuous name for a computer mouse.

Crack is a program cracker that allows you to use it for free.

Cooler is a fan that cools the computer processor and/or other important chips (for example, on a video card).

Lazar is a laser printer.

Laser printer - laser printer.

Lamer is an incompetent PC user with inflated self-esteem (not to be confused with a teapot).

Medicine is a program cracker that allows you to use it for free.

Flying is a computer game in the flight simulator genre.

Login - identifier (name) used to log into the system.

Lokalka is a local network.

Mac is a Macintosh computer manufactured by Apple.

Mom is the motherboard.

Mother - motherboard.

Motherboard - motherboard.

Matrix - a blank CD (or DVD) with a single or multiple write function.

Mother - motherboard.

The car is a computer.

Message - message, letter.

Meter - megabyte.

Brains are the computer's random access memory (RAM).

Monya is a computer monitor.

Moped - modem.

Trash - Recycle Bin (a folder in Windows where files and folders are placed before they are finally deleted).

Soap - email (e-mail).

PDA - pocket personal computer.

Nick - pseudonym, nickname.

Noob is a newbie.

RAM is the computer's random access memory (RAM).

Donkey - Internet Explorer browser.

The axis is the operating system.

Office is a package of application programs for the Microsoft Office computer.

Paga is a page on a website on the Internet.

Stick - joystick.

Password - password (from the English Password).

Pentyukh is a Pentium processor manufactured by Intel.

Stump is a Pentium processor manufactured by Intel.

Pisyuk is either a personal computer (from the English PC) or a CD-ROM writer.

The strip is a RAM module.

Armpit - mouse pad.

Trash - Recycle Bin (a folder in Windows where files and folders are placed before they are finally deleted).

Prog is a program.

Programmer - programmer.

Cancer - a removable disk drive (mobile hard drive).

A resuscitator is a specialist or a set of special programs capable of “reanimating” a computer (that is, capable of restoring the computer and data on it after a serious breakdown or failure).

Regist - register.

Cutter - CD-ROM with the function of burning CD and/or DVD discs.

Cut - write information onto optical discs.

Rulez - an expression of approval (from English to Rule - to rule, to steer).

Herring - plastic packaging from recordable CDs (usually 10-100 discs).

Server - server.

Sideboard - server.

Setevukha is a network card.

Internet.

Sidyuk - CD-ROM.

Blue tooth - Bluetooth interface.

Blue Screen of Death - the text of a message about a critical Windows error (displayed on the monitor screen in the form of white letters on a blue background).

Sysadmin - system administrator.

Demolish - remove information from a computer or any storage medium.

Software - computer software.

Shooter is a computer game of the Action class (3D action).

Inkjet - inkjet printer.

TV - monitor.

Trample loaves - work on the keyboard (button, translated from English, - buttons).

Brakes are very slow operation of computer programs or the computer itself.

Kill - delete information from a computer or from any storage medium.

Uryuk is a PC user.

Fix - correct errors.

Windows is a derogatory name for the Microsoft Corporation's Windows operating system.

Hamster - the main (home) page of the site.

FAQ - frequently asked questions, FAQ.

Teapot is a novice computer user.

Bloomers is a shareware program for PC.

Cable - a multi-core flat cable (for example, an “IDE cable” for connecting a hard drive to an IDE port on the motherboard).

Lace - wire, connecting cable.

Enikey - any key.

User - computer user.

Unixoid is a user of the UNIX operating system.

Yabloko is a user of Apple Macintosh computers.


Text © Spitsyn Vladimir, 2008 (especially for the site "City of Vorkuta" -)

Websites about computers and office equipment

Articles about computers and office equipment


To the uninitiated, the phrase “overclock a computer” sounds like “disassemble”, or even “break” the computer. This is partly true, since the consequences of “overclocking” are hardly predictable and anything can happen. However, computer owners quite often decide to take such a radical measure as “overclocking”. Why is this and why is this necessary? All such users have one common goal - to increase the performance of the computer system. Private goals can be anything, from the need to use a new operating system or office software package on an old computer, to the desire to play new computer games on an old computer. So how can you “overclock” your computer without breaking it?

Computer slang is a type of slang used by IT specialists and other computer users.

As in the professional language of computer scientists, jargon or slang contains many English borrowings.

One of the common methods inherent in all slang expressions is the transformation of some term, usually large in volume or difficult to pronounce.

These are often borrowed from English computer jargon.

Along with new technology, computer games have also been introduced into the human world, where there are also certain individual designations for things.

They are usually in English and sometimes it is difficult to understand what they are about.

Well, for example: LOL, PLZ, XOXO, TNX, THX, NP, YW, ROFL, WTF, I think you don’t know all the designations.

Here's a small one an excursion into the world of abbreviations.

Let me note that this is a collection of slang that is regularly used not only by programmers, but also by ordinary Internet users.

A
Admin — Abbreviated name for the administrator.

ID (ID) – identifier.
IP (IP) is a unique address. Each computer has its own IP, which is provided to it by the provider.
IT specialist – programmer, information technology (IT) specialist. In English, the abbreviation IT (Information Technology) is read as “IT”.
Update – update.
Up - Restore the operation of the equipment.

B
A bug is an error in a program or code. Derived from the English word “bug” - beetle. (not to be confused with glitch)
Bank - Computer, system unit

A batch file is a command file with the .bat extension. Used to work with the command line in Windows.
Broken - not working. For example, broken links are links that lead to nowhere, error 404.
Bydlokoder - A person who writes low-quality program code, trying to pass it off as normal in the eyes of the client.

Burzhunet is the foreign part of the Internet. Mainly applies to foreign sites from Europe or the USA.
Backup – backup. Those. creating a copy of the project, website, data, so that in case of unforeseen circumstances, failure, the entire system can be returned to its previous state. It is considered good practice to constantly update backups and store them in several places (not just on your work computer).
Backend (back-end) – development of the “internal part” of sites, programs, applications. Working with the server

IN
A webinar (web based seminar) is a seminar, presentation or lecture that takes place online, live broadcast on the Internet.
Crash - In relation to software - suddenly stop working, enter the operating system with an error

G

Game development – ​​development, creation of games.
Geek - a person who is well versed in a certain direction, is a fanatic of his business. Nowadays programmers are mostly called geeks.
A glitch is an incomprehensible glitch that slows down processes in a program or game.
Glitchy - Unreliable, unstable, undebugged or poorly written, working with glitches.

D
Engine - CMS (English CMS, Content management system), a set of scripts for managing the content of the site.
Debug – find and fix errors in the program. Catch bugs.
Deadline – deadline for completion or delivery of a project, task, or work.
Board - Disk operating system, DOS

Z
File (filed) – upload or create something, put it on public display. For example, “I made a video” - that means I uploaded the video to YouTube.

TO

Coder - programmer.
Code – program.
Copy paste – copy and paste. “Copy” - copy, “Paste” - paste.
Killer feature - An outstanding feature or characteristic of a software product. Some special feature that competitors' products do not have. Derived from the English expression “killer feature” - a killer feature.

A crutch is fixing serious bugs, holes, errors without properly fixing the entire system. Those. when something is broken and needs to be fixed quickly in the shortest possible time.
Krakozyabry - a set of incomprehensible symbols, nonsense. Occurs as a result of incorrect encoding. You can often see it on websites - “Привет! "РњРµРСЏ".
A crack (tablet) is a special program or add-on for hacking various software. Mainly used to turn a licensed (paid) program into a free one. From English “crack” is a crack.

L
Lamer is an inexperienced user, a person who does not understand something, but thinks that he is a master. From the English “lame” - to limp. Not to be confused with a teapot.
Level – level.
Educational program – elimination of illiteracy. Teaching the basics, the basics.
Linuxist is a person who uses the Linux operating system.
Log (log) – a journal, a diary in which all actions in the program are recorded in chronological order. For example: when and which users registered, errors, failures, user actions, etc.
Lokalka is a local network. A network that consists of several computers connected by cables.

M

Manual - guide, instruction.
Cursing in code - When hacking programs, replace the conditional jump with an unconditional one. The expression comes from the near unconditional jump instruction code (0EBh). An incorrect, potentially dangerous technique that is best avoided, because... This results in a potentially incorrect crack - it is better to replace the values ​​with the required ones instead of init or a check that is obviously performed at startup.

N
Native – native, innate. The phrase “native code” is often used - code that is written by developers. Here's another example: C++ is the native language for Windows 7 - this means that C++ is the native language of Windows, the one in which the developers wrote this OS.
Noob (nubchik, nubas, nubar, nubak) is a beginner or a person who can’t do anything, or doesn’t know how to do it right. Inexperienced, new.
ABOUT
A rollback is a return to the original position from a backup.
Ojax - Errative from English. AJAX - "Asynchronous Javascript and XML" - the concept of using several related technologies in web development, allowing you to change content without reloading the entire web page.

P

Pros - C++ programming language
A patch is an addition or update that corrects errors, bugs, and glitches. From the English “patch” - plaster. Applying a patch to a program is called "patching".
A podcast is video or audio lessons, stories on a specific topic. Most often of an educational nature. Nowadays, podcasts for learning English are very common.
Proger is a programmer.
Handwriting - a certain arrangement of spaces, tabs, line breaks, etc. when writing program code.

R
Developer - developer.
RTFM - Comes from the English abbreviation “RTFM” (Read The Fucking Manual) - “Read the damn manual!”
Used as an answer when either a very simple or a very difficult question is asked.

It is most common among system administrators and programmers during non-verbal communication with inexperienced users.

Sometimes used to express feelings of neglect and/or superiority.

Redesign is an update, modernization of the system not only externally, but also internally.
Release - to release something to the public, to make a presentation, to present something to the public. For example: program release - release of a program for use, song release - release of a song.
Root (root) – root rights. These are rights that allow the user to have expanded control over the system and change internal settings.
WITH
Support – support service. Available in programs, applications, websites.
Skill is an excellent ability, the ability to work with something.
Slowpoke - slow, brake. Derived from the name of the pink Pokemon "Slowpoke".
Software is software, programs.
SSZB - abbr. Himself Evil Pinocchio

T

Team lead – lead developer, team leader.
Tutorial – lessons, tutorial, textbook. For example, a JavaScript tutorial - lessons, Javascript training.
Technorat is a virus writer, author of computer viruses. Technorats for the most part are far from brilliant programmers, especially now that the lamers have started to sprinkle HLLP viruses and crap auto Trojans.

F
Firewall is an antivirus that protects your computer from viruses. In English it means “burning wall” - here we should understand a wall that protects other buildings from the spread of fire. Another name is Brandmauer (translated from German also means “burning wall”).
Fix – fix bugs.
Feature – feature, unique opportunity, property. A popular example: when a program produces an unexpected result, which may be due to the programmer’s fault, the programmer himself says, “This is not a bug, but a feature.” Those. a unique opportunity of the program, as it should be
Frontend (front-end) – development of the “appearance” of the site. Working with the client. The languages ​​used are HTML, CSS and JavaScript.


X
A hackathon (hack marathon) is an event that brings together specialists from different areas of software development (programmers, designers, managers) to develop a specific program, application, or to solve another issue. Those. programming marathons where programmers gather to code.

Holy war is a constant dispute between people who have opposing views and are not going to change them.
Habr - The largest Russian-speaking it-community "habrahabr" (habrahabr.ru)

E

Enikey (any key) – any button. Often during installation and downloading we are asked to “Press any key”. Hence the word.
Enikey is a synonym for a teapot, an inexperienced user who does not always know what he needs to do - he is looking for the “enike” button. There may also be a low-ranking IT specialist who does simple tasks (installing Windows, software, antiviruses...).
Elf - In UNIX-like OS - a binary executable file (from ELF - Executable Linkable Format, Executable Loadable Format).

YU
User (user, user) – user.

“The smartest” - What are the special commands of the HTML language called? Which banks are created only by programmers? What statement ends a program in a programming language? What is the name of a computer that provides its resources to other computers when working together? What sign functions as a multiplication sign in most programming languages?

“Informatics Games” - INSERT ESCAPE END PAGE UP ENTER HOME. K. Bon voyage! M. "Keyboard". R. A. DELETE, BLACKSPACE. E. Game “travel to the country of computer science.” I.S.H.N.Yu. Station 2. "Erudites". P. Station 1.

“Game” - Invite players from the network. For each win or draw a certain number of points are awarded. Can be played with: With a computer. You can play with: With a computer (1 or more computer players). Brief description of the game III. The presentation was compiled by the company. “Tuning” options. Option I “Flying sombreros”.

“Logic games” - Where is the logic here? Search for materials about the first uses of logical elements Design of presentations and booklets. Group of practitioners. In everyday life: In mathematics: In literature: In computer science: Why do we need knowledge of logic? At the stop, 5 people got off and 3 people got on. What do we know about logic?

"Games for schoolchildren" - Arcade games. Non-role-playing computer games. 5. Role-playing games. 2. COMPUTER GAMES and VIRTUAL REALITY. Role-playing computer games. Minuses??? Our classification: Rating of games 2008:

“Game of Life” - Implementation and study of the game “Life” in a spreadsheet environment (MS Ecxel). Fig. 1 “Flasher”. An attempt to create a hypothetical machine that can reproduce itself. The population in our game is called a square (minimum size 3*3 cells). Sciences influenced by the development of the game "Life". Speaker: Posevina A.D. Nomination: mathematics.

According to the newspaper “Capital” (see: Vostryakova L. Language of the market // Capital. 1996. April 16), “with the advent of personal computers on the domestic market in the mid-80s and the release in 1988 of initially 100% translated “PC World” magazine, which became very popular, experienced a “collapse”: English-language terms and abbreviations, often in English spelling, filled the pages of the magazines and clogged the speech of specialists.” At the same time as the professional language of programmers, the specific jargon of computer experts and simply people who are interested in computer games began to take shape.

Computer jargon (as we will call it for simplicity) contains vocabulary that is colloquial and crudely familiar in tone. It, like the professional vocabulary of programmers, contains quite a lot of Anglicisms. However, foreign language borrowings are by no means the only source of replenishment of computer scientists' jargon.

Taking advantage of the proposal by K.N. Dubrovina’s model for the analysis of student jargon (see: Student jargon // Philological Sciences. 1980. No. 1), we will try to find out the ways and means of the formation of computer jargon. They are very diverse.

Some words of this lexical system are borrowed from the jargon of other professional groups: for example, “teapot” (inexperienced programmer) and “engine” (algorithm - the core of a computer program) are taken from the jargon of motorists, where they denote, respectively, an inexperienced driver and a car engine. The jargon "makrushnik" (a programmer using the programming language "macroassembler") is a lexical borrowing from criminal slang, in which the word "mokrushnik" means "killer" (see: Explanatory Dictionary of Criminal Jargons. M., 199.1. P. 108) . A “wheelbarrow” in urban folklore is a car (see: Elistratov V.S. Dictionary of Moscow Argo. M., 1994. P. 465), and this word has passed into computer jargon with the meaning “computer”. For example, about the Pentium-200 computer they say: “A fashionable car with a two-hundredth engine” (see: How to buy a computer... // Moskovsky Komsomolets. 1996. December 1).

It happens that borrowings change semantically, for example,

as a result of metaphorical transfer. Thus, the word “mofbn” in youth interjargon means a tape recorder, and in computer jargon “mofbn” can be called any device with magnetic tape (say, a streamer). The similarity in meaning on the basis of which the transfer occurs is magnetic tape, which allows information to be recorded.

For most slang systems, the method of metaphorization turned out to be productive. With its help, the following words are formed in computer jargon: “damn” - a compact disc, the data from which is read by a computer; “rat” - a Soviet-made mouse (very large compared to the standard one); "tile" - printed circuit board; “reanimator” - a specialist in “revitalizing” a disconnected computer; "garbage" - interference in the terminal or telephone network.

There are numerous verbal metaphors: “slow down” - spend time playing computer games, idle; “to demolish” (Soviet form of “to demolish”) - to delete unclaimed information (computer mail) from the computer’s memory; “buzz” - establish a connection using a modem, etc.

In addition to metaphors, other methods of transference can be found in computer jargon. For example, the use of the words “boss” (from the English colloquial boss - boss) and “sadist” to mean the main “scoundrel” (enemy) in all computer games without exception is a synecdoche. In the magazine “Country of Games” (1996. No. 7) we read: “Any most difficult to kill, strong and large enemy in the game can be called a “boss.” It is generally accepted that he should logically complete a level in the game with his appearance.” In the “Encyclopedia of Computer Games” (St. Petersburg, 1995, p. 4) we find another example of the use of the jargon “boss”: “Game levels almost always end in a fight with the “boss” - a particularly large and harmful opponent. To destroy the “boss” you need to find his weak point and skillfully use it using appropriate tactics.”

The use of the jargon "hardware" to mean "computer" (the mechanical and electronic parts of a computer) is an example of metonymy.

There are argotisms in computer jargon. These words should not be understood as belonging to a secret, classified language. Argotisms are simply devoid of actual linguistic motivation, or it is incomprehensible to the uninitiated. This kind of conventional name includes the lexeme “corkpot” - a powerful device that creates interference in the electrical network. When a computer malfunctions due to a voltage surge in the electrical network, they say: “The neighbors turned on the cork monitor again!” To “boot” a floppy disk means to prepare it for loading into a computer. A software product that produces only video effects and does not contain dialogue is called a “glitch” (or “glitch”). A computer that turns off spontaneously is said to be “hanging.” An inexperienced programmer whose computer frequently freezes (that is, refuses to work) is called a "hangman."

A special place in computer jargon is occupied by words that do not have semantic motivation. They are distinguished from argotisms by their connection with those common words and computer terms, instead of which they are used in the slang system. This connection is based on relations of partial homonymy: words that do not have semantic motivation are characterized by individual morpho-phonetic coincidences with commonly used words and professional terms of programmers (the phenomenon of phonetic mimicry).

For example, programmers call a laser printer (printing device) a “lazar” due to partial sound matches in the roots of semantically dissimilar words: Lazarus And laser. Thus, the word, which in the common language has the meaning of the male name Lazarus, in computer jargon has acquired a completely new meaning.

Vocabulary of this kind includes jargon: “vaxa” (VAX operating system) and “sivukha” (slang name for the computer game “Civilization”), as well as “pentyukh” - a Pentium modification computer.

Many words in computer jargon are formed according to word-formation models adopted in the Russian language. For example, the jargon “flying” is formed in an affixed way. From the verb fly with the help of the suffix characteristic of colloquial speech -“-- the noun “flying” is formed - a computer game that simulates flight on a combat aircraft or spaceship. In the magazine "World of Entertainment" (1996. No. 7) we read: "Fans of flying games can be reminded of the game "US Navy Fighters", the previous flight simulator within the whole series "Jane's Combat Simulations"."

According to one model with the word “flying”, the jargons “broddle” and “shooter” were formed. "Brodilka" is a game in which you are asked to go on a "journey" through an unknown area, where you need to find a certain object ("artifact"). As a rule, a computer game with a simple plot is called a “shooter”. Winning in such a game depends only on the player’s reaction speed and his ability to use the computer keyboard. In the “Encyclopedia of Computer Games” we find the following example: “...there are developed template themes and genres, just like the genres of a “Western” or a “romance novel” in the world of literature. First of all, these are the most primitive “shooters”... Airplanes crushing myriads of enemies, lone supermen with superweapons in their hands... It’s impossible to list all the different themes..! Due to their primitiveness, some “shooters” received the nickname “spinal cord guns.”

In the words "pisyuk" (from the English abbreviation PC personal computer) and "sidkek" (from the English abbreviation CD - compact disc) there is a suffix -yuk, characteristic of common speech. Here are examples of the use of these jargons: “...you will learn all this from the introduction, which completely occupies the first disc (there are 3 CDs in the game)” (World of Entertainment. 1996. No. 7). In Moskovsky Komsomolets we read: “Ask a person who claims to be a programmer to show his pussy. If he shows you anything different from a PC, you can slap him in the face and send him away.”

One way to expand computer jargon is to borrow vocabulary from the English language. Borrowings that are not grammatically mastered by the Russian language include the following words: “gambwer” - unauthorized stop of a computer program (from the English game over - end of the game); "smiley" (from the English smily) is a funny face, which is a sequence of punctuation marks (: -)) typed on a computer keyboard.

Among the grammatically mastered borrowings, jargon should be mentioned: “mail” (from the English mail - mail) - a letter transmitted over a computer network; "gamer" (from English slang gamer) - a fan of computer games. The grammatical mastery of some borrowings by the Russian language is accompanied by their word-formation Russification. Here we mean jargon: “to connect” (from English to connect) - to communicate using computers; “to print” (from English to print) - to print; “to kill” (from English to kill - completely stop) - stop any operations performed by a computer; “to program” (from English to programm) - to engage in programming; “click” (from English to click - onomatopoeia “click”) - press the mouse keys.

An example of semantic borrowing is the word kick(owl species kick). Russian kick in computer jargon received a figurative meaning “to load an operating system or program into a computer”, which arose under the influence of the figurative meaning of the English to boot “to kick”. Perhaps, thanks to another figurative meaning of the English expression to boot, the Russian kick has come to mean in the slang of programmers also “to send a letter or file over a computer connection.” They say: “Let's ask Microsoft to give us the Windows source code” (Let's ask Microsoft to give us the source materials for the Windows program).

It is noteworthy that words that are stylistically neutral in English in the jargon of Russian programmers acquire a functionally determined, reduced stylistic connotation: rudely familiar, ironically dismissive, or simply conversational and relaxed.

Abbreviations are often found in programmers' slang. For example, Macintosh computers are called "Macs". Here is an example: “Personal computers are IBM-compatible and Macintosh. Today we will talk only about the first type, and Mac owners can only wish patience until the next release” (Moscow. Come. 1996. December 1)

Sometimes phrases are reduced to one word (univerbization technique). Thus, the name of the computer game "Wolfenstein" (translated from German as "Wolf's Lair") was shortened to the jargon "wolf" (from German Wolf "wolf"). In the August 1996 issue of the magazine “Country of Games” we read: “Fans quickly dubbed the released demo version “Wolf” and with great pleasure began to save their hero from the fascist dungeons.”

Jargon can also serve as an example of universalization strategy, derived from the phrase "strategic game". The “strategy” category includes all computer games where it is necessary to direct military operations at the level of a commander of any rank. Often in these games it is necessary to manage not only troops, but also economic resources, that is, the “rear” (See: “Encyclopedia of Computer Games.” P. 6, 7). Here is an example of the use of jargon strategy from the magazine "Pro Games" (1996. No. 6): "Strategies, strategies... There have been so many of them already! Well, Close Combat (the name of the new computer game. -P.L.) is not so different from its relatives, but still deserves our attention."

The vocabulary of computer jargon contains words with identical or extremely close meanings - synonyms. You can even single out entire synonymous series: “computer” - “wheelbarrow” - “apparatus” - “machine” (computer); “hung” - “fell” - “collapsed” - “crouched” - “extinguished” (this is what they say about a computer that refused to work); "screw" - "hard" - "disk" - "berdan" - "heavy drive" (hard drive is a hard drive installed inside the computer where all programs are located).

In computer jargon one can also observe the phenomenon of homonymy. For example, “slow down” (bad, slow work - about the computer) and “slow down” (kill time by playing computer games). Moreover, you can find examples of homonymy, both internal (between the words of the jargon itself) and external (with words of the national language). Let us compare, for example, such homonyms as “click” (“to call someone” in Russian colloquial speech), on the one hand, and “click” in the above slang meaning, on the other.

In some cases, we can talk about homonymous relationships that arise between words from different slang systems. For example, in youth interjargon the word “glitch” means “hallucination, mirage, vision.” And in computer jargon, a “glitch” is an unintentional error in a program that produces an unpredictable result.

Domestic programmers have added numerous phraseological units to the language. Most of them are characterized by a bright emotional coloring and stylistic decline. Among the verbal phraseological units we can name the following: “trample buttons” - work on the computer keyboard; "reap loaves" - work with the mouse; “glitch polish” - engage in unnecessary embellishment of an already written computer program, etc. Substantive phraseological units include: “moon phase” - a popular explanation for the unexpected turning on of a computer or program that suddenly “came to life” and began to do what was asked of it ; "three-finger salute" ("three-finger exit") - turning off the computer by simultaneously pressing the Ctrl-Alt-Del keys; “mother” - the main (or motherboard) board in a computer, etc.

The peculiar folklore of programmers is interesting, in which terminological vocabulary is used in a broad figurative sense in various situations that are not directly related to the professional activities of computer specialists. For example, when a programmer does not want to fulfill someone's request, he can say: "Can"t open (or "Invalid reguest") - "I can't open" (or "Unreasonable request"). It is this English text that is displayed on the computer screen when the machine cannot complete the task assigned to it. “Divide overflom” (“overload”) says a computer scientist when, due to fatigue, he is unable to perceive incoming information. In a similar situation, a computer produces such a phrase! A programmer falling asleep in the evening of a difficult day bids himself to sleep with the words: “System halted.” The computer “speaks” the same thing when it switches off.

In the professional language of programmers, there is an expression “boot a computer,” that is, enter a certain program into the machine. The word “load” today in the jargon of computer scientists and youth interjargon has acquired a new meaning: “to bore someone with long and “abstruse” speeches.” A correspondent for Moskovsky Komsomolets writes: “In order not to burden the people, I will cite some interesting passages from her work...” (MK. 1996. December 12).

What is the difference between computer jargon and other Tina dialects? The emotionally charged vocabulary of programmers differs from Russian colloquial speech and vernacular in that it is “fixated” on the realities of the computer world. Phenomena that are not of this world do not encourage programmers to give them slang names.

It should be noted that jargon often turns out to be derived from professional terms borrowed from the English language.

Slang vocabulary differs from the professional terminology of programmers in its emotional overtones and some blurred meanings of words, which are not typical for terms. As a rule, jargon acts as stylistic synonyms of professional terms. Let’s compare, for example, synonymous constructions: “shooter” (jarg) and arcade(prof.); "wanderer" (jarg) and quest(prof.); "flying plane" (jarg) and aviation simulator(prof.), etc.

Computer jargon is a new phenomenon in the Russian language. Its novelty is determined by the fact that the speakers and creators of this vocabulary are representatives of a relatively young profession - programmers. The existence of computer jargon allows programming specialists not only to understand each other perfectly. Thanks to knowledge of this special language, computer scientists feel like members of a closed community, isolated from the “uninitiated.” The phenomenon of such linguistic isolation is characteristic of almost all professional groups, and not just programmers.

We have only scratched the surface of the broad layer of vocabulary that is computer jargon. The development of this linguistic phenomenon and its spread among an increasing number of Russian speakers is determined by the introduction of computer technology into the life of modern society. It seems that computer jargon should become the object of close attention of linguists, because, as examples of other jargon systems show, special vocabulary sometimes penetrates the literary language and is fixed there for many years.

Likholitov, P.V. Computer jargon / P.V. Likholitov // Russian speech. - 1997.-№3

18. Exercise:

Write a review about the article you read.

Share with friends or save for yourself:

Loading...