Computer is an indispensable assistant, faithfully serving in all spheres of life. Neither an engineer nor a housewife can do without it. Helping to make the most complex calculations, write, draw, study or just have fun, over several decades it has evolved from an expensive and incomprehensible contraption the size of a house to a device that should be in every family and preferably not in a single copy. All this not only contributed to the improvement of the quality of life, but also the formation of the so-called computer jargon. In Russian, it was fully formed later than English, having been strongly influenced by it. Let's look at the features of this variety of Russian, and also pay attention to the ways of word formation of such terms.
What is computer jargon?
The computer has become a revolutionary invention not only for the twentieth century, but for all periods in history. He took on the most complex calculations, facilitating and speeding up the work of a person like nothing before.
Over time, having decreased in size and having learned not only to count, but to draw, print, shoot and edit video and audio - it has become a must-have attribute in every home.
Together with the PC, the so-called computer jargon entered the lives of its users. These are various words, phrases and abbreviations that name the components of a computer, programs, as well as actions and people associated with this area.
A brief history of appearance
In the 80s. 20th century the computer became available to ordinary people. His ability to systematize and quickly find the necessary data began to be actively used in various fields not related to science.
Being quite young, the computer industry has not yet had time to form a specific terminology. And the names of new details and programs began to be invented by those who created them - yesterday's schoolchildren and students. Not having sufficient education (there was no one to learn from - they are pioneers), the guys called many devices and commands to their liking. So these words sounded more like jargon than professional terms.
However, this did not stop this slang from spreading around the world, along with new computers. And due to the fact that, like the terms, and jargons were in English - in other countries they began to adapt them in their own way, not always in accordance with the official grammar rules. Because of this, the words began to be attributed to slang. For example, in Russian and Ukrainian, forgetting or being too lazy to switch from Cyrillic tothe Latin layout of the "clave" (keyboard), instead of P. S., many put Z. Y. (Z. I.) Soon it became one of the computer jargons, which, however, are characteristic only of written speech.
It is worth noting that computer slang and jargon (what is the difference between them - in the next paragraph) began to actively enter Russian only in the second half of the 90s, almost decades behind other countries.
Slang and jargon
Which of the two terms best describes computer terminology directly?
At first glance, they look like one hundred percent synonyms. After all, they denote terms that are used in speech only by separate groups of people united on some basis (not only work, but also a hobby, a place of study).
For example: the word "iron" for the majority is a malleable metal of silver color. In computer slang, it means the physical components of a PC. At the same time, it is part of the phraseological unit in bodybuilders' jargon "to pump iron" - to do exercises to develop muscles.
This example shows that the same word in different slang has a distinctive meaning. However, for people who are not related to the areas where they are used, these interpretations may be incomprehensible.
At the same time, another word "window", in addition to the element of the wall of the house, meaning also part of the graphical interface in the PC - is understandable even to people far from the computer lexicon
The above two examples show the difference between computer jargon and slang. They arevery close in meaning, but not identical, showing rather a kind of evolutionary scale.
Any term used only in the environment of a particular group is jargon. If people who are not related to it gradually begin to use it everywhere in speech (but the word has not yet been assigned to the official colloquial vocabulary of the language, as a full-fledged one), it already belongs to slang. The "hardware" mentioned above is still jargon, while the "window" is already slang.
The differences are actually tiny, so more often than not the two terms are 100% related.
Professionalism
When studying PC vocabulary, you should pay attention to professionalism, associating it with such a speci alty as "computer engineer". This word is used to name several dozen professions related to the operation of computers. Depending on the specialization, the computer professionalisms used in its environment will also differ.
For example, the specific jargon of programmers will not always be clear to techies, and even to ordinary "users" (users that we are) it will seem like gibberish at all. It will be possible to understand it only by "google" ("search on the Internet" is an example of slang).
However, since almost every PC owner (who knows that a "stone" is a processor, and a "screw" is a hard drive) is used to considering himself a "computer engineer", calling all the specific vocabulary of this environment "professionalisms" is not verycorrectly. It's the same as putting a dentist who knows how to put crowns and a surgeon who specializes in coronary bypass surgery in the same row.
Moreover, as there is no profession "computer engineer" as such. There are programmers, specialists in the installation of various types of computers and related equipment, web developers, layout designers, etc. In addition to people working on improving computers and programs for them, there are users who work with a PC (designers, gamers) or simply use it, not as a professional tool.
All of the above categories use computer jargon in their speech. But since not all of them are specialists, it would be more correct to classify this group of terms as slang, and not to call such words "professionalisms".
So it is more correct to name the specific vocabulary of certain speci alties related to the operation of computers. For example, the professionalism of programmers, techies, layout designers, etc.
Use area
Even 20 years ago, all these "freeze" (the program stops responding to user commands), "fail" (make mistakes during operation) or "bang" (erase programs, OS, file) were understood only by a narrow circle " dedicated." Usually these were system administrators, gamers, frequenters of Internet cafes or "rich Pinocchio" who could afford a PC.
Thanks to systematic computerization in all areas (manufacturing, education, he althcare), today everyone is a userstudent or worker. And with the expansion of the capabilities of the phone, turning it from "tele" to "smart" (from the English "smart"), even those who do not have a computer are already using computer jargon.
If you pay attention to the age of those who use such words, then this is 5-50 years (according to the Russian Federation). The most active "users" - 13-40. It is they who use jargon more often than others. And not only in speech, but also in writing. This is mainly due to communication in the social networks Vkontakte, Odnoklassniki, Facebook and others. By the way, all these brands also have abbreviations that arose due to slang - "VK", "OK" and "FB".
The popularity of PC-slang in Russian is evidenced by the fact that some today even compose poems in computer jargon. Below is an essay by Inessa Fedina dedicated to this topic.
How do computer jargon words (word formation) come about?
Computer slang terms appear in Russian in several ways.
- Translation from another language. Most often from English, which has long become the world's "sponsor" of computer vocabulary. For example: windows - "windows" or "windows".
- Abbreviation ("mother" from "motherboard"). Very often in this method there is such a subspecies as abbreviation. It is used to shorten English words: IMHO (IMHO) - "in my humble opinion" from the phrase in my humble opinion. Orknown to all programmers KISS-principle "do not complicate what works well" (keep it simple, stupid).
- Transliterated from the British language. In many ways, this way of word formation arose due to the popularity of English in this area. Most of the "professional computer scientists", constantly dealing with this particular language, get used to inserting foreign words. Hence there are so many anglicisms in Russian computer jargon. For example: "gamer" (player), "device" (functional device).
- Phonetic mimicry (selection of words-analogues from the Russian language that sound like English). The above example of "device" has another analogue in slang - "girl". Another example is "daemon" (Daemon Tools program), "ICQ" (ICQ).
- Pun word formation. With this method, jargon appears as a joke based on a consonant pun. For example: playing Quake is "croaking", and deleting something with the del key is "doing business".
Classification of jargon by their graphic component
Russian computer slang can be divided into several categories according to different criteria.
Jargon can be classified according to the type of letters:
- cyrillic ("post" - send a message, stress on the first syllable);
- Latin (OMG- surprise, this is an abbreviation of oh, my God);
- iconic (:) - smile;
- digital (3, 14 - replacement of the syllable "pi" in non-normative expressions);
- mixed (10x -thanks, due to the similar sound in English with thanks).
Thematic classification of computer jargon
In addition to origin, you can also organize by topic.
- Working with a PC ("soap" - send by e-mail).
- Computer problems (WTF - "What is it?" an abbreviation of the English expression what the fuck).
- Components of the device ("Azer" - Acer computer).
- Internet ("Donkey" - Internet Explorer).
- Name of programs, commands, files, games ("Windows" - Microsoft Windows operating system).
- A person who works or is somehow connected with a PC ("lamer" - an inexperienced user who considers himself a professional).
Based on the given examples of computer jargon, this division is very conditional. After all, the word "soap" can be attributed not only to working with computers, but also to the "Internet" group.
Classification by areas of use
You can also categorize computer jargon this way.
- Gambling slang.
- Internet language.
- General vocabulary.
- Professionalism.
About computer games
Using a PC for gaming has always been considered a waste of time. Meanwhile, it was this area that largely contributed to the development of animation, sound, and the Internet itself.
A lot of computer games have been made for the development of computer slang. Therefore, today it stands out in a separate category, including in the Russian language. For example: "bot" (short for "robot", means a character controlled by a PC), "clan" (team of players), "spill" (same as "gamble" - play).
There are classifications in which the jargon of computer games is classified as a professional. Are they right? It all depends on whether gaming is considered a profession or entertainment.
Literary computer language
Not every computer or Internet related term is computer jargon. Since this device became an integral part of life, a layer of vocabulary began to form in Russian, officially fixed as a literary norm.
It is used in the field of scientific and technical research, the creation of new PC technologies, when writing educational literature on computer science, etc. Where the use of slang is unacceptable.
Official vocabulary contains fewer anglicisms and vulgarisms, moreover, words in it are more often of Russian origin.
For example, "user". The term has been around since the dawn of computer technology. He firmly entrenched himself, did not allow himself to be replaced by the jargon "user".
But the PC (personal computer) is a sad example of borrowing from the English PC (personal computer). There is a Russian name PEVM (personal electronic computer). Both termsrefer to the officially accepted vocabulary. At the same time, a PC is more acceptable, but less often used than a PC.
In fact, the computer literary norm is that cherished finish that every jargon strives for. But few people manage to get here. Especially those words that are an abbreviation of the accepted terms "system administrator" ("admin"), "identifier" ("idishnik"), IP address ("ipishnik"), etc.
Comparing the Russian computer literary norm or slang, it turns out that the latter is not only more numerous, but also popular among "users". Most linguists attribute this to the laziness of the current generation, the desire to imitate English. However, the truth is that jargon, which is not loved by linguists, is popular because it is convenient. With its help, long definitions or hard-to-remember abbreviations (often consisting of combinations of English and Russian letters) acquire simpler and more understandable names. They are lighter, and most importantly, recorded faster - which is important when every second counts.
Of course, taking and automatically turning the jargon of "computers" into a literary norm is not an option. Agree, "butt cutter" instead of GPRS in the official instructions will look more than ridiculous. But many words can and should be borrowed from there, as proven by time and practice. After all, the main purpose of the language is to provide communication, make it fast and convenient.
