Jan 06 2009
Are You A Plonker or A Noob?
I learned something new to me today on Facebook .
Seems a member of our online group, named “Buzz”, took her son to school for what they both thought would be the first day back to school. School was closed.
We’ve all done it. She at least had good fun with it and her friends. It’s how we learn lessons the best. “Buzz” isn’t stupid. She “rang up” the school and found that it would be closed Tuesday as well. I’m thinking there will be a veritable flock of plonkers arriving at the school on Tuesday. “Buzz” will be enjoying some extra sleep that morning, I hope.
Plonker is a slang term of British or Australian origin whose meaning has evolved over time. Partridge in the third edition of his A Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English in 1949 recorded the term as “low” slang for penis, “since ca. 1917″. The term remains in recent use with that meaning.By 1966, the term had also acquired the meaning of a man who let his girlfriend sleep with his male friends, and in the 1980s had a new meaning of a stupid or inept person. This meaning gained very wide circulation through its frequent use in Only Fools and Horses, and has entered common usage.
Source: reference.com
In Canada, it seems we have adopted another term for plonker and that is noob. Seems it’s replacing donk as the jab of choice.
noun
- A newb/newbie; a noob refers to the idea that someone is new to a game, concept, or idea; it implies a lack of experience. Originated from the first spelling ‘newb’ containing the word new.
- ‘Noobs‘ are annoying, they never know the forum rules.
- You just got pwned easily, ‘noob‘.
- I’ll teach you ‘noobs‘ how to play
Source: askaword.com
If you use these terms in jest, well they’re good fun and everybody gets a good laugh. If you use them, like I have experienced in online poker games, in a serious and derogatory tone, well you have just proved that you are sure to be considered for more than one of these. Just a 1st class version of plonker, noob and all the others to follow.
- dweeb
- dweazil
- dork
- cucco (we use “chooch” in our Italian neighbourhoods here)
- bozo
- gorby
- wanker (a Brit taught me the true meaning of this one)
- donk
- bonehead
- pinhead
- ninny
- twit
This is the short list. I’m sure you have lots of your own favourites. (That’s what comments boxes are for.)
Being a plonker shows that you’re human. Perfection would be way too boring.
Have a nice day.
(Even that statement has more than one meaning. It can be considered a pleasant salutation or, say it forcefully, and its something you might say to a bad waiter or a store clerk who won’t help you. Can you think of a two word phrase that could replace it, in that context?)
(There must be something in the air. I just became both a plonker and a noob shortly after writing this story. I went back to the game I had been playing (Tribal Wars - the big version), where I had been discussing the Have a Nice Day concept with a new found friend. I looked at my status bar and I was under attack. At first I couldn’t figure out why there was no new name under that attacking village. Simple. I attacked myself. Killed 11 of my guys and one of my tribe members - gordo. My game name is Bozoplay. I think that was certainly a bozoplay. Doh!!! I guess I’m not boring.)
