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Etymology of 'Internet troll'
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Archived
Etymology of 'Internet troll'
Just wondering what is the factual origin of the word troll in modern Internet discourse. I've tried to google it and sources seem to split between two possible origins: Scandinavian folklore creature and hunting / fishing term.
So what was the primary semantics of troll - "a person who irritates his/her communicative partners and destroys positive aura" (like a mythical monster) or "a person who intentionally provokes as many people as possible to start / join a word-fight" (thus 'catching' them as one would troll fish)?
EDIT: So to troll / trolling (as an action) came from fishing, while the meaning of its back-formation a troll (a person who does the act of trolling) merged with the semantics of homonym that refers to a mythical creature.
Thanks! This question has been bothering me for a while, and you've just made it clear to me. Best regards!
EDIT (2): Found another proof: "The term [troll] derives from fishing (the trailing of a baited hook to see what bites), though it also captures the resonance of the trolls of Scandinavian mythology – the bridge-guarders who would let people pass only if they answered a question correctly" - David Crystal, "Language and the Internet".
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level 1
Trolling wasn't originally disruptive, as the Wikipedia article explains, so the fishing etymology is the most likely one. "Don't pay attention to him, he's just trolling" didn't use to mean that the person was being a jerk, just that they were posting silly newbie questions that everyone but newbies would immediately identify as being posted jokingly. A good example of trolling in the original sense would be posting "Dear /r/atheism, did you know that Darwin recanted his beliefs and converted to Christianity on his death bed? This invalidates your whole world view!" on reddit.
Then, as trolling changed over time and became less good-spirited and more malicious (cf. John Gabriel's Greater internet Fuckwad Theory), the word started to be used as a noun, and it was a fortunate coincidence that it referred to a disgusting bridge-dwelling creature. I guess some reverse etymology happened, as "trolling" started to mean "acting like a troll", i.e. being an asshole just for fun.
level 2
This is exactly it.
Trolling traditionally was about trying to "get a bite", and often involved a creative/playful element.
Of course, the difference between a provocative post and a post intentionally starting a flamewar is sometimes vague, and trolling started to acquire malicious overtones.
level 2
Oh, the Fuckwad Theory explains it all! :))
As far as I can see, nowadays 'professional' troll is an opposite to newbie - one must be really experienced in the Internet communication to make others 'feed' him (I exclude 'grammar nazis' that can turn unintentional misspelling into a trolling issue).
level 1
I've always assumed it was meant in the fishing sense, but by happy coincidence the homonym is equally applicable.
level 2
I've always assumed otherwise, as i didn't know "troll" was a fishing term at all. Funny how it works so well both ways. No wonder it stuck.
level 1
I think the folklore creature is more probable. Isn't the hunting/fishing term actually "trawl"?
In any event, any true meaning of the term has been lost in the past 10 years. It can mean anything from a practical joke and other such buffoonery to the much more popular meaning "I don't agree with your argument and I need to accuse you of not being serious".
level 2
"Trawl" and "troll" both exist in the context of fishing, and refer to different actions. Trawling is done with a net, trolling is done with bait.
level 1
It has two different meanings, the first referring to an action derived from trolling for newbies which borrow from the fishing technique of bait trailing and the second referring to an individual who chronically trolls. The nuance here is that trolling does not make you a troll, chronically doing it does, also it has the added notion of lack of purpose which has the effect of making it highly annoying and disruptive. A troll as individual will not end trolling with a YHBT. YHL. HAND. standing for You Have Been Trolled. You Have Lost. Have A Nice Day
It's all in the jargon file entry for troll. Another interesting resource: the consumerium wiki entry for troll.
level 1
Initially, I'd say it leans more towards the Scandinavian folklore meaning (i.e. someone who irritates and destroys positive aura), but the hunting/fishing term seems to fit a description of an 'Internet Troll' better - definitly intentionally provokes as many people as possible.
level 1
When did the term first come up? I'm just wondering because of this
level 2
I don't know when did it first come up, but that's even other option! Though I'm not sure whether the relation between Patent troll and Internet troll is parallel or derivative.
level 1
This explanation, and others like it, should be at the top of all websites with a social element to them. I'm nobody's prescriptivist but I get tired of people just using this term however they please.
level 2
In that case there should also be a sort of "DFTT" warning - that would help a lot =)))
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