Cheaters, flamers, lamers

[Nightmare85]

Hello guys,
Maybe some of you know such words.
If not, I'll try to describe them as best I can.
Cheater: Someone who uses unfair tricks in competitions like games. (Or another meaning: If a man/woman has affairs while being married to someone.)
Flamer: Someone who insults members in forums, games etc.
Lamer: A guy who only tries to win, even if it's a very boring and unsightly method.

The problem:
In German we also use these words, but we never add an s (in order to make them plural).
So we would always say "These cheater, flamer, lamer." etc.
Also dictionaries don't give me results when I search for "cheaters, flamers, lamers".
Without s: Always correct results.
(dict.cc | Wrterbuch Englisch-Deutsch)

However, I definitely know that the word "hackers" exists.
That's why I'm a bit surprised, I cannot see a clear logic.

Cheers!

 

[BobK]

I've met 'cheaters' but the word 'cheats' (plural noun) is much more common.

I would understand 'flamers', though I don't think I've ever met it.

I've never met 'lamers', and according to this dictionary (lamer - definition of lamer by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia. ) it does not have the meaning you intend. In cases like this, I tend to suspect a faux ami. ;-)

b

 

[Nightmare85]

Interesting, thanks!

Well, I guess online players invited their own meaning of the word lamer

Maybe the problem with these words is that they do not really exist.
Or maybe they only exist as computer language.
dict.cc lists the word flame, however, with the info [comp].
This means words like flamer are just the noun.
(Like: Club -> clubbing; does not really exist.)

Maybe we can get some other opinions

Cheers!

 

[sarat_106]

Interesting, thanks!

Well, I guess online players invited their own meaning of the word lamer

Maybe the problem with these words is that they do not really exist.
Or maybe they only exist as computer language.
dict.cc lists the word flame, however, with the info [comp].
This means words like flamer are just the noun.
(Like: Club -> clubbing; does not really exist.)

Maybe we can get some other opinions

Cheers!

I agree. They exist only with a few speakers who use them as slang(something that is bad) though in India I have come across the word ‘cheater’ being used as a noun to describe a big cheat as; He is a big cheater.

 

[konungursvia]

Cheater is far more common than cheat in North America, where cheat is nearly always heard as a verb. Also, just because you don't find plurals in searches doesn't mean they don't exist. Dictionaries usually save space by reducing words to the barest form and adding bits later like "; -s (pl)."

 

[Raymott]

Urban Dictionary: lamer

 

[Nightmare85]

Urban Dictionary: lamer

That made me laugh :lol:

Yes, I often read the word lamer in such situations.
(It's not addressed to me, though )

Cheers!

 

[Tdol]

I have seen flaming used a lot, but can't say I have seen flamer used much. I'd be more likely to use troll for the person.

 

[BobK]

I have seen flaming used a lot, but can't say I have seen flamer used much. I'd be more likely to use troll for the person.

I don't think a 'troll' is quite the same; all trolls are flamers (if I may use that word, which I have only met in this thread!), but some flamers may just be responding to the flames of trolls.

b

 

[BobK]

Re: troll: when first I met the term, I imagined it must be related to the fishing meaning (Troll | Define Troll at Dictionary.com - see definitions 3, 4, 9, and 13-15). But I'm coming to think it's related to the mythical monsters who roam through fantasy fiction (and video games) looking for a fight - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troll.

Any ideas?

b

 

[Tdol]

I don't think a 'troll' is quite the same; all trolls are flamers (if I may use that word, which I have only met in this thread!), but some flamers may just be responding to the flames of trolls.

b

Yes, though it can get a bit trainspottery with dozens of subcategories and alternatives like griefers. I tend lump astroturfers and spammers into one category and flamers and trolls into another. :snipersm: