Leet speech, also known as leetspeak, originated in the 1980s as an alphabet used primarily on the internet. It is a specialized form of symbolic writing using letters and numbers that resemble certain words when typed out. Common features of leet speech include intentionally misspelled words to represent phonetic sounds and shortened slang words. Leet speech is commonly used in online gaming forums, chats, and voice over internet programs where simplified communication is important.