Trolling

Silent Bob

So where did this word come from?

I can think of two possible origins, in fishing parlance trolling is when you drag bait in the water to try and catch fish.

The other possibility would be related to mythical trolls, which are renowned for stupidity.

What do you reckon?

Sarky

I would guess the former, seeing as there's plenty of nautical (but nice) themes going for this crazy internet thing as it is.

Trolls are just dangling bait for fish to bite on and start flaming, or whatever response the troll is looking for...

dod

According to Merriam Webster, your first suggestion is right:

http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=trolling

Silent Bob

Yah, but is that why it's used in that sense on the web?

For some reason I just can't think that "1337 H4><0r5" have a large interest in fishing...

Robbo

Originally posted by Silent Bob
Yah, but is that why it's used in that sense on the web?

For some reason I just can't think that "1337 H4><0r5" have a large interest in fishing...

You've never picked up a copy of "Carp World" have you?

Borzoi

Originally posted by Silent Bob

I can think of two possible origins, in fishing parlance trolling is when you drag bait in the water to try and catch fish.

The other possibility would be related to mythical trolls, which are renowned for stupidity.

A little bit of column A, a little bit of column B.

for what it's worth

Wolf

I believe that many of the word on the net are just wordds someone used and somehow they feel right and stick.

I think Trolling has alot to do with both the statments but also the fact that to Troll through something is to go through it untill you find something that peaks your interest. ie I trolled through these books and found this.

Also Trolling on the net I always felt was also reffering to people that would just add random and pointless posts just for something to do.

dendenz

Trolls are people who look for trouble are they not?

BoB_BoT

i get the whole trolling thing, but i always thought that a troll was someone who waits for the next helpless person to cross over the bridge and he can then get them when the pass over, like in that story
em.. think it was called, the three billy goats gruff or something.