Ok, so. Geek? Nerd?

[elionwyr]

What exactly is the difference?

(Yes, yes, I could just wikipedia it, but...I'm curious what y'all think.)

It seems to me that geek is more socially acceptable than nerd*. I mean, when I think "nerd" I think "Revenge of the Nerds" and pocket protectors; and when I think geek I think of many of my friends, none of whom wear pocket protectors.

What say you?



* Unless we're talking that X-Files episode, in which case, dude, I am SO not interested in continuing this discussion. shudder

Comments

[zhent.livejournal.com]

I see Geek as being more derogatory than nerd. Nerd also is, to me, more generalized, and one can be a nerd in particular subjects vs. a geek covering everything. I've had friends even self identify their particular geekdom. My sister professes to be a music-nerd as one example, though she is in no other way a nerd...

[harkalark.livejournal.com]

I've heard it both ways, which one is the term for the cooler kind of person. And I lean towards the opposite of your interpretation. To me, "geek" is always negative, where "nerd" can be either way, negative in the eyes of jock-types but affectionate among fellow nerds (who are smart but awkward).

"Geek" also creates an image in my mind, a negative one, probably based on hearing Fred Blassie's song "Pencil Neck Geek" at an early age. Nerds seem more physically varied in my mind when I picture them (ranging from Comic Book Guy on The Simpsons to extremely hot Willow on Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

IMO

[bluedressdevil.livejournal.com]

Nerd: you are very smart perhaps in all things or one thing whether it is math or art history but very social inept i.e. unable to hold conversations with people outside of work and school type conversations. You are unable to dumb down explanations of your field of expertise and do not comprehend that people may not be at your level in that field.

Geek: You are very smart perhaps in all things or one thing whether it is math or art history but you are able to socialize with people well and hold conversations. You are able to speak to nerds in your field but also able to speak to "lay people" in your field because of your ability to explain in terms other than those in your field of expertise.

If that makes sense. :)

[figmentj.livejournal.com]

I think geek is the one with more positive connotations. Both mean smart and into one or more subjects intensely, but nerd implies socially awkward and serious and "losery", whereas geek implies a sense of humor, certain fandoms, and a general sense of fun.

[brujah.livejournal.com]

A nerd is someone whose life revolves around computers and technology. A geek is someone whose life revolves around comptuers and technology.. and they like it that way.

:D

[roadnotes.livejournal.com]

in my idiolect, "geek" is someone who is focused on/obsessed by/fascinated by a certain thing, is aware of that focus/obsession/fascination, and has enough self-awareness to find it sometimes amusing. I hang out with cocktail geeks, music geeks, comic book geeks, movie geeks... actually, I tend to hang out with geeks.

Hmmmm... I don't use "nerd," often, but it has derogatory connotations to me. "Humorless," and "oblivious," perhaps, being the main ones.

I also think there's a sliding scale of good geeks to bad geeks, and nerds are not in it. A nerd is more likely to be quietly off being obsessed about, say, the first two October Project albums; a bad geek will leap into a music conversation about them and explain in detail why the third cut on the first album is the absolute pinnacle of twentieth-century female vocals, not letting anyone else get a word in edgewise; a good geek will talk about the albums, and how they relate to Mary Fahl's later solo work, the November Project, and other things, and engage in actual conversation.

[argonel.livejournal.com]

In my lexicon gEEk is an electrical engineer, while nerds are most other types of engineers. But then as a Metallurgical engineer my views may be a little skewed compared to the general population.

[iwhisperwolf.livejournal.com]

The primary difference, as far as I can fathom, is one of applicable knowledge.

A "nerd" is anyone who shows a socially uncouth amount of attention to any given subject.

While a "Geek" is someone who does so to the extent that said person could seek gainful employment in a field related to their geekdom.

Example...
A zombie 'nerd' survives the apocolypse, while a zombie 'geek' profits off of his knowledge of zombie anatomy by selling shotguns to nerds.

You see?

Etymologically speaking...
"Geek" stems from the Germanic "Geck" meaning "to excel through cheating." (chicken biting is an unrelated later usage)
While "Nerd" comes from "Nert" meaning a "stupid or crazy person." Possessing none of the witty "Ace" qualities that "geck" has, making "Nerd" the more derogatory of the two.

They're interchangeable, much like "Dork" and "Doofus" are interchangeable. But still different.

I think we should adopt a new word that works as an umbrella to cover both...
"Neek" or "Gerd" perhaps.

[coyotegoth.livejournal.com]

Subjectively: when I think "geek" I think of someone who isn't afraid so express esoteric interests in social situations (dressing as a Klingon in public, say); "nerd" for me connotes someone more of the pocket pen protector ilk.

[cissa.livejournal.com]

My husband wore a pocket protector on our first blind date. Yes, really.

And I looked at it and said to myself "Well! At least he's not wearing a calculator strapped to his belt!" which he wasn't.

And we went out to eat, and it came time to pay the bill... and lo! he had a CALCULATOR WATCH!!!! I almost cracked up right then and there, but didn't because i didn't want to have to explain.

We've since discussed it, though, and we both think it's pretty funny.