Je ne suis pas un nerd !!

[Beowulf]

Lincolnshire Nerds..

Grr.. someone ought to explain the difference to these guys !!

[Caro]

Grr.. someone ought to explain the difference to these guys !!

geek (gk)
n. Slang
1. a. A person regarded as foolish, inept, or clumsy.
b. A person who is single-minded or accomplished in scientific or technical pursuits but is felt to be socially inept.

nerd also nurd (nûrd)
n. Slang
1. A foolish, inept, or unattractive person.
2. A person who is single-minded or accomplished in scientific or technical pursuits but is felt to be socially inept.

Desolee mon petit Beo...

[Beowulf]

Desolee mon petit Beo...

watch it you.. or I'll post the lyrics to 'Je t'aime... moi non plus ' by Serge gainsbourg again ;p

[Poi Boi]

The word geek is a slang term, noting individuals as "a peculiar or otherwise odd person, especially one who is perceived to be overly obsessed with one or more things including those of intellectuality, electronics, gaming, etc.

The definition of geek has changed considerably over time, and there is no longer a definitive meaning. The terms nerd and dork have similar meanings as geek, but many choose to identify different connotations amongst the three terms, although the differences are disputed. In a 2007 interview on The Colbert Report, Richard Clarke said the difference between nerds and geeks is "geeks get it done"

But then, I never have really understood the difference between geeks and nerds, in my mind, geeks are people who know lots about something i.e a science geek, a dance geek etc. A nerd always has the images of big glasses with celotape around them, looks like their mum dressed them, and only comfortable in the company of other nerds. Maybe to some people, the terms geek and nerd are interchangable, and carry no other connotations.

I get called a geek, and then I look at my friends and wonder just how broad that term is.

[ducasi]

I'm with Caro. I don't see a big difference between the two words in this context. Nor does my dictionary..

geek |giːk|
noun informal
1 an unfashionable or socially inept person.
• [with adj. ] a person with an eccentric devotion to a particular interest : a computer geek.
2 a carnival performer who does wild or disgusting acts.

nerd |nəːd|
noun informal
a foolish or contemptible person who lacks social skills or is boringly studious : one of those nerds who never asked a girl to dance.
• an intelligent, single-minded expert in a particular technical discipline or profession : he single-handedly changed the Zero image of the computer nerd into one of savvy Hero.

Neither word is attractive.

[HelenB]

Neither word is attractive.

But geeks can be attractive to some

[Beowulf]

I'm with Caro. I don't see a big difference between the two words in this context. Nor does my dictionary..

well the difference one is derogatory the other not so. it's the difference between Fatty and Overweight, illegitimate and bast@rd and Gay and P##f !

Neither word is attractive.

Speak for yourself. I'm proud to be a geek.. I revel in it. It defines who I am. You have said before you're not a geek whereas I am.

just wait .. in a few years time there be annual Geek Pride marches in London.

[ducasi]

well the difference one is derogatory the other not so. it's the difference between Fatty and Overweight, illegitimate and bast@rd and Gay and P##f !

Based on the definitions I posted, nerds are better than geeks – they are experts.

You seem to acknowledge that both words are derogatory, but I can't see why "geek" has been chosen as less derogatory than "nerd".

Back in the day, the term was "whiz" (or "whizz" if you liked words with double-z's ), which is certainly a more attractive word. Feel free to call me a whizz.

whiz |wɪz| (also whizz)
noun
1 a whistling or whooshing sound made by something moving fast through the air.
2 (also wiz) informal a person who is extremely clever at something : a computer whiz. [ORIGIN: early 20th cent.: influenced by wizard .]

[Crazy Shark]

Beo i dunno if you know but in London there is a newish slang word - Neek Appearently according people i use to work with they say people have used this word even when i was in secondary school which was a few years ago. But i never heard of it until last year. Im really not with the London Slang.

Neek is a cross between Nerd and Geek.

[Beowulf]

I personally don't regard GEEK as a derogatory comment quite the opposite actually . When I'm on the bus surfing the net (as I am now) and someone snorts "look at that geek" I smile and feel like thanking them. what I meant was other NON-geeks see it as an insult.

Whizz eh? you're scots .. So I suppose you know what "Going for a whizz" means then ..

and for those of our southern friends it's the same as "going for a slash.. a jimmy riddle.. going to drain the vein and make it rain.. going to hose the garden .. etc"

[Crazy Shark]

Whizz eh? you're scots .. So I suppose you know what "Going for a whizz" means then ..

and for those of our southern friends it's the same as "going for a slash.. a jimmy riddle.. going to drain the vein and make it rain.. going to hose the garden .. etc"

I've heard of that one, but the others you named thats the first time im hearing of that

Imagine if women could urinate anywhere and everywhere like men it'd be wrong!!

[Sparkles]

The big difference between 'Geek' and 'Nerd' is that nerds are socially inept, and geeks are not. That's why it's insulting to call someone a nerd, and not to call someone a geek.

[Lou]

The big difference between 'Geek' and 'Nerd' is that nerds are socially inept, and geeks are not.

Not according to Ducasi's dictionary above! And I've met plenty of socially inept geeks in my time working in many IT departments.

Go on Beo - it's time to reclaim the "N" word!

[Sparkles]

Not according to Ducasi's dictionary above! And I've met plenty of socially inept geeks in my time working in many IT departments.

Go on Beo - it's time to reclaim the "N" word!

Hmm, I try not to use the word 'geek' in isolation - maybe that's where my version changes. I, for example, am a science geek - that's the area in which my geekyness lies and I do not believe myself to be socially inept, therefore I am a science geek and not a nerd - see the second point in Ducasi's definition.

[straycat]

And I've met plenty of socially inept geeks in my time working in many IT departments.

I think many nerds are geeks (or, at least, aspiring geeks). Most geeks are not nerds.

Which has me (bizarrely) thinking about collective nouns again. Obviously it would be a herd of nerds. What's a good term for a collection of geeks?

[ducasi]

Thing is, lots of geeks and nerds use the words interchangeably – as do the rest of the English-speaking planet.

Here's an example I came across today... First line of this article.*

Do you think the author of this article thinks of himself as socially inept?

Words can mean what you want them to mean, but you're fighting an up-hill battle if you're trying to say that geek is very much different from nerd.



* I did not buy an iPhone. I'm still using my trusty old N95.

[Lou]

Hmm, I try not to use the word 'geek' in isolation - maybe that's where my version changes. I, for example, am a science geek - that's the area in which my geekyness lies and I do not believe myself to be socially inept, therefore I am a science geek and not a nerd - see the second point in Ducasi's definition.

I was thinking about this. I think the difference is in how they dress. Nerds wear checked shirts with pocket protectors. They have trousers that don't quite reach their ankles. And anoraks!

Geeks often wear t-shirts, sometimes with the name of some metal band, or a "witty" slogan. They are more likely to have long hair or shaved heads, whereas a nerd will have a side-parting. I've seen geeks in designer clothes - but I'd never see a nerd wearing any.

To illustrate, here's a nerd:



and here's a geek:



They're a similar species, but one can learn to identify the differences with practice.