Stephen Hart
2003-09-04 18:22:20 UTC
Hello Pardoz,
P> or "Trekkie". It definitely isn't techno-specific; you hear it applied
to
P> comic otaku, video game otaku, anime otaku, etc.
Ah! Someone should pass that tidbit to William Gibson, because he has
used "otaku" in a few novels as if it meant "computer nerd" or
"techno-nerd".
From what you're saying, Neal Stephenson comes closer to correct usage
when he uses "pasocon otaku" to refer to "personal computer nerds".
Meanwhile, returning to North American slang; I'm not sure whether
or not "nerd" equates with "drooling fanboy", let alone where "geek"
fits in these days. I've a suspicion that "geek" and "nerd" are
being used interchangeably by some people, but I think that may lose
certain nuances... ;-)
In passing, Stephenson's use of "pasocon otaku" caught my eye while
re-reading _Cryptonomicom_. Yessir! I'm now all set for reading
_Quicksilver_ when it arrives in town. (I've made the possibly bad
assumption that _Q_ will actually be published this fall, but here's
hoping!)
TTYL, ...Steve
-
I came. I saw. I stole your tagline.
Meanwhile, apparently the Japanese have the term "otaku" to describe
fanatic techno-nerds, but for the Japanese it may be more a handy
label than an attempt at being insulting.
P> "Otaku", as I understand it, is broader: more like "drooling fanboy"fanatic techno-nerds, but for the Japanese it may be more a handy
label than an attempt at being insulting.
P> or "Trekkie". It definitely isn't techno-specific; you hear it applied
to
P> comic otaku, video game otaku, anime otaku, etc.
Ah! Someone should pass that tidbit to William Gibson, because he has
used "otaku" in a few novels as if it meant "computer nerd" or
"techno-nerd".
From what you're saying, Neal Stephenson comes closer to correct usage
when he uses "pasocon otaku" to refer to "personal computer nerds".
Meanwhile, returning to North American slang; I'm not sure whether
or not "nerd" equates with "drooling fanboy", let alone where "geek"
fits in these days. I've a suspicion that "geek" and "nerd" are
being used interchangeably by some people, but I think that may lose
certain nuances... ;-)
In passing, Stephenson's use of "pasocon otaku" caught my eye while
re-reading _Cryptonomicom_. Yessir! I'm now all set for reading
_Quicksilver_ when it arrives in town. (I've made the possibly bad
assumption that _Q_ will actually be published this fall, but here's
hoping!)
TTYL, ...Steve
-
I came. I saw. I stole your tagline.