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The word geek is a slang term for odd or non-mainstream people, with different connotations ranging from "a computer expert or enthusiast" to "a person heavily interested in a hobby", with a general pejorative meaning of "a peculiar or otherwise dislikable person, esp one who is perceived to be overly intellectual".

Although often considered as a pejorative, the term is also often used self-referentially without malice or as a source of pride.

Etymology

This word comes from English dialect geek, geck: fool, freak; from Low German geck, from Middle Low German. The root geck still survives in Dutch and Afrikaans gek: crazy, as well as some German dialects, and in the Alsatian word Gickeleshut: geek's hat, used in carnivals. The Swedish transitive verb gäcka (to outsmart, to fool) has the same root; att gäcka rättvisan (to escape justice by clever tricks) is a set expression.

Formerly, in 18th century Austria-Hungary, Gecken were freaks shown by some circuses. In 19th century, in North-America, the term geek referred to a freak in circus side-shows (see also freak show). The 1976 edition of the American Heritage Dictionary included only the definition regarding geek shows.

The word appears in the modern sense of a science, math, or technology enthusiast in Robert Heinlein's 1952 short story "The Year of the Jackpot".

Definitions

The definition of geek has changed considerably over time, and there is no longer a definitive meaning. The term nerd has a similar, practically synonymous meaning as geek, but many choose to identify different connotations among these two 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."(or "ggid", which only a certified geek would point out) Julie Smith defined a geek as "a bright young man turned inward, poorly socialized, who felt so little kinship with his own planet that he routinely traveled to the ones invented by his favorite authors, who thought of that secret, dreamy place his computer took him to as cyberspace—somewhere exciting, a place more real than his own life, a land he could conquer, not a drab teenager's room in his parents' house."

An acronym G.E.E.K also contributed to the word's connotation to technology savvy people. Geek used in this context was popularized in the US army and denotes "General electrical engineering knowledge".

There are many subclassifications in geeks like the following: Science geeks, Math geeks, Computer geeks, History geeks, Engineering geeks, Language geeks, Sci-Fi geeks, Fantasy geeks, Comic Book geeks, Video Game geeks, Board Game geeks, Trading Card geeks, Music geeks, and even Sports geeks.

Geek chic

"Geek chic" refers to a minor fashion trend that arose in the mid 2000s in which young individuals adopted stereotypically "geeky" fashions, such as oversized black horn-rimmed glasses, suspenders/braces, and highwater trousers. The glasses—sometimes worn with non-prescription lenses or without lenses—quickly became the defining aspect of the trend, with the media identifying various celebrities as "trying geek" or "going geek" for wearing such glasses, such as David Beckham, Justin Timberlake, and Myleene Klass. Meanwhile, in the sports world, many NBA players wore "geek glasses" during post-game interviews, drawing comparisons to Steve Urkel.

As many of the other identifying characteristics of the trend, such as clip-on suspenders worn with short-sleeved shirts, were unsuitable for the business environment into which young adherents were entering, the trend quickly died out. However, heightened media awareness of the hipster subculture, which had simultaneously embraced thick-rimmed glasses, led to a convolution of hipster aesthetics with "geek chic." As a result, the media and social commentators continued erroneously referring to hipsters as "geek chic" after the trend had faded. The term is now nominally used in the world of retail optics, where it is similarly erroneously applied to both hipsters as well as retro style.

Self-application

In the wake of the fashion trend, the term "geek chic" was appropriated by self-identified "geeks" to refer to a new, socially acceptable role in a technologically advanced society. Self-applied, "geek chic" came to refer to the desirability of "geek" culture as a whole, referring to items, clothing, and furnishings positively associated with geek culture. In this usage, the term "geek chic" has also come to differentiate between people, ideas, and things which fall under the modern scope of social acceptability, as opposed to "geeky," which has become a pejorative in the vein of the original application of "geek."

See also

• Anorak and Boffin, British slang for "geek"
• Akiba-kei and Otaku, Japanese slang for "geek"
• Autodidactism
• Behavior
• Enthusiast
• Fantasy prone personality
• Geek Code
• Geek girl
• Geekcorps
• Nerd
• Norm (sociology)
• Technosexual
• Girl Geek Dinners
• Asperger's Syndrome sometimes produces personality traits that overlap with some of the modern definitions of geek.

References

1. ^ "Geek". Dictionary.com-Merriam-Webster entry. Retrieved 2007-10-12.
2. "Geek". Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved 2013-05-03.
3. The Colbert Report 17th of January video interview Richard Clarke
4. Reconstruction 6.1 (Winter 2006)
5. http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-geek.htm
6. "Geeky Becks' specs appeal". The Sun. September 12, 2010. Retrieved March 1, 2013.
7. "Nice glasses! Justin Timberlake is bringing geek chic back at the Social Network premiere". Daily Mail. September 25, 2010. Retrieved March 1, 2013.
8. stylelist.com: Myleene Klass geek chic
9. "Whacky NBA Playoff Fashion!". YouTube. Retrieved 2012-06-26.
10. Cacciola, Scott (2012-06-14). "NBA Finals: LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Other Fashion Plates of the NBA Make Specs of Themselves - WSJ.com". Online.wsj.com. Retrieved 2012-06-26.
11. Fassel, Preston. "Geek Chic Was Last Week: Understanding the Retro Craze". The Optician's Handbook. Retrieved 2012-12-31.
12. How Stuff works: Geek Chic
13. Geek Chic HQ
14. Geek Sugar: Cell phone stand, totally geeky or geek chic?

External links

• Geek Culture: The Third Counter-Culture, an article discussing geek culture as a new kind of counter-culture.
• Hoevel, Ann. "Are you a nerd or a geek?" CNN. December 2, 2010.
• "Geek Chic", USA Today, October 22, 2003
• "How Geek Chic Works"

• 2000s fashion
• Computing culture
• Fashion aesthetics
• History of subcultures
• Internet culture
• Pejorative terms for people
• Reclaimed words
• English-language slang
• Stereotypes