We had this big discussion amonst friends about the difference between geek, nerd, dweeb and gonk. We were trying to explain to a Chinese friend of ours that they are almost synonyms but there are slight nuances in the meaning. What do you guys think? Can you help?
2006-09-03 12:37:06 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
Never heard 'gonk' though I have heard 'wonk.'
Mostly, these words WERE synonymous ('geek' originally meant a circus performer who bit the heads off of chickens, which some people, believe it or not, paid money to watch do so).
More recently, people who are really good with computers, especially programmers, have taken 'nerd' and 'geek' and made them their own. I THINK geeks outrank mere nerds, in the geeky, nerdy world of computer wonks.
I don't think anyone thinks of 'dweeb' as positive.
BTW, the alpha-nerd or alpha-geek are the highest of these two grades ('alpha' being stolen from zoologists, who coined it to mean the male animal in a group -- of wolves or chimps, for example -- who is most dominant, the leader; hence, the primacy of the alpha-geek).
So, there are two, contradictory uses of 'nerd' and 'geek' -- the older, purely derogatory uses, which dweeb still always is -- and a newer, positive sense.
Has 'drip' gone out of use altogether?
2006-09-03 14:04:43 · answer #1 · answered by tehabwa 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Geeks are intelligent in at least one field, and super super knowledgeable in that field. They don't really dig that no-one else (except for other geeks) is interested, and they'll keep discoursing on their favourite subject irregardless of whether or not the person they're talking to/at understands what they're on about. They're likely to be running a successful IT company before they're out of college. Geeks are too focussed on their field of interest to notice that a girl is coming on to them. Nerds are just incapable of being cool, although they may be popular anyway (but not usually). Sometimes they're so uncool that they're hip anyway. Nerds wear their waistlines high and belted (nerds are pathologically unable to sagg) and do their shirt collars up all the way. They are neat, to the point of obsession, laying out their pens and pencils in neat alignment. Nerds may be awkward around girls and probably really mess up their first kiss. Dweebs, these are the guys to feel sorry for. Dweebs are losers, no-hopers, the kitten that its mother turns away from in disgust. They are socially hopeless, they don't pick up on the signals. If they're trying to be cool, they' re doing it last year style. Please treat them mercifully.
2016-03-26 21:05:16 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It sounds like a bad joke. And I agree with you, they mean the same thing. I don't think that a dweeb is as technically orientated as a nerd. A geek is not as anti-social as a dweeb. And I am loosing interest in answering this question. Too boring for me.
2006-09-03 13:37:02 · answer #3 · answered by mike t 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
a geek is smart but likes the lonliness, a nerd is smart but praises their intlelligence even though other denounce them, a dweeb is usually very physically unappelling and smelly while still being smart.
Ask yahoo is why I know
2006-09-03 12:46:56 · answer #4 · answered by Monsignor Klaatu 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The definition keeps changing. Back in the 50's when I made these words up just b4 they became popular. I defined them like this. A nerd is a boy who sniffs girls bycycle seats. Actually geek might not be my work, but dork is and it definately does not mean the same. Dweeb is also mine I defined it as a girl who stuffs her bra with kleenex. This one mutated almost immeiately. I guess you are free to define them as you like. One thing has not changed nerds still wear wierd stuff like pocket protectors.
2006-09-03 12:44:55 · answer #5 · answered by icheeknows 5 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Nerd=dweeb= geek. All words for the same type of person.
2006-09-03 12:40:22 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Nerds are generally very book-smart, particularly in areas of science, and generally have poor social skills.
Geeks have very extensive knowledge about a particular area of interest, such as comic books, movies, cars, sports, etc.
Dweebs are unattractive (typically with lots of acne) and have poor social skills.
A person with all of the above qualities would be a pretty big dork.
2006-09-03 12:45:58 · answer #7 · answered by dm_scorpio 2 · 8⤊ 0⤋
Geek= tech
nerd=socially far out
dweeb=cunning bastard
Dont know what a gonk is
2006-09-03 12:40:40 · answer #8 · answered by applelamb 1 · 5⤊ 3⤋
There are all names used to hurt others who are not popular. One is as offensive as the other.
2006-09-03 12:40:03 · answer #9 · answered by TJMiler 6 · 2⤊ 2⤋
I proudly count myself a member of all these illustrious categories, though I can not differentiate them for you. When you have it, Sugar, you just have it. Everyone knows.
2006-09-03 12:40:55 · answer #10 · answered by ebemdpa 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋