Editing 747: Geeks and Nerds

{{comic
| number    = 747
| date      = May 31, 2010
| title     = Geeks and Nerds
| image     = geeks and nerds.png
| titletext = The definitions I grew up with were that a geek is someone unusually into something (so you could have computer geeks, baseball geeks, theater geeks, etc) and nerds are (often awkward) science, math, or computer geeks. But definitions vary.
}}

==Explanation==
The words "geek" and "nerd" are both commonly used to describe people who are looked down upon due to being too intelligent and not socially conventional enough. Distinction between the two varies, but it commonly involves differences in range of interests, depth of interests, choice of hobbies, social capability, if you play sports, and so on.

The title text gives [[Randall]]'s personal definitions: geeks are people passionately into something to a greater extent than casual hobbyists, while nerds are analytical logic-oriented people, often with underdeveloped social skills.

The comic makes the argument that if you care a lot about the distinction between a geek or a nerd, then you are most likely too invested in the result to not be either a nerd or a geek. But although one who maintains this distinction strongly could be a linguistics geek merely expressing their general interest in words/expressions, given the {{w|Disputes in English grammar|more pressing controversies}} linguistic geeks have to deal with, the strong interest one might have in the words "geek" and "nerd" is probably due to simply being a <del>nerd</del> <ins>geek</ins>.

==Transcript==
:[There is a two-circle Venn diagram; the circles are labeled and there is text in the intersection.]
:Left circle: Geeks
:Right circle: Nerds
:Intersection: People with strong opinions on the distinction between geeks and nerds

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Venn diagrams]]

[[Category:Language]]