Dork

[Jonathan Lighter]

"Gook" has been used in the general sense of "simpleton or dork" for a long time, but its recent minor resurgence seems to stem from youthful familiarity with the xenophobic term.  Whether by extension or misunderstanding, I do not know.

JL

Michael McKernan <mckernan at LOCALNET.COM> wrote:
---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
Sender: American Dialect Society
Poster: Michael McKernan
Subject: Re: Dork
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Some additional google data, FWIW:

computer geek 384,000
computer nerd 112,000 computer nurd 335
computer dork 3,740
computer jerk 1,100
computer wonk 596
computer dink 113
computer gook 81

including:
Rusty and Tony's World
... I am a "computer gook", not quite smart enough to be a "geek". We met quite
by accident four years ago. We were both playing bingo online. ...
tonysgirl.bravepages.com/home/ - 11k - Cached - Similar pages

Briefly scanning the 'gook' data, I noticed the item above, which does
clearly specify a status hierarchy.

But the other 'gook' hits seem to be synonymous with the geek/nerd mainstream.

(A few 'gooks' refer to corrupted output, probably short for 'gobbledygook'.)

Michael McKernan


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