Gerry Reid's "Caught-My-Eye" Item
Nerds and Geeks, Unite with a High-Five!
My Dutch friend, Hein van Steenis, sent me the following note. Can anyone help answer his questions as to the origination of the phrase "High-Five" or the words "Nerd" and "Geek," especially as applied to high-tech people? My response follows his note.
I will forward your responses to Hein.
Gerry, sorry for not replying to your weekly messages - that I enjoy every time - but we've been rather busy, amongst others translating [into Dutch] the new book by Ken Blanchard (of The One Minute Manager).
We're experiencing a problem to understand the term High Five or Big Five. It is used to really pat people on their shoulder, to cheer for them. But where does the term come from??? And what does it mean exactly?
For my Dictionary of Computer terminology, I'm looking for an explanation of the word 'geek', often used in conjunction with 'nerd', in relation to computers, esp. Internet. In the old days, nerd used to indicate a frightful absence of understanding; now it seems used also for people who are really crazy about computers and can think of nothing else. Or not?
Can you help us? Thanks a lot and keep the good work going...
Love to the entire family, Hein van Steenis
Greeting Hein! So very nice to hear rom you!
I believe the high-five came from basketball, the players, being very tall (high), would slap hands (five fingers) as they pass by each other after a good play. The gesture was "five" and "high", therefore "High-Five"
But . . . what the hell do I know - that's just a guess. (Maybe a variation would be two hands saying "Hi" to each other, each one saying, "Hi, Five." <grin>)
I thought "nerd" meant one who was so (blindly) focused on one topic that they had no other interests or expertise, and especially lacking in social skills.
However, my Webster's Ninth Collegiate Dictionary says:
- "nerd. slang (1965) an unpleasant, unattractive or insignificant person."
(That shows what I know!)
- "geek. probably English dialect 'geek, geck', 'fool' from Low German 'geck' from Middle Low German (ca, 1942) - a carnival performer often billed as a wild man whose act usually included biting the head off a live chicken or snake."
(Sounds like a nerd-like thing to do!)
I will put your question on my home page as the "Caught-my-eye" feature of the week. If I get any responses I'll forward them to you.
Regards, Gerry.