Anorak (slang)
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In British slang an anorak (pronounced /ˈænəræk/) is a person, usually male, who has a very strong interest, perhaps obsessive, in niche subjects. This interest may be unacknowledged or not understood by the general public. The best known explanation of the term, is the use of anoraks (a type of rain jacket) by train spotters, a prototype group for this seemingly unfathomable interest in detailed trivia.
Although the term is often used synonymously with geek, it suggests a greater degree of social awkwardness and isolation. The Japanese term otaku is probably a closer synonym.
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[edit] Origin
One explanation is that the usage derives from the weatherproof outer clothing worn by enthusiasts of offshore radio, who would sometimes visit the ships from which their 'outcast heroes' broadcast during the 1967–76 period. The term was, reportedly, coined by Andy Archer, a disc jockey of the time - presumably as the appearance of these enthusiasts made a collective impression - and later became generalized to mean an obsessive enthusiast of other activities.
[edit] Examples
The word can be qualified by the area in which the person takes an excessive interest; a "timetabling anorak" would be someone who finds the process of timetabling classes fascinating.
Roy Cropper, a character from the popular British soap opera Coronation Street, is a stereotypical portrayal of an "anorak." Former British Prime Minister John Major, derided by many for perceived dullness, was described by Anthony Seldon as an "obsessive political anorak."[1]
Fans of the BBC's TV series Doctor Who were regarded as a minority of obsessives and sometimes labelled anoraks - in much the same way as Trekkies. This extended to the inclusion of a character called The Anorak appearing in an anniversary documentary for the programme in 1993, affectionately parodying fan obsessives by spouting trivia about the programme, in a provincial accent, from within his/its seemingly empty zipped-up Parker-anorak coat hood.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Seldon, Anthony. John Major: A Political Life. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1998.
