this post was submitted on 12 Sep 2023
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I don't think they mean it to be negative. I assumed they mean its used more loosely now and has lost some of the meaning it used to have as a result. They can't find a more fitting word for what they want to say, so they just specify they mean the stricter definition of the word nerd.
I find the "stricter" meaning more ambiguous though. Nerd still applies to many subclasses of people back in the day. If you read too many books, nerd. Played video games? Nerd. Did math for fun? Nerd. Chess? Nerd. So saying "classic nerd" doesn't say much.
And in regards to being negative or not, it was more the ambiguity of their opening. They said the word "nerd" isn't negative anymore because it's watered down. So when they made a non-watered down version, it just seemed questionable in regards to the reason given for not being negative anymore.
Based on their response, yeah, I think it was just poor wording.
I interpreted the "stricter" definition as just being more intense. Like its only used to describe someone who reads constantly, and knows nearly everything about literature. Or someone who is almost obsessively studying math, or chess theory. Or someone who is very interested in numerous "nerdy" things.
Maybe that's not what they meant, I'm not sure. You're right, their wording is kind of ambiguous.
Perhaps it's because in the past people would never call themselves "nerds". Nerd and freak was an insult people would throw at you. So I think it did kind of change in meaning.