Thread: Is there a word for "nerd" or "geek" in Russian?

Originally Posted by Throbert McGee

In the movie «Иван Васильевич меняет профессию», the character Шурик could be considered a nerd/geek. There isn't an absolute distinction between the two words -- they both refer to someone who is very intelligent/academic/scholarly but lacks basic "social skills." (Shurik builds a time-machine in his apartment but is barely aware that his wife is dissatisfied and cheating on him with her movie director.)

But sometimes "nerd" may particularly suggest academic/scholarly interests more than "geek" does. So a "nerd" could be someone who's very interested in science and does well in biochemistry or physics classes (for example), but a "geek" is someone who is obsessed with science-fiction and gets into passionate arguments about whether Star Trek or Star Wars is superior, but isn't necessarily a good science student.

P.S. Bill Gates and Steve Jobs are both frequently mentioned as examples of "alpha nerds" who became incredibly wealthy and successful because of their nerdishness.

P.P.S. Speaking of Shurik and the movie «ИВМП» -- is it possible that, by giving a 20th-century novelty ballpoint pen with a naked lady inside to the 16th-century Swedish ambassador, Жорж Милославский might have changed the course of history (as in the Ray Bradbury short story "A Sound of Thunder" where a time-traveler steps on a Jurassic butterfly) or possibly might even have created a paradox that would tear apart the fabric of the space/time continuum and cause the universe to split into two parallel dimensions? If you have ever gotten into an argument with someone over these questions, then you are definitely a geek/nerd!

I really enjoy your definitions. Sorry, could you explain the distinctions among the words "jerk", "asshole" and "badass" in the same vain?

Originally Posted by diogen_

I really enjoy your definitions. Sorry, could you explain the distinctions among the words "jerk", "asshole" and "badass" in the same vain vein?

"Jerk" and "asshole" can be very similar, referring to someone who is rude, unpleasant, selfish, etc. "Asshole" may sometimes also suggest stupidity -- possibly because the first syllable sounds like "ass" as in "donkey," and donkeys are considered dumb. (However, note that "ass" meaning осёл and "ass" meaning жопа have totally unrelated etymologies.)

But the main difference between the two is that "asshole" is more vulgar. As far as know, "jerk" was originally shortened from "jerk off" (дрочить), but it has lost that "sexual" meaning and nowadays is "rude but not vulgar". So some English-speaking parents would be quite offended if you said "asshole" in front of their children, but "jerk" can safely be used around kids.

As to "badass," it's nearly always used positively -- or at least semi-positively, but it's never completely negative. It's someone who's cool, strong, kicks ass, and perhaps doesn't always follow the rules.

I mean, in an action movie, both the hero and the villain might be "badasses." But when you call the villain a "badass," it might suggest that he's not 100% evil, and perhaps has some sympathetic qualities that the audience likes. Or maybe he's 100% evil, but there's something "cool" about the character -- like he's a shapeshifting robot and can shoot lasers out of his eyes, or whatever.

So in the 1986 movie Aliens, for example, Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) AND the alien "queen mother" are both "badass" characters.

For that matter, the vaguely lesbian-ish female Marine "Private Vasquez" (Jenette Goldstein) was also very "badass" (even though she only had a small role), but Bill Paxton's character "Private Hudson" was totally NOT badass (he was a nice guy, but he whined too much -- even the little girl Newt was more badass than him!). And the evil corporate guy played by Paul Reiser wasn't "badass"; he was just a traitorous and cowardly asshole/jerk.

P.S. Maybe "крепкий орек" could translate "badass"? I'm not sure.
P.P.S. Since I mentioned Vasquez and Hudson from Aliens, I feel obliged to quote the classic dialogue:

HUDSON: Vasquez, have you ever been mistaken for a man?
VASQUEZ: No, have you?

Originally Posted by Throbert McGee

Does that imply someone who engages in дрочка regularly, or is it a different root?

Yes. These words have the same root.

Originally Posted by Throbert McGee

....
P.S. Maybe "крепкий орешек"? could translate ""? I'm not sure.

Большое спасибо за "политпросвет", как всегда информативно. Сленг - дело тонкое!

"Крепкий орешек", наверное, подойдет, но это сочетание слов - не слишком "на слуху". В моем понимании перевод badass "блуждает" где-то между "реальным пацаном", "крутым чуваком" и "настоящим мужиком". Пока ничего лучшего предложить не могу.
Варианты Мультитрана - "задира", "забияка", "неприятный человек". Все это, на мой взгляд, не совсем вяжется с твоим описанием, потому что данные русские слова употребляются чаще в негативном, а не позитивном контексте.

В моем понимании перевод badass "блуждает" где-то между "реальным пацаном", "крутым чуваком" и "настоящим мужиком".

It seems to me that all of those would work for a male "badass" like John McClane from Die Hard, but they wouldn't be suitable for Sarah Connor from Terminator 2: Judgment Day or Mystique from X-Men, to name two more Hollywood examples of "badass" women.

(Not all female heroes are "badass" -- I wouldn't put Jodie Foster's "Clarice Starling" from Silence of the Lambs in the "badass" category, even though I think Foster-as-Starling is in the Top 10 Greatest Movie Heroines of the past several decades. However, Clarice only used her gun once, and generally she followed the FBI's rules. But Sarah Connor [esp. as the character was developed in T2] is without doubt a badass heroine, and Mystique is a badass villainess -- their roles are more physically violent, and they break the rules a lot, which adds to their "badass" rating!)

P.S. Also, Clarice Starling had no крылатые выражения like "Get away from her, you bitch" or "Yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker" or "I'm here to chew bubblegum and kick ass, and I'm all out of bubblegum" or "I ate his liver with fava beans and a nice chianti," etc. Having a quotable catchphrase can definitely add to your badass score...

Example of American badass girl
Barb Wire
tumblr_m6xitgBQ5W1qbb166o3_500.jpg

However her ass is quite pleasant, not bad

Originally Posted by Throbert McGee

It seems to me that all of those would work for a male "badass" like John McClane from Die Hard, but they wouldn't be suitable for Sarah Connor from Terminator 2: Judgment Day or Mystique from X-Men, to name two more Hollywood examples of "badass" women.

Если "крутой чувак" прошел "госприемку", значит "крутая чувиха" тоже должна "прокатить". Другие варианты: угарная девчонка, бой-баба, крутая герла. Я так понимаю,тут должна быть "некрасовская" женщина, та что "коня на скаку остановит, в горящую избу войдет" в упаковке 21 века. Правильно?

Anyway, I'm not that sure whether I can qualify that guy in the song below ( "Tough merchant") as badass or asshole. Thoughts?


@Doomer Sorry , It IS impossible to evaluate Barb's ass on the photo you provided. I'm extremely disappointed. A fake!

увалень?

– Нет, вроде бы ничего не было, по крайней мере, я не знала. Он спокойный был, знаете, есть такой тип людей – увальни.

Увалень is someone who's slow and clumsy, usually because they're hefty but not necessarily That's not a nerd or something

Зубрила.
"Гика" никогда не слышал.

гик - это калька то geek. Вообще есть в русском языке и нерды и гики, но если хотите по-русски - ботан.