Martha shares a British article that begins, “Boffins have discovered a strange new type of spongy mushroom.” But what, you may ask, is a boffin? The word boffin denotes an intellectual with a specific expertise and general lack of social aptitude. Grant adds anorak to the list of terms for nerds with minimal aptitude for cocktail-party conversations. Here’s to you, boffins and anoraks! This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “Boffin”
I came across this really interesting article about a new type of spongy mushroom that they just discovered in the island rainforest of Borneo. Grant, did you read about this?
No.
Here’s the article. It was in a British publication, and the lead sentence began, “Boffins have discovered a strange new type of spongy mushroom, blah, blah, blah.” And I thought, “Boffins? I had to go look it up in the dictionary.”
It’s an intellectual, an academic, a clever person, an expert in a particular field. Especially such a person perceived as lacking in practical or social skills.
Right. And it always reminds me of another criticism, anorak. It’s a socially inept person.
That’s another one of those criticisms that we don’t use in American English. Collins Dictionary describes it as someone who is socially inept and considered by most people to be boring.
Socially inept with a hobby. They will bore you talking about trains or spongiform mushrooms.
Or language.
Or language.
Muffins in Anorak.
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