Re: Word Nerd Day (9 January)

On 1/14/2024 11:42 AM, Ross Clark wrote:

[Sorry, I've been out of contact for a few days. Will now post the ones I've missed.]
 This must be one of the most insubstantial in the book.
Who makes these things up? Anybody else heard of it?
 Crystal:
"who created this day? Why 9 January? No idea."
He doesn't even say where he learned of its existence."Social media?"
 Most of the content is about the origin of the word "nerd"  (1950s,            probably from an imaginary animal in a Dr.Seuss book).

nerd (n.) also nurd, 1951, "a person lacking in social skills, fashion sense or both" (Partridge Dictionary of Slang).
U.S. student slang, probably an alteration of 1940s slang nert "stupid or crazy person," itself an alteration of nut.