Re: Mr. Vocabulary

[Alan McKendree <amck@thenetdr.com>]

>Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 13:24:45 -0500 (EST)
>From: Jeff House <jjthandmeh@juno.com>
>
>Alan McKendree "I'm an anorak for knowing this..."
>
>Websters's says:
>: a usually pullover hooded jacket long enough to cover the hips"
>
>huh?

It's British slang (any Brits feel free to jump in and correct or 
amplify...).  It refers to someone who knows WAAY too much about the 
little details of some subject or other.  (Most igtc readers probably 
qualify, actually :-).  Comes from the British hobby of 
trainspotting.  Apparently, in trainspotting you keep a written 
record of every train engine you see, with the goal of actually 
seeing and recording every engine in Britain.  Trainspotters 
apparently became associated with anoraks because they'd be out in 
all kinds of weather trying to spot another train.  So "anorak" 
became a synonym for the kind of person who would do that...or who 
could quote off the top of his head what Pete wrote on a picture of 
Bob Pridden that was used as the back cover of a Who album.

Cheers,
-- 
Alan
"You inhuman bastard."
    --"Ramone Wilson"