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Swedish 'nerds' petition to get definition changed

Swedish 'nerds' petition to get definition changed

Swedish 'nerds' petition to get definition changed
03 November 2012

If you think about it, nerds are responsible for everything great on this earth, except meat.

So if anyone can change the definition of the word 'nerd' it's nerds. And a petition has been started in Sweden to get the meaning of the of 'nörd' (Swedish for nerd) changed to something positive.

Digital Spy reports that The official dictionary of the Swedish Academy, the Svenska Akademiens Ordlista (SAOL), defines a nerd as a 'simple-minded and laughable person' ("enkelspårig och löjeväckande person").

But livid geeks have launched the online petition, dubbed Nörduppropet ('The Nerd Appeal').

"It is time to change the definition of the word nerd to something that is more modern." Says the website. "A geek is a person with a strong interest. A person with an enormous drive and commitment. Maybe you are playing nerd, geek horse, language geek or nerd plug? Take advantage of it."

They lose us a bit towards the end, but yeah, fair point. So far, 3,680 people have signed the petition, each contributing his or her own definition of the word.

The editor of the SAOL dictionary admitted that the word had perhaps changed in meaning since it first appeared in the dictionary seven years ago.

Sign the petition here