Posted on 12/18/2019 7:49:20 AM PST by dayglored
I don’t think I ever have heard “boffin” used derogatorily. It is mostly a complimentary complementary term, even if only begrudgingly so.
Agreed. I've always considered it a term of (possibly grudging) respect.
I'm going to guess "no", but you should probably check with her to make sure.
“Boffin is a British slang term for a scientist, engineer, or other person engaged in technical or scientific research and development. A “boffin” was generally viewed by the regular services as odd, quirky or peculiar, though quite bright and essential to helping in the war effort.”
Wikipedia is your FRiend!
I don’t go to Wikipedia. Too much bad information.
Anyway, why go to Wikipedia when I get quicker answers from my FReeper FRiends?
I have two boys 9 12/4 and seventh grade and I can tell you I’m very happy to see that they constantly are throwing around faggot ! and you’re gay ! all the time as an insult
Of course they know if they ever use those terms at school they be suspended for the rest of their lives
And of course if they ever let it slip around one of the moms around here are mostly liberal I just drive in and say “oh gay means happy!
Asshat. (am I allowed to say that?)
Is ‘snowflake busybody’ still allowed? — Ubernerd
Are you saying one of your boys is three? If so, he’s not completely simplified!
They still ban kids from the indoctrination center? Seems like it would be counterproductive.
Psychology nerds are little cheep cheep chicken guanos yearning to become eggheads!!
And, this is a circa 1980’s geek, boffin, NASA-certified rocket scientist saying that!
And the booksellers over at www.fatbrain.com. That’s fat-shaming and brain-shaming at the same time!!
Wrap all those offensive slurs into one and hurl it back at her...”Psychologist!”
Falck, you’re a dingbat.
I just found out at a recent conference that my Dad was a “boffin” -— a WW2 English slang word for the “odd” Americans, usually soldiers, who worked with all the electronics gizmos, and were winning the war because of them:
WW2 -— Jan 1941 to Nov 1945:
Served in the 38th Infantry Division as a radio operator using the SCR-511, SCR-536, SCR-284, SCR-300, SCR-211, and similar radios. Was also a field music instructor and had a brief stint as a Military Policeman. Became qualified with all infantry weapons and was intimately familiar with the internal workings of most of them.
Korea -— July 1950 to August 1952:
As a communications radio operator with a code speed of 25 wpm, I used such radio equipment as the SCR-177, SCR-188, and the SCR-399, sometimes in combat. Was required to operate the 2½ ton 6x6 truck as well as the attached radio set.
May 1955 to April 1956:
The first nine weeks was a mathematics review covering algebra and trigonometry, and a course in basic electronics including DC and AC theory, relationships of magnetism to electricity, resistors, capacitors, inductors, dielectrics, amplifiers, oscillators, multivibrators, signal generators, pulse shapers, RC time constants, coupling networks, peaking networks, clippers, limiters, diodes, triodes, tetrodes, pentodes, beam power tubes, impedance, resonance, klystrons, thyratrons, transmission lines, waveguides, antennas, radio energy propagation, amplitude modulation, frequency modulation, modulators, demodulators, rectifiers, power supplies, and culminated in the construction and circuit analysis of a superhererodyne radio receiver. The analog computer was taught in detail, physically, electronically, and mathematically.
Well, perhaps you are right about some things Wikipedia does, but in the case of “boffin,” Wikipedia got it right.
FReepers are awesome, fer shure! Fer shure!
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