[ACML] The Word Origin - Manga

[Erica Friedman]

> To: animecons at lists.baka.org
> From: support at animefood.com
> Date: Wed, 8 Apr 2009 15:10:10 +0000
> Subject: Re: [ACML] The Word Origin - Manga
>
> How about the word Otaku? I have heard so many versions of the story... I'd love to know the real deal.
 
There's competing etymologies for that. 
 
Since "Otaku" means "house" it's said that it comes from the propensity for that type of person to have poor socialization and to stay at home (the Japanese equivalnt of living in your parents' basement...)
 
Since "otaku" means "house" in the sense of "House of Windsor" it's also said that it comes from otaku's tendency to over-formalize when they speak, the by-product of the aforementioned poor socialization. I get that alot when I talk to people at cons.
 
According to the Japanese wikipedia entry (http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%81%8A%E3%81%9F%E3%81%8F,) it was first used in 1983 by Nakamori Akio to indicate people with anime/game/computer life mania.
 
The Japanese wiki article is interesting, too, because it talks about how non-Japanese otaku are often not as socially challenged as the traditional image of "otaku.
 
Cheers,
 
Erica
 
Hungry for Yuri? Have some Yuri!
http://okazu.blogspot.com
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