Dear Wayne, I can do no better than refer to a message of mine to this list on 10th October 2003 entitled "new vocabulary":
-o-O-o- 1) An anorak is a hooded waterproof outer jacket. It comes from the Greenland Eskimo's word for a fur coat. In recent years it has become associated with train-spotters, people who frequent railway stations to spot new trains, and collect the train numbers in their little note-books. It is a happy, harmless pastime, and there are lots of people who do it. Unfortunately many others see this as a worthless activity pursued by characterless people. Train-spotters often wear anoraks to keep warm, as they stand on cold, damp railway platforms. The phrase "sad anorak" now extends to anyone who pursues a minority interest in a compulsive sort of way. "Sad" is used in the modern (colloquial) sense of "pitiful". To that extent anyone who is sad enough to play the lute or subscribe to this list must be a sad anorak. -o-O-o- I hope that helps. :-) All the best, Stewart. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Wayne Cripps" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Stewart McCoy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, August 27, 2004 10:07 PM Subject: *** SPAM *** Re: Lute on Open Air Festival 2 > > > Hi Stewart - > > what is an anorak? An uninformed yank wants to know. > I know it can be a kind of coat or hood.. > > Wayne > > > You don't have to end up playing like an introverted > > anorak, just because you know something about the music. > >
