narg

An acronym for "not a real gentleman" Someone who discusses matters of business when not working. (Can this⁽⁺⁾ etymology be sourced?)

narg (plural nargs)

1. (Internet) A nerd, someone with extensive knowledge of a particular technical field.
   • 1994 November 7, "purvis" (username), "Postal Tiddlywinks", in alt.games.tiddlywinks, Usenet:

     Perhaps I can be of some assistance here, as I appear to be a member of the Rules subcommittee and am therefore (and for other reasons to numerous to mention) a narg.

   • 1997, November 4, Sunday lunch, cam.misc

     I don't work in the computer industry, either, but all my friends are sad nargs who sit around talking about things like HHGTTG.

   • 1998, June 11, Unusual job for talented computer programmer, cam.misc

     ... most of my adult life going out with a succession of computer programmers, physicists, engineers, budding mathematicians and general nargs of both sexes.

   • 2001 February 2, "Vicky Larmour" (username), "Any americans reading this? - HELP!!!!", in cam.misc, Usenet:

     > Tried that myself as a kid (must be an inquisitive nargy engineering

     > thing).

     Oi! Brown! Are you calling me a narg? Oh well, fair enough I suppose :-)

   • 2011, Ruth Dudley Edwards, Corridors of Death: A Robert Amiss/Baronness Jack Troutback Mystery, page 116:

     'I mean what makes you think he's a poofdah, you narg?' 'I 'aven't got where I am today wivout bein' able to spot a poofdah when I see one. Besides, I used to listen to 'im on the phone talkin' to 'is poofdah friends.

• nargery

• “narg” in Eric S[teven] Raymond, editor, The Jargon File, version 4.4.7, 29 December 2003.

• ARNG, gRNA, garn, gnar, gran, grna, rang