This is discussion archived from a time before the current discussion method was installed.
Fast Eddie: I'm reading here and there that 'otaku' literally means 'house-boy', implying someone who stays indoors a good bit, not someone who works in a house. What's the take from those who know?
That is the root, yes. But the word has a more (in)famous connotation at this point.
Antheia: According to this online dictionary
, it literally means "your house, your home (pol), you". Taku means "house, home", and o- is a politeness prefix, so... By the way, the Chinese guide in ''Ranma 1/2 uses the word in this sense ("Otaku-san! Otaku-san!").
- Note that being an Otaku, despite the stereotypes, isn't necessarily a bad thing.
This is only true for the Western sense of the word — and even that is debatable. The article itself leans toward describing the Eastern sense (which, as should be clear by now, is very insulting); thus, cut.
Idocreating: Would it be a fair comment to say that anyone that does well on the first round of the quizshow Mastermind should be considered an Otaku or that subject?
