As the bombs burst outside for Bastille Day, I commemorate something completely different...
While bored in 10th grade history class, I wrote a little treatise on the many ways to spell "nurd". I had come up with 742 different spellings. This post commemorates the 45th anniversary of that event, and is the first time I've attempted to recreate the list since then. This new compendium has a new total spellings count of 910!
Today we all know what a "nerd" is, and how most people spell it. But 45 years ago, it was in its primordial beginnings with no set meaning, nor an agreed upon spelling.
The spelling "nurd" was actually the preferred one in my high school circles in 1970. And the meaning was basically the punchline to a joke. A "nurd" (circa 1970) is someone who farts in the bathtub and bites the bubbles. While nerd/nurd has lost that meaning, it is interesting to see that there are other related words that still have that same meaning (according to the Urban Dictionary),
and the same early 1970s date is even referenced as well. See the definitions for
dork,
gorp,
fonzanoon, etc.
But, a winner to competing spellings emerges from the mist, with "nerd" gaining traction just as the word itself starts getting increasingly used. See
this Google NGRAM graph of the historical usage of the two spellings, showing a clear upswing in usage and spelling preference starting in the late 1970s.
For me, it is no coincidence that the date corresponds to the advent of home computers, e.g. the Apple ][ in 1977. [BTW, if you are wondering why usage might have plateaued, see how
Asperger's has overtaken it.]
The irony is that the word nerd would eventually take on the meaning that describes the very kind of person who would take on a project of enumerating hundreds of its spellings.
The Rules
In 1970, thinking of the two spelling alternatives, I noticed that nurd is a unique combination of sounds, each of which has an unusually large number of possible spellings, hence the combinatorics explode. There is the starting "n" sound, followed by the "ur" sound, followed by a hard "d" sound, each of which has multiple spellings (in English).
So, I grabbed the biggest dictionary I could find, and at my desk (with the history teacher droning on), I enumerated all the variations (in a matrix, by hand, in pen, mind you) and came up with a total of 742. I am afraid I've lost track of that historic document. So, herewithin, I will attempt to recreate the set of rules, and the list of spellings generated by them.
An "n" sound at the beginning of a word, has an unbelievable number of spellings in English.
They are:
- "n" as in nerd.
- "gn" as in gnat.
- "kn" as in know.
- "cn" as in cnemis (I'm not making these up…look them up in the dictionary)
- "mn" as in mnemonic.
- "pn" as in pneumonia.
- "nn" based on the logic that double letters can be used in the beginning, like "aa" in aardvark, or "ll" in Lloyd
The "urd" sound also has a huge number of spellings:
- "urd" as in kurd.
- "erd" as in herd.
- "ird" as in bird.
- "ord" as in word.
- "oard" as in cupboard
- "ard" as in standard, awkward.
- "ered" as in blinkered.
- "eard" as in heard.
- "irred" as in stirred.
- "urred" as in blurred.
- "erred" as in deterred.
- "ored" as in flavored, armored (hey, I was in the South, we pronounce 'em that way)
- "ured" as in featured
- "yred" as in martyred
- "yrd" as in (lots of people with last name) Byrd, and Lynyrd Skynyrd (I said it was the South, plus its got nyrd twice!)
The hard consonant ending, has a few variations too:
- a single consonant, as in mud, hence a "d" ending
- a double consonant, as in odd, add, hence a "dd" ending
- with a silent "e" and single consonant, as in facade, avant-garde, hence a "de" ending
- with a silent "e" and double consonant, as in dradde, and (ye olde) shoppe, hence a "dde" ending
Ok, so thats 7 times 15 times 4 giving 420 …hmmm… I kinda remember some not-quite-silent "h"s thrown in, as in nhurd (it sounds the same!), and nurdhe as in "sadhe" (yes, it is! Merriam-Websters). So now 7 times 30 times 5 giving 1050.
But I think I threw out the "h" in front of "ord" and "ored" and "oard" and "ard" since that seemed stretching it even for me. So back down to 7 times 26 times 5 giving 910.
The Spellings
Count
|
_n...d
|
_nh...d
|
_n...dd
|
_nh...dd
|
_n...de
|
_nh...de
|
_n...dde
|
_nh...dde
|
_n...dhe
|
_nh...dhe
|
1
|
nurd
|
nhurd
|
nurdd
|
nhurdd
|
nurde
|
nhurde
|
nurdde
|
nhurdde
|
nurdhe
|
nhurdhe
|
11
|
cnurd
|
cnhurd
|
cnurdd
|
cnhurdd
|
cnurde
|
cnhurde
|
cnurdde
|
cnhurdde
|
cnurdhe
|
cnhurdhe
|
21
|
gnurd
|
gnhurd
|
gnurdd
|
gnhurdd
|
gnurde
|
gnhurde
|
gnurdde
|
gnhurdde
|
gnurdhe
|
gnhurdhe
|
31
|
knurd
|
knhurd
|
knurdd
|
knhurdd
|
knurde
|
knhurde
|
knurdde
|
knhurdde
|
knurdhe
|
knhurdhe
|
41
|
mnurd
|
mnhurd
|
mnurdd
|
mnhurdd
|
mnurde
|
mnhurde
|
mnurdde
|
mnhurdde
|
mnurdhe
|
mnhurdhe
|
51
|
nnurd
|
nnhurd
|
nnurdd
|
nnhurdd
|
nnurde
|
nnhurde
|
nnurdde
|
nnhurdde
|
nnurdhe
|
nnhurdhe
|
61
|
pnurd
|
pnhurd
|
pnurdd
|
pnhurdd
|
pnurde
|
pnhurde
|
pnurdde
|
pnhurdde
|
pnurdhe
|
pnhurdhe
|
. |
71
|
nerd
|
nherd
|
nerdd
|
nherdd
|
nerde
|
nherde
|
nerdde
|
nherdde
|
nerdhe
|
nherdhe
|
81
|
cnerd
|
cnherd
|
cnerdd
|
cnherdd
|
cnerde
|
cnherde
|
cnerdde
|
cnherdde
|
cnerdhe
|
cnherdhe
|
91
|
gnerd
|
gnherd
|
gnerdd
|
gnherdd
|
gnerde
|
gnherde
|
gnerdde
|
gnherdde
|
gnerdhe
|
gnherdhe
|
101
|
knerd
|
knherd
|
knerdd
|
knherdd
|
knerde
|
knherde
|
knerdde
|
knherdde
|
knerdhe
|
knherdhe
|
111
|
mnerd
|
mnherd
|
mnerdd
|
mnherdd
|
mnerde
|
mnherde
|
mnerdde
|
mnherdde
|
mnerdhe
|
mnherdhe
|
121
|
nnerd
|
nnherd
|
nnerdd
|
nnherdd
|
nnerde
|
nnherde
|
nnerdde
|
nnherdde
|
nnerdhe
|
nnherdhe
|
131
|
pnerd
|
pnherd
|
pnerdd
|
pnherdd
|
pnerde
|
pnherde
|
pnerdde
|
pnherdde
|
pnerdhe
|
pnherdhe
|
. |
141
|
nird
|
nhird
|
nirdd
|
nhirdd
|
nirde
|
nhirde
|
nirdde
|
nhirdde
|
nirdhe
|
nhirdhe
|
151
|
cnird
|
cnhird
|
cnirdd
|
cnhirdd
|
cnirde
|
cnhirde
|
cnirdde
|
cnhirdde
|
cnirdhe
|
cnhirdhe
|
161
|
gnird
|
gnhird
|
gnirdd
|
gnhirdd
|
gnirde
|
gnhirde
|
gnirdde
|
gnhirdde
|
gnirdhe
|
gnhirdhe
|
171
|
knird
|
knhird
|
knirdd
|
knhirdd
|
knirde
|
knhirde
|
knirdde
|
knhirdde
|
knirdhe
|
knhirdhe
|
181
|
mnird
|
mnhird
|
mnirdd
|
mnhirdd
|
mnirde
|
mnhirde
|
mnirdde
|
mnhirdde
|
mnirdhe
|
mnhirdhe
|
191
|
nnird
|
nnhird
|
nnirdd
|
nnhirdd
|
nnirde
|
nnhirde
|
nnirdde
|
nnhirdde
|
nnirdhe
|
nnhirdhe
|
201
|
pnird
|
pnhird
|
pnirdd
|
pnhirdd
|
pnirde
|
pnhirde
|
pnirdde
|
pnhirdde
|
pnirdhe
|
pnhirdhe
|
. |
211
|
nord
|
.....
|
nordd
|
.....
|
norde
|
.....
|
nordde
|
.....
|
nordhe
|
.....
|
216
|
cnord
|
.....
|
cnordd
|
.....
|
cnorde
|
.....
|
cnordde
|
.....
|
cnordhe
|
.....
|
221
|
gnord
|
.....
|
gnordd
|
.....
|
gnorde
|
.....
|
gnordde
|
.....
|
gnordhe
|
.....
|
226
|
knord
|
.....
|
knordd
|
.....
|
knorde
|
.....
|
knordde
|
.....
|
knordhe
|
.....
|
231
|
mnord
|
.....
|
mnordd
|
.....
|
mnorde
|
.....
|
mnordde
|
.....
|
mnordhe
|
.....
|
236
|
nnord
|
.....
|
nnordd
|
.....
|
nnorde
|
.....
|
nnordde
|
.....
|
nnordhe
|
.....
|
241
|
pnord
|
.....
|
pnordd
|
.....
|
pnorde
|
.....
|
pnordde
|
.....
|
pnordhe
|
.....
|
. |
246
|
noard
|
.....
|
noardd
|
.....
|
noarde
|
.....
|
noardde
|
.....
|
noardhe
|
.....
|
251
|
cnoard
|
.....
|
cnoardd
|
.....
|
cnoarde
|
.....
|
cnoardde
|
.....
|
cnoardhe
|
.....
|
256
|
gnoard
|
.....
|
gnoardd
|
.....
|
gnoarde
|
.....
|
gnoardde
|
.....
|
gnoardhe
|
.....
|
261
|
knoard
|
.....
|
knoardd
|
.....
|
knoarde
|
.....
|
knoardde
|
.....
|
knoardhe
|
.....
|
266
|
mnoard
|
.....
|
mnoardd
|
.....
|
mnoarde
|
.....
|
mnoardde
|
.....
|
mnoardhe
|
.....
|
271
|
nnoard
|
.....
|
nnoardd
|
.....
|
nnoarde
|
.....
|
nnoardde
|
.....
|
nnoardhe
|
.....
|
276
|
pnoard
|
.....
|
pnoardd
|
.....
|
pnoarde
|
.....
|
pnoardde
|
.....
|
pnoardhe
|
.....
|
. |
281
|
nard
|
.....
|
nardd
|
.....
|
narde
|
.....
|
nardde
|
.....
|
nardhe
|
.....
|
286
|
cnard
|
.....
|
cnardd
|
.....
|
cnarde
|
.....
|
cnardde
|
.....
|
cnardhe
|
.....
|
291
|
gnard
|
.....
|
gnardd
|
.....
|
gnarde
|
.....
|
gnardde
|
.....
|
gnardhe
|
.....
|
296
|
knard
|
.....
|
knardd
|
.....
|
knarde
|
.....
|
knardde
|
.....
|
knardhe
|
.....
|
301
|
mnard
|
.....
|
mnardd
|
.....
|
mnarde
|
.....
|
mnardde
|
.....
|
mnardhe
|
.....
|
306
|
nnard
|
.....
|
nnardd
|
.....
|
nnarde
|
.....
|
nnardde
|
.....
|
nnardhe
|
.....
|
311
|
pnard
|
.....
|
pnardd
|
.....
|
pnarde
|
.....
|
pnardde
|
.....
|
pnardhe
|
.....
|
. |
316
|
nered
|
nhered
|
neredd
|
nheredd
|
nerede
|
nherede
|
neredde
|
nheredde
|
neredhe
|
nheredhe
|
326
|
cnered
|
cnhered
|
cneredd
|
cnheredd
|
cnerede
|
cnherede
|
cneredde
|
cnheredde
|
cneredhe
|
cnheredhe
|
336
|
gnered
|
gnhered
|
gneredd
|
gnheredd
|
gnerede
|
gnherede
|
gneredde
|
gnheredde
|
gneredhe
|
gnheredhe
|
346
|
knered
|
knhered
|
kneredd
|
knheredd
|
knerede
|
knherede
|
kneredde
|
knheredde
|
kneredhe
|
knheredhe
|
356
|
mnered
|
mnhered
|
mneredd
|
mnheredd
|
mnerede
|
mnherede
|
mneredde
|
mnheredde
|
mneredhe
|
mnheredhe
|
366
|
nnered
|
nnhered
|
nneredd
|
nnheredd
|
nnerede
|
nnherede
|
nneredde
|
nnheredde
|
nneredhe
|
nnheredhe
|
376
|
pnered
|
pnhered
|
pneredd
|
pnheredd
|
pnerede
|
pnherede
|
pneredde
|
pnheredde
|
pneredhe
|
pnheredhe
|
. |
386
|
neard
|
nheard
|
neardd
|
nheardd
|
nearde
|
nhearde
|
neardde
|
nheardde
|
neardhe
|
nheardhe
|
396
|
cneard
|
cnheard
|
cneardd
|
cnheardd
|
cnearde
|
cnhearde
|
cneardde
|
cnheardde
|
cneardhe
|
cnheardhe
|
406
|
gneard
|
gnheard
|
gneardd
|
gnheardd
|
gnearde
|
gnhearde
|
gneardde
|
gnheardde
|
gneardhe
|
gnheardhe
|
416
|
kneard
|
knheard
|
kneardd
|
knheardd
|
knearde
|
knhearde
|
kneardde
|
knheardde
|
kneardhe
|
knheardhe
|
426
|
mneard
|
mnheard
|
mneardd
|
mnheardd
|
mnearde
|
mnhearde
|
mneardde
|
mnheardde
|
mneardhe
|
mnheardhe
|
436
|
nneard
|
nnheard
|
nneardd
|
nnheardd
|
nnearde
|
nnhearde
|
nneardde
|
nnheardde
|
nneardhe
|
nnheardhe
|
446
|
pneard
|
pnheard
|
pneardd
|
pnheardd
|
pnearde
|
pnhearde
|
pneardde
|
pnheardde
|
pneardhe
|
pnheardhe
|
. |
456
|
nirred
|
nhirred
|
nirredd
|
nhirredd
|
nirrede
|
nhirrede
|
nirredde
|
nhirredde
|
nirredhe
|
nhirredhe
|
466
|
cnirred
|
cnhirred
|
cnirredd
|
cnhirredd
|
cnirrede
|
cnhirrede
|
cnirredde
|
cnhirredde
|
cnirredhe
|
cnhirredhe
|
476
|
gnirred
|
gnhirred
|
gnirredd
|
gnhirredd
|
gnirrede
|
gnhirrede
|
gnirredde
|
gnhirredde
|
gnirredhe
|
gnhirredhe
|
486
|
knirred
|
knhirred
|
knirredd
|
knhirredd
|
knirrede
|
knhirrede
|
knirredde
|
knhirredde
|
knirredhe
|
knhirredhe
|
496
|
mnirred
|
mnhirred
|
mnirredd
|
mnhirredd
|
mnirrede
|
mnhirrede
|
mnirredde
|
mnhirredde
|
mnirredhe
|
mnhirredhe
|
506
|
nnirred
|
nnhirred
|
nnirredd
|
nnhirredd
|
nnirrede
|
nnhirrede
|
nnirredde
|
nnhirredde
|
nnirredhe
|
nnhirredhe
|
516
|
pnirred
|
pnhirred
|
pnirredd
|
pnhirredd
|
pnirrede
|
pnhirrede
|
pnirredde
|
pnhirredde
|
pnirredhe
|
pnhirredhe
|
. |
526
|
nurred
|
nhurred
|
nurredd
|
nhurredd
|
nurrede
|
nhurrede
|
nurredde
|
nhurredde
|
nurredhe
|
nhurredhe
|
536
|
cnurred
|
cnhurred
|
cnurredd
|
cnhurredd
|
cnurrede
|
cnhurrede
|
cnurredde
|
cnhurredde
|
cnurredhe
|
cnhurredhe
|
546
|
gnurred
|
gnhurred
|
gnurredd
|
gnhurredd
|
gnurrede
|
gnhurrede
|
gnurredde
|
gnhurredde
|
gnurredhe
|
gnhurredhe
|
556
|
knurred
|
knhurred
|
knurredd
|
knhurredd
|
knurrede
|
knhurrede
|
knurredde
|
knhurredde
|
knurredhe
|
knhurredhe
|
566
|
mnurred
|
mnhurred
|
mnurredd
|
mnhurredd
|
mnurrede
|
mnhurrede
|
mnurredde
|
mnhurredde
|
mnurredhe
|
mnhurredhe
|
576
|
nnurred
|
nnhurred
|
nnurredd
|
nnhurredd
|
nnurrede
|
nnhurrede
|
nnurredde
|
nnhurredde
|
nnurredhe
|
nnhurredhe
|
586
|
pnurred
|
pnhurred
|
pnurredd
|
pnhurredd
|
pnurrede
|
pnhurrede
|
pnurredde
|
pnhurredde
|
pnurredhe
|
pnhurredhe
|
. |
596
|
nerred
|
nherred
|
nerredd
|
nherredd
|
nerrede
|
nherrede
|
nerredde
|
nherredde
|
nerredhe
|
nherredhe
|
606
|
cnerred
|
cnherred
|
cnerredd
|
cnherredd
|
cnerrede
|
cnherrede
|
cnerredde
|
cnherredde
|
cnerredhe
|
cnherredhe
|
616
|
gnerred
|
gnherred
|
gnerredd
|
gnherredd
|
gnerrede
|
gnherrede
|
gnerredde
|
gnherredde
|
gnerredhe
|
gnherredhe
|
626
|
knerred
|
knherred
|
knerredd
|
knherredd
|
knerrede
|
knherrede
|
knerredde
|
knherredde
|
knerredhe
|
knherredhe
|
636
|
mnerred
|
mnherred
|
mnerredd
|
mnherredd
|
mnerrede
|
mnherrede
|
mnerredde
|
mnherredde
|
mnerredhe
|
mnherredhe
|
646
|
nnerred
|
nnherred
|
nnerredd
|
nnherredd
|
nnerrede
|
nnherrede
|
nnerredde
|
nnherredde
|
nnerredhe
|
nnherredhe
|
656
|
pnerred
|
pnherred
|
pnerredd
|
pnherredd
|
pnerrede
|
pnherrede
|
pnerredde
|
pnherredde
|
pnerredhe
|
pnherredhe
|
. |
666
|
nored
|
.....
|
noredd
|
.....
|
norede
|
.....
|
noredde
|
.....
|
noredhe
|
.....
|
671
|
cnored
|
.....
|
cnoredd
|
.....
|
cnorede
|
.....
|
cnoredde
|
.....
|
cnoredhe
|
.....
|
676
|
gnored
|
.....
|
gnoredd
|
.....
|
gnorede
|
.....
|
gnoredde
|
.....
|
gnoredhe
|
.....
|
681
|
knored
|
.....
|
knoredd
|
.....
|
knorede
|
.....
|
knoredde
|
.....
|
knoredhe
|
.....
|
686
|
mnored
|
.....
|
mnoredd
|
.....
|
mnorede
|
.....
|
mnoredde
|
.....
|
mnoredhe
|
.....
|
691
|
nnored
|
.....
|
nnoredd
|
.....
|
nnorede
|
.....
|
nnoredde
|
.....
|
nnoredhe
|
.....
|
696
|
pnored
|
.....
|
pnoredd
|
.....
|
pnorede
|
.....
|
pnoredde
|
.....
|
pnoredhe
|
.....
|
. |
701
|
nured
|
nhured
|
nuredd
|
nhuredd
|
nurede
|
nhurede
|
nuredde
|
nhuredde
|
nuredhe
|
nhuredhe
|
711
|
cnured
|
cnhured
|
cnuredd
|
cnhuredd
|
cnurede
|
cnhurede
|
cnuredde
|
cnhuredde
|
cnuredhe
|
cnhuredhe
|
721
|
gnured
|
gnhured
|
gnuredd
|
gnhuredd
|
gnurede
|
gnhurede
|
gnuredde
|
gnhuredde
|
gnuredhe
|
gnhuredhe
|
731
|
knured
|
knhured
|
knuredd
|
knhuredd
|
knurede
|
knhurede
|
knuredde
|
knhuredde
|
knuredhe
|
knhuredhe
|
741
|
mnured
|
mnhured
|
mnuredd
|
mnhuredd
|
mnurede
|
mnhurede
|
mnuredde
|
mnhuredde
|
mnuredhe
|
mnhuredhe
|
751
|
nnured
|
nnhured
|
nnuredd
|
nnhuredd
|
nnurede
|
nnhurede
|
nnuredde
|
nnhuredde
|
nnuredhe
|
nnhuredhe
|
761
|
pnured
|
pnhured
|
pnuredd
|
pnhuredd
|
pnurede
|
pnhurede
|
pnuredde
|
pnhuredde
|
pnuredhe
|
pnhuredhe
|
. |
771
|
nyred
|
nhyred
|
nyredd
|
nhyredd
|
nyrede
|
nhyrede
|
nyredde
|
nhyredde
|
nyredhe
|
nhyredhe
|
781
|
cnyred
|
cnhyred
|
cnyredd
|
cnhyredd
|
cnyrede
|
cnhyrede
|
cnyredde
|
cnhyredde
|
cnyredhe
|
cnhyredhe
|
791
|
gnyred
|
gnhyred
|
gnyredd
|
gnhyredd
|
gnyrede
|
gnhyrede
|
gnyredde
|
gnhyredde
|
gnyredhe
|
gnhyredhe
|
801
|
knyred
|
knhyred
|
knyredd
|
knhyredd
|
knyrede
|
knhyrede
|
knyredde
|
knhyredde
|
knyredhe
|
knhyredhe
|
811
|
mnyred
|
mnhyred
|
mnyredd
|
mnhyredd
|
mnyrede
|
mnhyrede
|
mnyredde
|
mnhyredde
|
mnyredhe
|
mnhyredhe
|
821
|
nnyred
|
nnhyred
|
nnyredd
|
nnhyredd
|
nnyrede
|
nnhyrede
|
nnyredde
|
nnhyredde
|
nnyredhe
|
nnhyredhe
|
831
|
pnyred
|
pnhyred
|
pnyredd
|
pnhyredd
|
pnyrede
|
pnhyrede
|
pnyredde
|
pnhyredde
|
pnyredhe
|
pnhyredhe
|
. |
841
|
nyrd
|
nhyrd
|
nyrdd
|
nhyrdd
|
nyrde
|
nhyrde
|
nyrdde
|
nhyrdde
|
nyrdhe
|
nhyrdhe
|
851
|
cnyrd
|
cnhyrd
|
cnyrdd
|
cnhyrdd
|
cnyrde
|
cnhyrde
|
cnyrdde
|
cnhyrdde
|
cnyrdhe
|
cnhyrdhe
|
861
|
gnyrd
|
gnhyrd
|
gnyrdd
|
gnhyrdd
|
gnyrde
|
gnhyrde
|
gnyrdde
|
gnhyrdde
|
gnyrdhe
|
gnhyrdhe
|
871
|
knyrd
|
knhyrd
|
knyrdd
|
knhyrdd
|
knyrde
|
knhyrde
|
knyrdde
|
knhyrdde
|
knyrdhe
|
knhyrdhe
|
881
|
mnyrd
|
mnhyrd
|
mnyrdd
|
mnhyrdd
|
mnyrde
|
mnhyrde
|
mnyrdde
|
mnhyrdde
|
mnyrdhe
|
mnhyrdhe
|
891
|
nnyrd
|
nnhyrd
|
nnyrdd
|
nnhyrdd
|
nnyrde
|
nnhyrde
|
nnyrdde
|
nnhyrdde
|
nnyrdhe
|
nnhyrdhe
|
901
|
pnyrd
|
pnhyrd
|
pnyrdd
|
pnhyrdd
|
pnyrde
|
pnhyrde
|
pnyrdde
|
pnhyrdde
|
pnyrdhe
|
pnhyrdhe
|
...with the final total:
910